AN up-and-coming Scottish beer firm has founded the country’s first and only brewery producing non-alcoholic beer.

The founder of Jump Ship Brewing, Scotland’s first non-alcohol brewing company, hailed the new facility in Pathhead, Midlothian, as a “huge achievement” for the team.

And it declared its investment in the purpose-build brewery underlines growing demand for non-alcoholic beer, which has surged in popularity over recent years as some consumers pursue healthier lifestyles.

The 20-hectolitre facility allows Jump Ship to quadruple production and was developed using funds raised from a successful crowdfunding campaign, which exceeded its £300,000 target within days of launching last year. The campaign attracted investors from around the UK, which Jump Ship said demonstrated the rising popularity of the no and low-alcohol beer movement.

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All of Jump Ship’s beers are gluten-free, suitable for vegans, and contain the same amount of alcohol per can as a ripe banana. They can be purchased online from its own website, Dry Drinker and Amazon, bars and are stocked by on and off-trade outlets such as Glaschu, Five March, and Valhalla’s Goat in Glasgow, and Gleneagles Townhouse, Skua and Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh.

Sonja Mitchell, founder and managing director of the company, said: “As an independent brewery, I dreamed that we might be able to dock ship and open our brewery someday and this feels like such a huge achievement for our team.

“Many people might have tried non-alcoholic beer, but few people know how we make our beers naturally without alcohol, so we’re looking forward to rolling up the shutters and welcoming people in.

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“The funding bid has allowed us to expand and explore new contracts in new territories and get our cans to customers on new shores and close to home with on and off trade sales. We start brewing this week in our new home, with our first cans from the new brewery available from next month.”

Jump Ship said the new facility will enable it to offer brewery tours for the first time. Prices from £20 per person, and available to book on its website, the company said each tour will last between 60 and 90 minutes and include a tour of the brewery space and a guided tasting. Visitors will also received a tote bag with a can or two to enjoy at home.

The company, which has won awards for its small-batch releases, noted that it has a strong charitable focus and pledged from the outset to donate at least 10% of its profits to good causes. The recipients are nominated by the brewer’s customers or “ship mates”.

Ms Mitchell, a keen sailor, beer lover and mother of three, founded Jump Ship Brewing in 2019, when she decided to “jump ship” from her marketing job to launch Jump Ship Brewing. The company said it was born from a “love of beer but a horror of hangovers”.