University unveils plans for £35m brewing and distilling ‘centre for excellence'
A Scottish university is aiming to raise £35 million for a 'world-renowned' Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling to help the alcohol industry deal with the climate crisis.
Heriot-Watt University, based in Edinburgh, already has an International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD), which since 1989 has been considered the world's leading educational establishment for courses in brewing and distilling.
However its history of teaching brewing dates back more than a century, to 1903.
Many of the best-known Scotch whisky master distillers and brewers – including BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie, master distiller at Arbikie Highland Estate Kirsty Black, and David Wilkinson, head distiller at Edinburgh Gin – studied at the ICBD.
The new centre is intended to function as a living laboratory, constructed with low-carbon materials with the aim to access all of its power through clean energy.
The Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling (CSBD) will embrace the latest green technologies and sustainable practices so Heriot-Watt can evolve its teaching and research to meet the challenges of the future.
It is hoped to include plug-and-play brewing and distilling testbeds, enabling companies to trial production methods before full-scale adoption, as well as advanced sustainability research labs to develop low-carbon distillation techniques.
The CSBD will offer specialist training programmes, including graduate apprenticeships, executive education, and research-led industry collaborations.
Professor Gillian Murray, Heriot-Watt's deputy principal for business and enterprise, said: 'Heriot-Watt's association with teaching brewing and distilling dates back to 1903.
'However, it was over 35 years ago that our unique brewing and distilling teaching and research facility – recognised by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling – was established.
'Ever since it has been home to vibrant research and unique innovation that has revolutionised both industries. Our teaching provides the perfect breeding ground for ground-breaking new ideas from the brightest and best students – from use of raw materials and fermentation to chemical engineering, bottling, packaging and marketing.
'But we have big aspirations for the future. That is why we are unveiling a revamped and revitalised approach to academic research into brewing and distilling through a new world-renowned centre for excellence, the Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling.
'We want to encourage people from around the world to help us fund this multimillion-pound vision that sets the next generation of brilliant minds the challenge of finding ever more economically-viable and environmentally-sustainable ways of driving both industries forward into the 22nd century.'
Ewan Andrew, president of global supply chain at drinks company Diageo, said: 'We back Heriot-Watt's plans for a Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling. The CSBD will provide a new, modern environment for innovation, support the development of groundbreaking sustainable processes, and develop a new highly-skilled workforce that helps future-proof this vitally important economic contributor for decades to come.'
Jo Marshall, brand director at Carlsberg Britvic, which owns McEwan's Export, said: 'Over a century ago, McEwan's founder William McEwan collaborated with the university's very first professor of brewing, Emil Westergaard, to drive forward brewing innovation.
'It's inspiring to see that same pioneering spirit lives on today in plans for a new centre dedicated to sustainable talent development and innovation.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
9 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Oil industry could see job cuts like Grangemouth every fortnight, report warns
That level of job losses would be the same as the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery every two weeks, according to research by Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University. It said in 'low-case scenarios', where the UK makes 'slower progress' as the country transitions towards renewable energy, jobs in the oil and gas workforce would drop from 115,000 at present to 'as low as 57,000 by the early 2030s'. The report added this would be a 'reduction of around 400 jobs – equivalent to the closure of the Grangemouth refinery – every two weeks'. With almost one in 30 Scottish workers currently employed in either the offshore energy sector, or an industry which supports it – compared to one in 220 across the UK – it highlighted how the 'potential risks for Scotland's supply chain and workforce are substantial'. Figures for 2024 show there were 154,000 people employed in the offshore energy sector – with 75% in the oil and gas sector and the remaining 25% in renewables. The Striking The Balance report noted the production of oil is now down by 'almost 75% from its peak' in 1999-2000, when it produced the equivalent of 4.5 million barrels of oil per day. This has now dropped to 1.09 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, with the report noting that without new licences being granted 'the oil and gas industry is forecast to decline by around 95% by 2050 from 2024 levels'. The report said: 'Depending on which scenario will play out, the direct and indirect UK oil and gas workforce is expected to fall from 115,000 to between 57,000 and 71,000 by the early 2030s, with further declines to between 33,000 and 48,000 by 2035.' SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn challenged Westminster to act in the wake of the report. He said: 'The independent expert advice is clear, we will see a Grangemouth scale of job losses each and every fortnight if the UK Government does not shift from its misguided position and protect the energy industry of today, so that the workforce can use their skills and expertise to develop the net zero industries of tomorrow. 