Equity for Punks will get Brewdog expansion in 2012

In: News

20 Oct 2011

A new BrewDog brewery and five new bars due to open in 2012 will be largely funded by investment from beer drinkers

BrewDog, Scotland’s largest independent brewery has today unveiled plans to build the world’s first fan-funded brewery next year, as well as opening five new craft beer bars across the UK. Planning permission for a new £7million low carbon brewing facility in Aberdeenshire, Scotland has already been submitted, following investment of almost £2million from beer drinkers across the world through the company’s ground-breaking Equity for Punks online share offer.

Launched in July, Equity for Punks give beer drinkers the opportunity to spark a craft beer revolution by offering equity in the fast-growing BrewDog business for as little as £95. In its first month, Equity for Punks had raised just over £1m from ‘fanvestors’ and with the campaign running until the end of the year the growth of BrewDog in 2012 will be beyond the company’s original high expectations.

James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog commented:

“BrewDog has grown by over 200 per cent in 2011, and through the investment of BrewDog fans throughout the world in Equity for Punks we are planning on exceeding that growth in 2012. The new facility will give us ten times the brewing capacity, allowing us to meet demand that is growing all the time. In addition to this, we have plans in place to open at least 5 new craft beer bars over the next 12 months.”

“Through their investment in BrewDog, craft beer fans are helping to shake the dust from the UK drinks industry and spark a craft beer revolution. Craft beer fans are not only turning their backs on the limp, pale yellow lagers mass-produced and peddled by giant global breweries, they are also becoming richer with every craft beer they drink.”

The new BrewDog brewery will house state-of-the-art craft brewing equipment and will create 25 new jobs immediately, rising to 75 in the next five years. Carefully designed to have a minimal impact on the surrounding environment, the low-carbon facility will utilise sustainable energy and recycle waste water. The site for the new brewery will be at Balmacassie, just outside Aberdeen.

Some Stats on the new facility
• An initial 3000 m2 brewery will built on the 3.6 Acre Site
• The new brewery will have an initial capacity of 180,000 HL per annum, expandable to 500,000 per annum
• A state of the art energy efficient Rolec Brewhouse made in Germany will be installed
• Will create 75 additional jobs over the next 5 years
• Plans are in place to open BrewDog bars in London, Newcastle, Manchester and 2 other UK cities over the next year

James Watt continued:
“We have also bought the land adjacent to the site of the new brewery, which will allow for further expansion in the future – all made possible by Equity for Punks. It’s an entirely new business model, but we are proving that by turning to your customers, rather than the banks or financial markets, that the future is bright.”

“We are still receiving investment from craft beer drinkers as far afield as New Zealand and South East Asia, as well as all over the UK, so there will be more than 8,000 people behind our expansion in 2012 – all of whom will literally get richer with every beer they drink. We think that’s pretty cool.”

Craft beer fans looking to invest in BrewDog can buy shares directly online until December 30, 2011.

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