Whitewater Brewery in Castlewellan, Co Down is toasting success at a major international beer festival in Hungary.

The brewery, founded and owned by Bernard Sloan, has won a silver medal in the European Craft Beer Cup competition held as part of the festival in Budapest which attracted entries from most parts of Europe.

The Northern Ireland company, a Food NI member, won the award for its Ewe Rebel (ABV 7%), a novel American pale ale named after sheep grazing the Mourne Mountains near the state-of-the-art brewery.

The competition was a part of the 2019 Central European Brewers Conference (CEBC) in Budapest.

The European Craft Beer Cup (ECBC) gives awards strictly according to merit therefore sometimes limiting medals (and not necessarily giving gold-silver-bronze in each category).

What sets this competition apart from many others was the line-up of expert judges from the US and Europe.

Mr Sloan says:

“We were thrilled to win the award at such a prestigious competition for craft breweries. It certainly raised our profile in Hungary. We’re hoping to use this as a vehicle to get distribution there and have already spoken with a potential business that also own bars throughout the country. Craft beer is just starting to gain momentum in that area, so good to get involved at such an early stage in its development.”

 

Whitewater Brewery is Northern Ireland’s biggest and most successful independent brewer and has a growing export business to markets such as Russia, France, Spain, Japan and Italy.

The brewery has won a series of awards for the outstanding quality and taste of its handcrafted beers, ales and stouts.

These include International Brewing Challenge medals and UK Great Taste Awards for products such as its Belfast Brew (ABV4.6%) and Germanic style Hoppelhammer (ABV6%). It has also developed a bespoke beer, Observatory, for the Grand Central Hotel, Northern Ireland’s latest and most prestigious hotel in the Hastings chain.

The company produces bottle conditioned beers and ales and also supplies products in kegs to customers throughout Ireland.

The brewery was formed in 1996 by Sloan, the master brewer, and provides beers and ales to major retailers as well as restaurants, hotels and bars.

Deliciously different apple cider vinegar Natural Umber in Northern Ireland has launched its new glass bottles with the enormously popular London high street store and website, Planet Organic.

Food NI member Natural Umber is a completely unique and apple cider vinegar produced near Dungannon in Co Tyrone, which won three Great Taste Stars and the coveted Golden Fork for Northern Ireland in 2018, from the Guild of Fine Food in London.

Fermented differently to other apple cider vinegars, Natural Umber retains the natural sweetness of apples.

Founded in 1995 by Renée Elliot, Planet Organic has been offering the widest range of organic foods to customers throughout London, promoting health in the community and a sense of discovery and adventure in shopping. The Planet Organic website stocks an extensive range of delicious organic products.

Planet Organic has launched Natural Umber with 14 in-store tasting sessions during the month of February. Added to that, they’re offering a special 15 percent discount both in-store and online.

The launch of Natural Umber with Planet Organic heralds further growth for the Tyrone-based producer, Mackle Apple, which has over 50 years’ experience, growing and producing apple products.

Managing director Michael Mackle, says: “We are delighted to launch with Planet Organic in London and we have no doubt that their customers will really enjoy the unique flavour of Natural Umber.

“Planet Organic has very exacting standards when it comes to what is offered their customers, so to be included in their listing is a huge honour for us.”

Pinar Guven from Planet Organic, adds: “I am completely amazed by natural sweetness of Natural Umber despite having no added sugars or honey. With its superior taste and freshness, it will be perfect companion for tonic and elixir recipes, or simply with sparkling water. We feel sure that Natural Umber will do extremely well across our business.”

 

The Yellow Door adds café and tea room at historic royal visitor attraction to growing business portfolio…

Northern Ireland’s leading outside caterer, The Yellow Door’s Simon Dougan, has secured his latest venture – providing dedicated on-site catering at Hillsborough Castle, which is due to open new catering propositions on the estate as part of the major project to open the Castle up to the public by Easter 2019.

The prestigious contract win will result in the creation of 35 new jobs at The Yellow Door and is worth in the region of £6 million to the company, which continues to expand its reach in this competitive market sector.

Work at the Castle is in the final stages of a five-year £20million investment by Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for the Castle, to re-open the doors of Hillsborough castle and grounds to the public on 10 April 2019.

Simon and his business partner, Barry Smyth, beat off stiff competition to win the five-year contract, which will see The Yellow Door providing all catering services at the newly built Hillsborough Castle Café and the Stable Yard Tea Room.

Winning tender

With its emphasis on quality, local, fresh, seasonal produce, and environmental goals such as recycling, on-site composting and working towards zero waste to landfill, the tender submitted by the dream team of Simon (NI’s leading outside caterer, and Barry, a Michelin-starred chef) proved a worthy winner.

“In keeping with the historic nature of Hillsborough Castle we also aim to use varieties of heirloom vegetables such as purple carrots, and some of the more uncommon herbs like lovage and blue hyssop, as well as Chilean guavas, which were reported to be Queen Victoria’s favourite fruit,” explained Simon Dougan.

The Yellow Door already grows a lot of these vegetables and herbs, but Simon and Barry are thrilled to be able to liaise with Hillsborough Castle’s Head Gardener at the reinstated four-acre walled garden on the choice of seasonal produce to be grown specifically for use in the new kitchens. “You just can’t get any fresher than that,” said Barry.

Perfect Match

Gina George, Retail Director at Historic Royal Palaces, said: “We are pleased to have awarded The Yellow Door the contract for our new catering outlets at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Following a five-year cross site £20million investment by Historic Royal Palaces, our new café and tea-room will open to the public when the Castle re-opens on the 10 April 2019.

“The Yellow Door perfectly matched our brief to ensure there is a strong emphasis on quality local and seasonal produce with a menu that will be inspired by the history of the estate. We look forward to working with them in this new chapter for the Castle.”

With The Yellow Door’s fame in fine dining, the new tea room is a perfect fit for Simon’s talented patisserie team, and in homage to the 18^thCentury Pineapple Houses and original Hot House walls that were discovered during the estate’s renovation work, Simon is going to create a Pineapple Signature Cake. “We’re also going to be working with local supplier Suki Tea to create a unique Hillsborough Tea to complement the cake,” added Simon.

Already one of the official caterers at Hillsborough Castle, where he has cooked for numerous VIP guests, Simon Dougan is equally passionate about his latest venture.

“We have catered for many VIP guests during their visits at Hillsborough, as well as weddings and high-end corporate events. Adding the new public café and tea room to our offering is the icing on the cake,” he explained.