'The opportunities of net zero are enormous but they will not be realised if the Labour Government continues with its current fiscal regime that deters stability, confidence and investment in existing industries and we therefore lose our best people, and world-class supply chain, to nations elsewhere.' Scottish Conservative energy spokesman and North East Scotland MSP Douglas Lumsden insisted however that both the Scottish and UK governments need to change their approach. He said the 'alarming' report 'lays bare the economic vandalism caused by both Labour and the SNP's opposition to oil and gas'. He added: 'John Swinney and Keir Starmer have disgracefully sat back while jobs continue to be lost throughout the sector as both remain totally oblivious to the fact that renewables alone can't yet satisfy our energy needs.' Pressed on the issue in Holyrood, Scottish climate action minister Alasdair Allan vowed ministers will 'learn' from the report, saying: 'We hope the UK Government will too.' While some areas regarding energy are devolved to Holyrood, he added that others are reserved to Westminster and 'we must get helpful decisions from the UK Government'. He said the UK Government could provide a 'full funding package' for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project in Aberdeenshire in next week's comprehensive spending review. A spokesperson for the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, which has already announced a £300 million investment into British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs
North Wales Chronicle
9 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
The UK's 10 biggest EuroMillions wins
The jackpot is an estimated £199 million and would be the largest prize the UK has seen, National Lottery operator Allwyn said. Here are the 10 biggest UK lottery wins to date – all from EuroMillions draws – and what some of the winners did with their fortunes. – Anonymous, £195,707,000 A UK ticket holder scooped a EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022. – Joe and Jess Thwaite, £184,262,899.10 Joe and Jess Thwaite, from Gloucester, scooped a then record-breaking £184,262,899 with a Lucky Dip ticket for the draw on May 10 2022. At the time, Joe was a communications sales engineer, and Jess ran a hairdressing salon with her sister. – Anonymous, £177,033,699.20 A UK ticket holder became the third biggest National Lottery winner of all time after receiving a £177 million jackpot. The single ticket holder, who chose to remain anonymous, came forward to claim the EuroMillions jackpot after the draw on November 26 2024. The winner became immediately wealthier than popstar Dua Lipa, who is worth an estimated £104 million, and Michael Buble, worth around £63 million. – Anonymous, £171,815,297.80 A UK ticket holder scooped £171,815,297.80 in the September 23 2022 draw – at the time the country's third biggest National Lottery win. – Anonymous, £170,221,000 The fifth biggest winner of the National Lottery to date scooped £170 million in 2019 after matching all the numbers in a Must Be Won draw on October 8. – Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000 Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs, North Ayrshire, bagged their historic winnings on July 12 2011, making them the biggest UK winners at the time. Colin used £2.5 million of his fortune to invest in his beloved Partick Thistle Football Club, which led to one of the stands at the stadium being named after him. He later acquired a 55% shareholding in the club, which was to be passed into the hands of the local community upon his death. He died in December 2019, aged 71. The couple also set up the Weir Charitable Trust in 2013 and donated £1 million to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. They divorced in the same year of Colin's death. – Adrian and Gillian Bayford, £148,656,000 Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw on August 10, 2012, which came to just over £148 million. The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021, some years after the pair divorced. – Anonymous, £123,458,008 The seventh biggest National Lottery winner won a Superdraw rollover jackpot on June 11 2019, and decided not to go public with their success. – Anonymous, £122,550,350 After nine rollovers, one lucky anonymous ticket holder bagged more than £122 million in April 2021. Anonymous, £121,328,187 Another of the UK's top 10 lottery winners found their fortune through a Superdraw jackpot rollover, this time in April 2018.
Scottish Sun
10 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Sign of the times' as Scots residents left gutted over closure of local store after 65 YEARS
Bosses have revealed the reasons behind the 'difficult decision' to close END OF AN ERA 'Sign of the times' as Scots residents left gutted over closure of local store after 65 YEARS A POPULAR high street store in a Scots town has pulled the shutters down after 65 years in business. The shop has been a staple in the town since June 1960 but is closing for good, leaving locals saddened by the news. Advertisement 1 Colin M Smith has been a staple in Kirriemuir since June 1960 Credit: Colin M Smith This award-winning Colin M Smith in Kirriemuir, Angus, has been a go-to for all things tech and home appliances. In 1973, the family-run business opened a new branch on East High Street in Forfar followed by another in the Abbeygate Shopping Centre in Arbroath in 2007. But after more than six decades, bosses have made the "difficult decision" to close the doors on the Kirriemuir branch and run all its operations from Forfar. The shop's owner, Johnny Smith, took to social media to announce the sad news - branding it the "end of an era". Advertisement He said: "Our Kirrie shop will bring down the shutters for the last time today. 'We will be relocating back to the Forfar store.' He added: 'More and more of our Kirrie customers come through to the Forfar store, due to on-site parking, and for the larger choice we have on display – a sign of the times. 'We will continue to serve the people of Kirrie, delivering six days of the week.' Advertisement Locals flocked to the comments to share their disappointment at the announcement. One wrote: "65 years is an incredible achievement. End of an Era: Beloved Scottish Discount Chain Closes Its Edinburgh Branch "As we all know, many shops come and go, but there's a reason that the Kirrie shop traded for 65 years. "It's sad for sure, but I think it's a tremendous feat really." Advertisement Another said: " It is a shame that you've had to close the Kirrie shop, but you're right when you say you have to move with the times. "Your family have served Kirrie well and will continue to do so I'm sure as you provided a great service to the area. "We've had a lot of laughs there and the video shop when we were younger. Chin up and keep doing what you do."
