Latest news with #TheShedDistillery
Irish Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Popular Leitrim distillery secures Changing Times Brewery as exclusive beer provider
The partnership with The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo means Changing Times Brewery will be the exclusive providers of draft stout and lager available to the 70,000 visitors who travel to the popular west of Ireland tourist attraction every year. Currently Changing Times Brewery make three draft products, Clockwork Velvet Stout, Daydreamer Lager and After Hours Pale Ale. It is expected that additional products will also be launched over the next 12 months. Speaking about the new partnership with The Shed Distillery, home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, founder and owner Patrick J. Rigney said there has been a fantastic reaction from customers to the Changing Times beers. "The whole story of the brewery is clearly striking a chord with visitors and the beers themselves are making a strong impression. "We obviously receive a lot of international visitors to The Shed Distillery and many of those will spend a portion of their time in the west of Ireland before travelling on to Dublin. "One of the trends we're seeing emerge is that people are trying Changing Times in The Shed Distillery and then seeking it out when they get to Dublin. 'Tourists really value Irish made, quality products and we fully believe this is something that makes Changing Times a natural fit for The Shed Distillery, while also creating an effective point of appeal for the brewery's beers. "Our expectation is that will continue to grow as more venues stock Changing Times, delivering even more change in the future,' Mr. Rigney concluded. Following strong public demand for the brewery's products an additional nine venues in Dublin and Cork, as well as The Shed Distillery, are now stocking Changing Times beers. These include Dublin pubs Nearys, Searsons, The Step Inn, The Sackville Lounge and Kavanagh's The Temple, as well as Cork premises Rising Sons Brewery Bar, The Fountain and The Fran Well. Between growing the number of venues stocking their products and the increased demand for their products in the founding pubs, Changing Times is now producing over 150 kegs per week, a figure which is expected to rise to 200 kegs per week before the end of the year. This is a marked increase on the 100 kegs per week they were brewing at the time of their launch. The brewery expects this will generate an additional €1.1 million in revenue by the end of 2026. The brewery is located along the banks of the Royal Canal in Glasnevin. It is backed by the publican families behind pubs such as Arthur Maynes in Donnybrook, The Bank Bar and Restaurant on College Green, The Bankers, The Blackrock, The Bridge 1859, Darkey Kellys, Devitts, Doheny Nesbitts, The Ferryman, Lemon & Duke, The Long Hall, McSorleys, The Palace, Sheehans on Chatham Street and The Swan. Other partners in Changing Times include publican Benny McCabe, owner of The Shed Distillery and drink's industry entrepreneur Patrick J. Rigney, as well as brewer Shane Long. Speaking about the growth of the brewery, Noel Anderson, Managing Director of Grand Slam Bars and one of the founding publicans behind Changing Times Brewery said, 'We are delighted to be working with some additional top class pubs and venues in Dublin, Cork and Leitrim to bring Changing Times's products to even more customers. "This has been a reflection of the tremendous interest we've had in our stout, lager and pale ale since we launched. We can clearly see the public has a taste for our products, which is already exceeding our early projections for the brewery. 'People want something that offers a change. "Beers that are new, authentic and refreshingly Irish. "These fantastic new venues that we are working with have picked up on that demand from their customers and know the importance of giving the public quality choices. "We're very proud to be working with these forward thinking venues who can see the need to reflect changing tastes and we hope to be able to announce further new venues in the near future,' Mr. Anderson said.
Irish Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Changing Times Brewery beers to be stocked in nine new premises as it moves outside Dublin
Changing Times Brewery, which was founded by the families behind some of Dublin's best known pubs, is expanding the number of premises serving its beers and moving outside the capital for the first time. The €2-million brewery, based in Glasnevin along the banks of the Royal Canal, is to be the exclusive draft stout and lager provider for The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim . It will also be served in Cork's Rising Sons Brewery Bar, The Fountain, and The Fran Well. An additional five venues in Dublin are also now stocking Changing Times beers. These are Neary's, Searson's, The Step Inn, The Sackville Lounge, and Kavanagh's The Temple. READ MORE The partnership with The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo also means Changing Times Brewery will be the exclusive provider of draft stout and lager to the 70,000 visitors who travel to the popular Leitrim tourist attraction every year. Between growing the number of venues stocking its products and increased demand in the founding pubs, Changing Times is now producing more than 150 kegs per week, a figure that is expected to rise to 200 kegs per week before the end of the year. This is up from the 100 kegs per week it was brewing at the time of the launch. The brewery expects the increase will generate an additional €1.1 million in revenue by the end of 2026. The brewery's backers include Dublin publicans Willie Aherne and Paul Sheehan of The Palace Bar on Fleet Street and Sheehans Pub on Chatham Street respectively, as well as Benny McCabe, who owns a number of bars in Cork, and brewer Shane Long. Other backers include the publican families behind venues such as Arthur Mayne's in Donnybrook, The Bank on College Green, The Blackrock, The Bridge 1859, Devitt's, Doheny and Nesbitt, The Ferryman, The Long Hall, McSorley's and The Swan. Pat Rigney, owner of The Shed Distillery, which is home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, is another backer of Changing Times Brewery and also the group's chairman. He said the story of the brewery was 'clearly striking a chord with visitors'. 'Our expectation is that will continue to grow as more venues stock Changing Times, delivering even more change in the future,' Mr Rigney said. Changing Times Brewery currently makes three draft products: Clockwork Velvet Stout, Daydreamer Lager, and After Hours Pale Ale. It is expected that additional products will be launched over the next 12 months. Noel Anderson, managing director of Grand Slam Bars and one of the founding publicans behind Changing Times Brewery, said there had been 'tremendous interest' in the group's products, which is 'already exceeding our early projections for the brewery'.
