This has been a tough one to keep under wraps that’s for sure.
Since 2013 we have always wanted to put a beer out there, into the Northern Ireland market. Every time we thought we got close something always happened, or timings never aligned. We never wanted to rush it or to put something out there just for the sake of it.
Tilt & Pour has always been a passion project that focuses on how the sector works, educating ourselves further and bridging the gap between consumer and producer, whilst continuously building the local beer community.
This journey has not always been the most straightforward, but it did lead us down the path to where we could actually brew and sell our own beer with the help and guidance of local talents!
We have always wanted to produce a beer, something that could showcase local talents and how collaborative the sector is, but most importantly a beer that everyone can enjoy!
Deciding upon what to brew for our first beer was, surprisingly, a very difficult process!
After years of market research and product testing (drinking beer is a tough business, we know), wading through the various trends and the changing profiles of beer drinkers, we continuously found ourselves coming back to Classic German Lagers.
Many years ago on a cold Saturday morning, we were helping Mal McCay of Heaney Farmhouse Brewing with packaging and a brew. We were discussing how a beer concept can become reality through production and routes to market. It was a very insightful discussion, which clearly struck a chord on our own plans. Fast forward a few years and we put a timeframe on the idea, or as we know it, a ‘put up or shut up‘ moment.
From the market research it was clear that the Classic Helles lager was going to be the way forward and subsequently the book of Helles was born – a series of spreadsheets we developed about different Helles’ available on the market.
Great, we had the idea and the concept, now we needed to get the prototype and refinement into motion!
We wanted to share our idea and work with others in creating this beer. Many hurdles were encountered from timings, admin, legal and so on.
Everyone involved has their own story and links with the local economy. This was one of the key drivers behind the beer, showcasing that local can support local, as well as grow together and support the local economy.
Brewery – Heaney Farmhouse Brewing – Bellaghy
The first hurdle was finding a place to brew the beer as buying a brewhouse was never feasible. We approached Heaney about the idea, and they were all in. Over the years we have got to know Mal & Suzy very well. They have been there throughout the madness on the project, and it was invaluable to have their expertise onboard throughout the design, implementation, and production of the beer. Great to be able to work with our friends on this!
Label Design – Warren Curry Design
You have seen his amazing work on the website and across the socials. Warren is a childhood friend now living in London, and has worked with FourPure previously. We have had many variations of what the beer would look like in cans over the years, but we can wholeheartedly say it was worth the wait to get this design. Be sure to follow his work and lookout for more designs in the future.
Product Photography – A Campaign
Laura and Pete are normally known for their wedding shots, however they have started their own venture ‘A Campaign’. Having already had the joy of their company for our two weddings, we approached them about the idea, and they instantly fell in love with it. They focused on what we envisioned and did all they could to bring amazing ideas and belter craic to the table.
Labels print – JH Labels
David was highly recommended to us and once we discussed the idea, they wanted to make sure we had everything we needed. They have done the prints for a lot of breweries across the island of Ireland and GB.
Ingredients – Get er Brewed
Unknowingly initially, they have been involved in the project between different brew days, market research and providing the ingredients for a lot of the local breweries.
Distributor – Conall – NSCraftbeers
Needless to say we have known Conall a few years, he works with a lot of local breweries, as well as bringing in some of the best talents from across the water. When we pitched this idea to him, he instantly got on board and strove to help us wherever possible.
Applications – William Mayne
Obviously we know Will from Bullhouse Brewing Company and Bullhouse East, but he helped out along the way with our application for various licenses and guidance with HMRC. Passing his own experiences onto others to help develop the sector further.
We have mentioned a lot of businesses here but we also had a lot of support behind the scenes; special thanks to Michelle, Andrew and Paul to name a few, but essentially anyone who has been an ear to us throughout – thank you.
The whole reason why we are highlighting these businesses & individuals is that they wanted us to succeed with our plans from the outset, develop our businesses together and more importantly ensure we have something that we can all be proud off.
Helles is our take on the infamous German Lager. Helles 5.2% has a crisp clean body, with balanced bitterness and just enough sweetness to keep you coming back for more regardless of the weather…
Available in:
24 x 440ML CAN
Limited amount of 30 Litre KEGS (KK)
Lookout for Tilt & Pour Presents… Helles hitting shelves February 2023 through our distributor NSCraftbeers.
Use our beermap to find your local off sales, pub etc.– if they don’t have it let us know!
Join the discussion using #TiltnPour
Any off sales/publicans interested in stocking our beer please contact ourselves or Conall @NSCraftbeers.
Looking forward to Presenting the next edition…
