Sinclair Breweries

Sinclair Breweries Limited is a Scottish brewing company associated with Orkney Brewery and the Atlas range of ales. Its brewing operation is based in the former Victorian schoolhouse at Quoyloo on Orkney's west mainland. The site, originally established as a school in 1878, became the home of Orkney Brewery, which was founded in March 1988 at the former schoolhouse in Sandwick. The brewery is described as one of Scotland's early microbreweries and as Orkney's oldest brewery. The business combines local identity with export-oriented production. It brews and supplies beer throughout the year, serving the United Kingdom and exporting bottled products to markets across Europe, North America, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. Cask beers are distributed through British pubs and beer festivals, while filtered bottled beers have also been available through major UK supermarket chains. This gives the company a mixed route to market spanning hospitality, specialist beer events, retail and international distribution. Orkney Brewery's portfolio includes traditional cask ales, filtered bottled beers and lager. Dark Island, a dark ale with rich, fruity and vinous characteristics, is identified as the brewery's leading seller and has won Champion Beer of Scotland on multiple occasions. Red MacGregor is a bitter available in both cask and filtered bottled forms; the cask version won a World Cask Beer Gold Medal in 2001. The brewery also produces Skull Splitter, an 8.5% ABV wee heavy named after the Viking Earl of Orkney Torfinn Hausakljuv. It received the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain award at CAMRA's national winter beer celebration in 2001. Atlas Brewery was established in 2002 and later merged operationally with Orkney Brewery. Atlas had originally operated in Kinlochleven, Lochaber, in a listed former aluminium-smelting facility. That site closed in 2010, after which brewing was transferred to Orkney. Atlas-associated beers include Nimbus Pale Ale, Latitude Pilsner and Three Sisters Scotch Ale, alongside seasonal products. Following the consolidation, both Orkney and Atlas beers have been brewed under the wider Sinclair Breweries structure. Norman Sinclair took over the brewery in 2006 and continued its development while retaining the character of the historic school building, which had personal significance because his father attended the school. In 2010, the brewing operation was rebuilt around a new 30-barrel plant. The former school areas were adapted into a visitor centre and tasting hall rather than being wholly replaced. The visitor centre offers beer tasting, food, a retail shop, local crafts and brewery merchandise, and has received five-star recognition from VisitScotland. The brand's positioning is rooted in Orcadian provenance, independent brewing, historic premises and distinctive Scottish ale styles. Its products serve both local tourism and a broader export market, while the two brewery identities allow the company to offer a portfolio ranging from dark ales and bitters to pale ales, pilsner, Scotch ale and seasonal beers.

Sinclair Breweries is the corporate structure associated with Orkney Brewery and the Atlas beer range. Orkney Brewery began brewing in March 1988 at a former schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney. The operation became notable as one of Scotland's early microbreweries and developed a strong connection with Orcadian place and culture. The brewery later operated from the former Victorian school at Quoyloo, a building dating from 1878 on Orkney's west mainland. Atlas Brewery was formed in 2002. It was initially based at Kinlochleven in Lochaber, where it occupied a listed former aluminium-smelting facility. The Atlas portfolio included Nimbus Pale Ale, Latitude Pilsner, Three Sisters Scotch Ale and seasonal beers. Atlas closed its Kinlochleven site in 2010, and brewing was moved to Orkney. The consolidation meant that Orkney and Atlas beers could be produced within the same brewing operation while retaining their separate product identities. Norman Sinclair took over the brewery in 2006. Under his ownership, expansion was balanced with preservation of the former school. The building also had family significance, as Sinclair's father had attended the school. In 2010, the brewing facilities were rebuilt around a new 30-barrel plant. Parts of the original school were converted into a public visitor centre and tasting hall. The visitor attraction includes beer tasting, a food menu, a shop, local crafts and brewery merchandise. VisitScotland awarded the centre five-star status shortly after it opened to the public. The brewery operates throughout the year and supplies beer to pubs, festivals, retailers and distributors. Cask ales are available at pubs and beer festivals around Britain, while filtered bottled beers have been distributed in the UK, Europe, North America, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. In the UK, bottled products have been sold through supermarket chains including Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Lidl, the Co-operative and Asda. The product history reflects a broad Scottish ale portfolio. Dark Island is a rich, dark, fruity and vinous ale and the brewery's principal seller. It has received Champion Beer of Scotland recognition on several occasions. Red MacGregor is a 4% bitter in cask form and a 5% premium bitter in filtered bottles; its cask version won a World Cask Beer Gold Medal in 2001. Skull Splitter is an 8.5% wee heavy whose name refers to Torfinn Hausakljuv, a Viking Earl of Orkney traditionally associated with the tenth century. The beer won Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain at CAMRA's national winter celebration in 2001. The brewery's business model combines production, export and tourism. Its Orkney location provides a distinctive provenance for the beers, while the Atlas portfolio broadens the range into pale ale, pilsner, Scotch ale and seasonal styles. Cask beers use isinglass, making them unsuitable for vegetarians according to the reference material, whereas the bottled beers are described as vegan friendly.

