Shannon from Tempest Brew talks about the beer industry in Scotland

Meet the Women in Beer: Shannon McFarlane from Tempest Brew Co

7/3/2018

Part 5 of our Women in Beer series for International Women's Day

What have Kylie Jenner and Instagramers got to do with beer?

It turns out quite a lot. Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver spoke out recently attributing the phenomenal success of NEIPA (New England IPA) to its photogenics and ability to influence on Instagram.

There's a new generation coming into beer, not just in brewing and bars but, in the crucially important work of communicating what a brewery and its beers are all about.

Read on to hear from Shannon McFarlane on promoting Tempest Brewing Co and working with co-founder Annika Meiklejohn.

A new generation of influencers

Shannon McFarlane is the person behind Tempest Brewing Co's marketing and branding. Her days are all about photography, marketing strategy, merchandising and, of course, sharing the spirit of the company on social media. The sense of community within the brewery is clear when she describes Annika, Tempest’s co-founder and director, as “the driving force behind the business side of the brewery.”

Shannon McFarlane from Tempest Brew Co and her sister

The people you meet who work in breweries are some of the nicest, most passionate people you’ll ever come across"

Is working in the beer industry different than what you thought it would be?
I didn’t have many expectations about the beer industry. I think the obvious expectation was that it might be difficult as a girl in an obviously male dominated field, but for the most part it’s not been an issue. The people you meet who work in breweries are some of the nicest, most passionate people you’ll ever come across.

Is this really the golden age of the Scottish beer?
I don’t think we’re necessarily in a golden age so much as we are on the cusp of one. The Scottish brewing industry is still fairly young, a lot of breweries are just now starting to have access to resources that’ll allow them to grow and make their mark on the world. We recently entered the RateBeer Top 100, and we’re only one of two breweries on there despite the masses of talent in Scotland!

What is the most exciting thing about the future of brewing in Scotland?
I think it really is just the passion and enthusiasm that people have for this industry. You’ve got not just the passion from the brewers and the people working day-to-day in the industry, but also this incredibly motivated, close-knit, excited community of people who drink the beer. That kind of excitement is so hard to find in other comparable industries.

Do you think that people are more open to trying new beer styles lately?
Absolutely. You’re starting to see a more diverse audience for craft beer. Maybe a year ago, craft beer was stuck in a bit of a rut of having this stereotype of a plaid wearing, tattooed, bearded man swirling an imperial stout in a glass, and I think people were reluctant to try it because they couldn’t relate to that stereotype. But as the people in these breweries become more visible, especially more women becoming visible and vocal, I think people have seen that beer isn’t just for a particular group of people.

What’s the current beer trend?
Haze. I heard recently about a guy who returned a beer to a bar for being “too clear”! This year I’m hoping we see more experimentation with session styles.

NEW BEER: Powder Day DIPA - 8.7% made with cryo hops □□

Una publicación compartida de Tempest Brewing Co (@tempestbrewingco) el Feb 21, 2018 at 8:39 PST

Quick Beer Q&A

Where do you like visiting for beer? San Francisco. I just love how they’re creating all these really amazing beers, and they’re just so laid back about it.
Favourite kind of beer? It’s a toss up between proper Belgian lambics, and American style session beers.
Warm beer or cold beer? Almost always, cold.
Best food to pair with beer? Pizza! And sushi and lager is a match made in food heaven!