Portadown-based McCracken’s Brewery and Distillery has won significant business
with Tesco Northern Ireland for its core range of beers – IPA, Premium Pilsner, and
Black Irish Stout.
The business with Northern Ireland’s top grocer marks a significant milestone in the
Co Armagh brewery’s growth and its ongoing commitment to providing premium craft
beers to a wider audience. McCracken’s is a Food NI member.
Ryan McCracken, the founding managing director of the business, says: “We’re
thrilled to have our IPA, Premium Pilsner, and Black Irish Stout available recently in
Tesco Northern Ireland.
““This is an exciting development for us as we continue to expand our reach and
bring our craft beers to more people. It’s a tremendous platform for growth with in
both short and long-term
“We’ve always focused on creating distinctive, high-quality brews, and this
opportunity allows us to share that with a larger audience,” adds Ryan
Founded in 2018, McCracken’ Brewery has grown steadily over the past six years,
gaining a reputation for producing quality craft beer that celebrates Northern
Ireland’s rich brewing heritage.
The new partnership with Tesco Northern Ireland will make McCracken’s flagship
brews more accessible to customers across the region.
Each beer in McCracken’s core range offers a unique taste experience:

 IPA: A hop-forward, aromatic IPA with a balanced malt profile and a refreshing
bitterness;
 Premium Pilsner: A crisp, clean lager with subtle floral notes and a smooth
finish; and
 Black Irish Stout: A rich, dark stout with roasted malt, chocolate flavours and a
creamy mouthfeel.
These beers are now available in selected Tesco stores across Northern Ireland,
reinforcing McCrackens’ position as one of the region’s most exciting craft breweries.
Tesco Ireland is a leading supporter of locally produced food and drink. Ireland’s
leading grocer, Tesco is a major supporter of local brewers in more than 60 stores.

Ryan continues: “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers, local suppliers,
and partners like Tesco for supporting our journey. This is just the beginning of the
next chapter for McCracken’s Brewery, and we can’t wait to continue sharing our
passion for great beer with even more people. Tesco stores is an important
springboard for us as we seek to expand our business,” adds Ryan.
McCracken’s Brewery and Distillery is a family-owned craft brewery based in
Armagh. The brewery is dedicated to producing high-quality beers with a focus on
flavour, tradition, and innovation. With a growing portfolio of award-winning brews,
McCracken’s, a Food NI member business, is proud to be part of Northern Ireland’s
thriving craft beer and spirits scene, he continues.
Ryan, originally an IT manager, set up the brewery in a specially converted building
at the home he shares with wife Nicola a two children. He began brewing as a hobby
in 2014 when he was given a home brew kit by his Nicola as a Christmas present.

“I enjoyed beer and caught the home brewing bug,” he remembers. “I kept adding
equipment and experimenting with different beers which family and friends enjoyed,”
he says. He has invested extensively in the brewery to increase capacity and his
range of real ales.
McCracken’s Real Ale has created a broad range of bottled-conditioned ales and
also supplies ale in cask and keg form. The pale ales, Irish pale ale and chocolate
and vanilla Irish stout are all hand crafted in the brewery in Portadown by Ryan and
his four-strong team.
Ryan, in addition to a successful range of beers, has launched a premium gin that’s
likely to be the first in a series of spirits that he’s been planning over the past few
years. The small brewery is the first here to diversity into distilling spirits.
He sees the expansion into distilling premium spirits as a logical extension for the
locally-owned and managed business. Focused on growth, Ryan invested in new
distilling kit more than a year ago and also added a second canning line to existing
machinery at his expanded, state-of-the-art operation at the Co Armagh market
town.
He’s installed a 1,000 litre column distillery that has the capacity to produce 1,500
bottles of gin and other spirits daily.
“We’re proud of our grain-to-glass approach at McCracken’s that enables us to
manage the entire distilling process in-house – from grain to beer and spirit,” he
says. “This not only ensures the highest quality but also embodies our commitment
to innovation, attention to detail, traceability and excellence in everything we do,” he
adds.

Ryan’s unique local gin recipe features 11 original botanicals including local heather
he’s harvested with other family members from the vast mountain trails and parks
around Craigavon.

Stevie Higginson, who is a chef at Square Bistro, Lisburn, has been shortlisted for the “one to watch” award at The Staff Canteen Awards. Square Bistro is a Taste of Ulster member, and is renowned for it’s theme nights; tapas, curry and fresh seafood, but they also do an Earlybird menu and a regular a la carte.

Stevie Higginson is the only chef from Northern Ireland to be shortlisted, and would love your vote to help bring the gold mug back to the big smoke in Lisburn.