Irish Times
11-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Dublin's Metrolink project could go 40% over budget and leave many homes ‘grievously impacted'
The Metrolink , Dublin's proposed underground railway, could go 40 per cent over budget and leave many homes and businesses 'grievously impacted', its programme director has warned. In his first interview since taking office, Dr Sean Sweeney, the New Zealand mega-project engineer, told the Business Post that the most recent 2021 cost estimates of €9.6 billion will have risen due to construction inflation and that the 2035 deadline is likely to be missed. 'Now since 2021 we have had well north of 20 per cent construction escalation. So do the math,' Sweeney said. 'The price is going to be some result of that simple multiplication. But we're doing that work now.' Sweeney said the Government will have to face down fierce public opposition to Dublin's MetroLink as it impacts on communities. READ MORE 'I deliver what I call 'nation-building projects', which make countries better. You leave the country better off. But that doesn't mean everyone is untouched. Some people get touched. Some people get grievously impacted. But the nation or the city is better off,' Sweeney said. Distilleries pause production as uncertainty grows amid US tariff tensions The vast majority of distilling in Ireland has been paused as US trade tension and heightened competition combine to hit the spirits sector, according to the co-founder of one of the country's most successful distilleries, a report in the Sunday Indepedent reveals. Pat Rigney, who co-founded Drumshanbo Gin-producer The Shed Distillery alongside his wife, Denise, said many of the country's distilleries were going through a tough time with most distilleries temporarily halting production. Pauses were happening across the industry, he added, hitting large and small distilleries alike. 'I think since January 20, the world has changed with the new US administration,' he said. 'That was then but now we are in a different world, a very uncertain world. 'I'm not sure if you are aware, but the vast majority of distilling in Ireland has paused at the moment due to the challenges.' Irish data centre builder Echelon to expand in Europe, eyeing up sites in Italy and Spain Irish data centre builder Echelon has been seeking out sites in mainland Europe for new centres as part of an expansion strategy, the Business Post reports. Damien Gaynor, the company's chief marketing officer, said the company intended to build in Spain and Italy. He was speaking to the Business Post after the launch of a €3.5 billion data centre project in Arklow, Co Wicklow. Echelon's business model is to build centres and then rent to a tech giant. It is led by property developer Niall Molloy. It has a number of data centres in Dublin, including one in Clondalkin, used by social media giant Tik Tok. However, growth in the Dublin region has stagnated due to a moratorium on data centres.
Irish Independent
11-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘Since January 20, the world has changed' – Distilleries pause production as uncertainty grows amid US tariff tensions
Pat Rigney, who co-founded Drumshanbo Gin-producer The Shed Distillery alongside his wife, Denise, said many of the country's distilleries were going through a tough time with most distilleries temporarily halting production. Pauses were happening across the industry, he added, hitting large and small distilleries alike. 'I think since January 20, the world has changed with the new US administration,' he said. 'That was then but now we are in a different world, a very uncertain world. 'I'm not sure if you are aware, but the vast majority of distilling in Ireland has paused at the moment due to the challenges.' Rigney, who chairs the industry group Drinks Ireland, added that The Shed had not stopped production. On the pauses, Rigney noted there would be downstream effects for others, highlighting that Irish grain growers, pallet manufacturers, and trucking firms could take a hit. While Rigney said he can't answer on behalf of the distilleries pausing production, he believes uncertainty caused by US tariffs brought these actions forward. He also noted 'heightened levels of competition' from other categories, like tequila and cognac, playing a role. Irish alcohol producers are currently subject to a 10pc levy on sales in the US, its largest export market. However, this is due to increase to 20pc should EU and US negotiators fail to strike a trade deal. Last week the European Commission re-tabled proposals to hit US bourbon whiskey sold to EU states with tariffs. Such a move could spark a furious response from Trump leading to greater levies for Irish alcohol firms selling to America. Woes in the whiskey sector have even led to insolvencies. Rigney called for the Government not to take the industry for granted. Several prominent Irish distilleries have reportedly paused or cut back production in recent months. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more In March, Jameson-producer Irish Distillers said it was pausing production at Midleton Distillery in Co Cork from April until summer. The country's largest whiskey business said it was 'adjusting its production schedule for a routine, periodic review'. Bushmills had also reduced production saying it was aligning its 'whiskey stocks with anticipated demand trends.' Last November, Waterford Whiskey entered receivership after failing to raise fresh funding. The receivership was extended in March due to it being a 'challenging' time to find a buyer. In February, Blackwater Distillery entered the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process (Scarp), a rescue mechanism for smaller Irish businesses. A rescue plan was approved last month following a meeting of the company's creditors. The Shed boss Rigney was speaking after the business behind his distillery, PJ Rigney Distillery & International Brands, released results for the year ended September 30, 2024. Profit fell to €2.43m, down almost €870,300. Rigney said this was due to increased investment and heightened costs, which had not been passed on to consumers. The business had sales of over €17.27m and depletions – a measure of the number of cases sold to retailers by a distributor – had increased, he added.
