BrewDog to build ‘world’s first’ craft beer hotel

While BrewDog announced plans to open a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, last year, this is now set to open in the second half of 2019 whereas, the DogHouse in Aberdeen looks set to open in the first half of next year.

The company introduced the concept for the hotel last year with the announcement of a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, at the site of its American brewery, and a recent property acquisition in Ellon has led to this further announcement of a hotel in the brewery’s homeland, Scotland.

The 26-room site will have beer taps in the rooms, which will overlook the brewery alongside built-in shower beer fridges.

As well as the hotel, BrewDog is also expanding the brewery to include a 300hl brewhouse, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year, alongside a canning and packaging hall.

The hotel and brewery will be built on a 3.25-acre site, adjacent to BrewDog’s current 1m hl brewery.

Funding background

The site has been purchased from screw jack (a vehicle jack worked by a screw device) manufacturer Power Jacks, which will move to a new purpose-built facility later this year.

The funding for the hotel and brewery expansion has come from BrewDog’s record-breaking Equity for Punks crowdfunding scheme, which has seen the business raise more than £53m since 2009 from more than 73,000 supporters and priority booking for the DogHouse will be given to Equity for Punks investors.

BrewDog launched its fifth round of the Equity for Punks initiative in October last year, with the aim to raise at least £10m and a stretch goal of up to £50m, to fund global expansion.

This included construction of new breweries in Australia and China, opening 15 UK craft beer venues, increasing production capacity in its UK brewery and the creation of a dedicated craft beer TV network.

So far, the crowdfunding scheme has raised more than £12.5m from more than 27,000 investors across Europe, and hit its initial target of £10m ahead of the first deadline last month (January).

Ultimate destination

As a result of the demand, the deadline was extended and is now due to close on 15 October this year.

BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “The DogHouse is our gift to passionate craft beer fans making the pilgrimage to our brewery in Aberdeenshire.

“The idea of opening a beer hotel has always been high on our agenda and now we are finally able to realise that dream right here at our headquarters.

“This will be the ultimate destination for craft beer fans seeking hops with their holidays. This is a beer Nirvana.”