1. 2010Brewing plant rebuilt and Atlas production transferred

   A new 30-barrel brewing plant was built at the Orkney site, and Atlas brewing moved there after the Kinlochleven facility closed.

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2. 2006Norman Sinclair takes over

   Norman Sinclair assumed control of the brewery and led its subsequent development.

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3. 2005Lager added to the range

   The brewery began producing lager in October.

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4. 2002Atlas Brewery formed

   Atlas Brewery was established in Kinlochleven, Lochaber.

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5. 2001Awards for Red MacGregor and Skull Splitter

   Red MacGregor received a World Cask Beer Gold Medal, while Skull Splitter won Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain at a CAMRA national winter event.

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6. 1988Orkney Brewery founded

   Orkney Brewery was founded in March at the former schoolhouse in Sandwick and became one of Scotland's early microbreweries.

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7. 1878Former schoolhouse established

   The Victorian school building at Quoyloo, later used by the brewery and visitor centre, was established.

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Independent Scottish brewing rooted in Orkney heritage, traditional ale production, historic premises and visitor tourism, with distribution in the UK and selected international markets.

• Dark IslandDark ale

  A rich, fruity and vinous dark ale associated with Orkney Brewery and identified as its biggest seller. Dark Island has received Champion Beer of Scotland recognition on several occasions.

• Red MacGregorBitter

  A bitter produced in cask form at 4% ABV and as a 5% premium bitter in filtered bottles. The cask version won a World Cask Beer Gold Medal in 2001.

• Skull SplitterWee heavy

  An 8.5% ABV strong Scottish-style ale named after the Viking Earl of Orkney Torfinn Hausakljuv. It won Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain in 2001.

• Nimbus Pale AlePale ale

  An Atlas-associated pale ale available in draught and bottled formats in Scotland and the Lochaber area.

• Latitude PilsnerPilsner

  An Atlas-associated pilsner produced within the consolidated Orkney brewing operation and distributed in draught and bottled formats.

• Three Sisters Scotch AleScotch ale

  A Scotch ale from the Atlas range, available on tap and in bottles alongside the brewery's other core and seasonal beers.

• 2010Consolidation of brewing at OrkneyStrategy

  Atlas Brewery's original Kinlochleven facility closed after the Atlas and Orkney operations were brought together.

  What changed. Atlas production was transferred to the Orkney site, where the beers continued to be brewed alongside Orkney Brewery products.

  Aftermath. The combined operation retained both brewery identities and expanded the range produced from the Orkney facility.

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• 2010Investment in a new brewing plant and visitor centreStrategy

  The brewery sought to grow while preserving its historic schoolhouse premises.

  What changed. A new 30-barrel plant was constructed, while the original school building was adapted into a visitor centre and tasting hall.

  Aftermath. The site combined larger-scale brewing with a tourism and hospitality operation that received five-star recognition from VisitScotland.

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1. Sinclair Breweries
2. Orkney Brewery official website