BrewDog is redefining the UK craft beer scene as you know it…

Back in 2007, James and Martin said sayonara to industrially brewed lagers and stuffy ales and – after brewing their first batch of beer in James’ garage – set about making hardcore beers full time.

Both only 24 at the time, James and Martin leased a building, got some scary bank loans and spent all their money on stainless steel.

Luckily the gamble paid off and after just three years, BrewDog has managed to kick-start the UK craft beer revolution and with wave upon wave of cool, contemporary and progressive beers continues to challenge perceptions of beer and brewing the world over.

History

BrewDog was founded in Fraserburgh in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie.

In 2010, BrewDog opened their first bar, in nearby Aberdeen. A second bar opened in 2011 in Edinburgh followed by a third in Glasgow and another in Camden Town, London. Further bars opened in Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Manchester, Bristoland Birmingham in 2012 and in Leeds, Stockholm and Shepherd’s Bush, London in 2013. In 2014, BrewDog opened bars in São Paulo, Brazil, Dundee, Florence, Italy, Gothenburg, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland. There is also a bar located on Bethnal Green Road near Brick Lane in London.

In 2011, BrewDog was described as “…one of the prime movers…”behind the campaign which changed the law in 2011 to allow new beer measures in Britain.

2011 also saw the company offered crowdfunding shares totalling £2 million, the equivalent of 8% of the capital of the company. The shares were sold at ₤3.75 and accompanied several benefits such as discounts in their bars and online purchase of their beers, or the opportunity to attend their Annual Shareholders meeting.

The main brewing moved from Fraserburgh to nearby Ellon in 2012.

In February 2016, BrewDog open-sourced its beer recipes to the public, making them a form of Free Beer.

Private equity firm, TSG Consumer Partners acquired a 22% stake in the company for approximately £213 million in April 2017.