Page 28 - April 2023 #180

Going Against the Grain

Beginning in 2007, BrewDog founders James Watt and Martin Dickie started a beer
revolution that has continued to the present day, as the brand continues to shake
up the industry through its beers, bars and hotels. Here, RLI sits down with James
Brown, CEO of BrewDog Bars to discuss the exponential rise of the company and
how it continues to drive innovation and growth.

Las Vegas, Nevada, US

fter a chance encounter with renowned beer writer Michael beer school area, zoom rooms, a podcast studio and a slide.
Jackson, BrewDog CEO James Watt and CEO of BrewDog Meanwhile their Vegas location has one of the best views on the strip,
ADistilling Co. Martin Dickie were persuaded to become more features 96 taps pouring the best craft beer, an on-site micro-brewery
than the keen homebrewers they were and instead quit their jobs and and some brand-new additions to the food menu including a wagyu
follow their passion of changing the beer industry in the UK. burger served in a treasure chest and the ultimate lobster mac ‘n cheese.
“When they started the company 16 years ago, it was a time when “When we build iconic locations with the scale and size of Las Vegas
lagers and cask ales dominated the marketplace, but James and Martin and Waterloo it has shown us that we can turn up our customers
were determined to make everyone as passionate about beer as they experience and connection to the brand as a whole. This is incredibly
were and they became obsessed with the ultra-hoppy beers being valuable to our mission to make as many people as excited about great
brewed on the US West Coast and set about creating their own recipes beer as we are.”
to mirror these new modern styles,” explains James Brown, CEO of The company has also launched three franchise locations recently
BrewDog Bars. with brand new partners. Upminster is their first opening in Essex and
After an incredibly successful history to date, today the company the other two opened in Australia in Pentridge, Melbourne and South
operates over 110 locations globally, including four hotels. Their portfolio Eveleigh, Sydney. They are also expanding in the US with their first
started with their first bar launch in Aberdeen city centre in 2010 and partner opening in the summer and have a growing pipeline of bars
now consists of more than 65 sites in the UK, 16 across Europe and the opening in the travel sector.
Nordics, nine in the US, soon to be five in India and four in Australia. “Our two newest locations coming online are Amritsar and Chandigarh
The last few months has seen a slew of openings take place, with two of in Punjab. This brings us up to five locations across India and we have
their most high-profile sites opening their doors in Waterloo and Las Vegas. got exciting plans there over the next year as we look to reach 50 sites.
Waterloo is their biggest site to date and includes 60 taps of the freshest Working with partners who are super experienced hospitality operators
craft beer, an epic food menu, a GRIND coffee bar, DuckPin bowling, an who share our ethos and mission, gives us the edge when we are looking
ice-cream van, a secret cocktail bar, ping pong tables, co-working spaces, a to grow our brand and business in new territories,” Brown highlights.

South Eveleigh, Australia Las Vegas, Nevada, US