Charlotte Cook is hoping to make Uile-bheist Brewery, in Inverness, a true beer ‘destination’ after being appointed head brewer at the £7.5m distillery and brewery.
Charlotte Cook, new head brewer at Uile-bheist
Cook, who started out at Brewdog, takes over from Lukas Pretzer, who has returned to Germany to work for Kaspar Schulz. She will focus initially on producing the brewery’s core range.
The Masters Brewing graduate from Nottingham University has spent the most recent part of her career in London, brewing with Trumans and Coalition, one of the biggest independents in the city. Also on her impressive CV are Cloudwater Brew Co, in Manchester, and Põhjala, in Estonia, which now ships to 30 countries.
Now, after swapping the UK capital for the Highland version, her ambition is to see Uile-bheist attract beer aficionados from all over, as well as welcoming appreciative locals.
“The market for our beer is very unique, with lots of tourists and consumers year round,” said Cook. “I’d really like to see Uile-bheist become a destination for beer lovers — a place where they can experience something individual and for locals to come any time and enjoy our products.”
“The role appealed to me in terms of how well the overall brewery is constructed to high specification, and also the sustainability side of the operation. Moving to a new brewery and adapting to the philosophy, and mutually adapting, is always a challenge, but I think we’ll make great beer that people will want to enjoy.”
After years in London’s brewing heartlands, Charlotte was keen to return ‘home’ to Scotland, with her parents being in Elgin. She was also attracted by the aesthetics of her workplace on the banks of the Ness, which powers production using shallow water wells, allied with roof-mounted photovoltaic panels.
“The view from my work before was an industrial estate in Croydon,” she smiled. “Now I see the River Ness daily.” Her own brewing style, she says, is unfussy, but with an emphasis on quality. Her 15 years of experience makes her a good fit for Uile-bheist which only opened its doors in February 2023.
“I look at quality first. I don’t like to over-complicate the recipe, but want the best ingredients and to make something that is drinkable, tasty, and will make people want more.”
Uile-bheist co-owner Jon Erasmus is delighted to have Charlotte on board. With the £47m Inverness Castle Experience set to open directly behind the brewery — potentially attracting 400,000 new visitors — the business hopes to welcome more tour and taproom visitors.
“Charlotte brings a wealth of experience in the UK brewing scene, and we are excited to see how she develops our existing range, but also to hear her ideas for seasonal beers and collaborations, which we have really enjoyed,” said Erasmus.
“We are a genuine craft brewery, and working in partnership with other like-minded local breweries is attractive. We are also looking at expanding local markets. The opening of the castle is going to bring a new vibrancy to the city. We want to be a part of that.”