Voting Closes on Wednesday 30th October. To register your vote visit: https://www.thestaffcanteen.com/nomination/stevie-higginson-chef-square-bistro-1727088021#/

Bangor businessman Wayne Adair has developed a Fiery Ginger Wine based on an
old family recipe stretching back four generations.
Wayne, the boss of Papas Minerals and Longbridge Drinks, two heritage mineral and
mixer brands, describes the new ginger wine he’s branded under ‘Irish Sisters’ as a
“true taste of nostalgia”.
“My family has a long history in the creation of soft drinks from my grandmother’s
time. I’ve revived successfully a number of the lemonades and cordials in Papas
Minerals since launching the business in 1999. Irish Sisters, a further development,
reflects our family heritage. My grandmother used to produce the ginger wine to
warm the family during chilly winter days,”adds Wayne.
Wayne’s new ginger wine is alcohol-free, vegan and produced exclusively in
Northern Ireland. It’s already attracting the attention of major retailers here and
further afield.
Ginger wine, Wayne continues, is said to aid digestion, help with nausea and is a
remedy for headaches and other ailments.
“In addition to being a body warming drink, ginger wine is very versatile, a great
mixer and can be enjoyed many ways including with sparkling water, or with hot
water or paired with whiskey,” Wayne, who has vast experience and a successful
track record in creating and producing minerals and mixers,” he adds.
He learned how to make cordials from his grandmother making the cordials as a
youngster. He was 10 when he first began using milk bottles for the cordial he’d
mixed using his grandmother’s highly original recipe. Family and friends loved it,
encouraging Wayne to think about starting a small business.
Papas Minerals and Longbridge Drinks have won UK Great Taste and Blas na
hEireann Irish National Food awards for a range of quality and outstandingly tasty
old fashioned non-alcoholic drinks including mixers.
The small company produces beverages such as cordials with elderflower, clove and
spiced winterberry flavours. The beverages are all hand crafted without artificial
flavours, colours or sweeteners.

We are pleased to report that thanks to InvestNI, Gifted is now open for applications – https://giftedfair.ie/
If you are interested please complete the form below by 5pm Friday 25th October:
https://forms.gle/RSkbM3oYJkRdKrcJ7

Gifted will run from Wednesday 4th – Sunday 8th December at the Main Hall Complex, RDS, Dublin. We request that your stand is fully manned during trading hours , 10am–9pm Wednesday through Friday, and 10am–6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

There is a small £200 plus VAT cost involved for trading – which must be paid in advance.

We anticipate demand will be high so urge you to get your application in. We will advise successful applicants on Wednesday 30th October.

Thank you

Two Taste of Ulster members took home coveted Georgina Campbell Ireland awards
from Dublin on Tuesday, 15 th October, 2024.
They were No 14 at the Georgian House in Comber who won the Neighbourhood
Restaurant award and The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn for the Atmospheric Destination
of the Year prize
In her citations, Georgina Campbell said of No 14 at the Georgian House..
“A lovely listed building dating back to 1722, No. 14 Georgian House makes an
atmospheric setting for this thoughtfully structured enterprise by the highly regarded,
classically trained chef Jim Mulholland and his wife Joanne. Very different from the
ambitious culinary destinations established by so many chefs, this is place where the
customer is king and – as proclaimed on a large ‘Farm to Table’ sign perched on the
mantelpiece in the main dining room – Jim’s trusted network of local producers and
suppliers are his greatest allies in achieving his goals.
“Unusually for a chef at this level, No.14 is open all day – and, far from being just a
special occasion destination, it is a welcoming part of the local community and
accessible to all, a restaurant where you can have freshly baked scones and coffee,
a casual lunch or an opulent fine dining experience at dinner.
“Whether just popping in or enjoying a celebration, what every visit here will have in
common is extremely tasty fresh food and the warmly efficient service of a local team
– and Chef Mulholland’s skill and creativity in showcasing seasonal Irish produce
makes this friendly place a must-visit destination.”
Of The Old Inn, she said “simply oozing with genuine old-world ambience, this
famous 16 th century inn- the oldest in continuous use in all-Ireland- is sure to steal
your heart away.
.”The quaint village setting belies its convenient location close to Belfast – and, while
it has been upgraded and refreshed since joining the Galgorm Collection in 2021 –
everything has been undertaken subtly and without loss of character.
“A welcoming fire and friendly staff in the cosy reception area set the tone for the
whole hotel, which is full of charm, very comfortable – and always well presented.
Rooms blend traditional features with modern amenities and even the smaller rooms
are so thoughtfully designed to use every inch of space that they are sure to impress
– and, somehow, they’ve even managed to tuck the delightful Treetop Spa just
behind this atmospheric Blue Book property.
“It’s a popular dining destination too, offering good seasonal cooking in both The
Restaurant and the cosy 1614 Bar – and, with Helen’s Bay (beach and coastal

path), Crawfordsburn Country Park and golfing among nearby attractions, it’s a
lovely short break destination.”

Heartiest congratulations from all at Taste of Ulster.

Discover Halloween at Hillsborough. Looking for a magical daytime adventure this autumn half term? Gather the family and head to Halloween at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens for a spellbinding day in the great outdoors. Dare you explore 100 acres of spooky gardens this Halloween season? Tiptoe through the creepy scarecrow parade keeping watch.

Get closer to nature with special family workshops, navigate the twisty maze, go on a storytelling walk, and carve your very own pumpkin. Don’t miss challenging your family to classic Halloween games – from conker tournaments to apple bobbing and welly tossing.

Discover culinary delights

Join the mini food fair on 02 and 03 November. Explore pop-up food and drink stalls from local artisans in the walled garden. Treat yourself to delicious street food or take something home to savour for later.
Relax to live music from talented local artists in Hillsborough Castle’s stunning 100-acre gardens. Delectable Halloween-themed cakes, alongside warming drinks and filling lunches will be available in Hillsbourgh’s popular cafe. Don’t miss out on a cauldron of witch’s brew, devilled fries or spookghetti.