HILARY Jones, a former brewer for Newcastle Brown Ale, Fosters, Kronenbourg and McEwan’s, has invested in a minority shareholding in WEST, the Glasgow Green based independent brewery.
Jones first came across WEST last year when, in her role as president of the European Brewery Convention (EBC), she visited the brewery, fell in love with it and its lagers and was immediately convinced of its tremendous growth potential.
WEST’s MD, Petra Wetzel, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Hilary has become a shareholder in WEST. She has a real passion for the brewery and, given her extensive experience and network within the brewing industry, is a tremendous asset. And I’m sure that, with Hilary on board, WEST is now the only brewery in the world with two women at its helm!”
Hilary Jones said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with Petra at WEST.
“Between us we have some great ideas and enthusiasm for progressing this exciting young company. I’m sure that, together, Petra and I will make a formidable team!”
Before joining WEST, Hilary was technical and quality director for Scottish & Newcastle prior to its takeover by Heineken and Carlsberg.
A graduate from Edinburgh University with a BSc Honours in Biological Sciences, she first joined S&N as custodian of its precious brewing yeast strains.In an extensive and varied career with the formerly Edinburgh-based company her responsibilities included leading the quality agenda across seven European countries, new product development; setting up a pub brewery and managing the famous Tyne Brewery in Newcastle and the Theakstons brewery in Yorkshire.
She has served on the boards of both Brewing Research International near London and the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh.
In 1995, she was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Brewing in recognition of her work for the brewing industry.In 2005 she became the first ever woman President of the European Brewery Convention.
Just before retiring as president, she secured Glasgow as the next host city for the prestigious EBC Congress to be held in 2011, an event that attracts brewers from all over the world.
WEST brews the only lagers and wheat beers in the UK to meet the Reinheitsgebot of 1516 (the German Purity Law; the oldest food law in the world which ensures only the finest, purest beer is deemed fit for consumption).
WEST recently won three gold medals from the DLG, the prestigious Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (German Agricultural Society) – the first time that any lager brewed in the UK received a medal from the DLG.
WEST won gold for its St. Mungo lager, its homage to Glasgow’s patron saint and fellow brewer, St Mungo, a second gold for its Hefeweizen, a wheat beer which rivals the great wheat beers in Europe, and a third gold for its Dunkel, its speciality dark lager, which the DLG assessor described as ‘simply outstanding’.
ENDS
For further information please contact Petra Wetzel on tel 0141 550 0135
Issued on behalf of Noah Beers by Liquorice Media tel 0141 564 8058
Date 24th July 09.
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