Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Investment Bank back new brewery as craft beer bandwagon rolls into Dundee

Along with private investment, a total of £650,000 has been provided to Duncan Alexander and Mark Griffiths, the brains behind 71 Brewing, in order to convert an industrial warehouse in the centre of the city into a 2,400-litre production facility.

Alexander, a Dundonian who has spent the last five years running a community microbrewery in Edinburgh, will be head brewer at the new Tayside venture.

He said: “There’s something in the water here that was justification enough for us to establish a brewery in Dundee, beyond the fact that I’m a very proud Dundonian and wanted the city to contribute to this great new beer revolution that is sweeping the country.”

Fit-out works are expected to commence next month and the brewery is due to be fully operational by October.

The installation of equipment is being overseen by brewing consultant David Smith, the former head brewer at Samuel Smiths of Tadcaster, who has since assisted in the set-up of some 150 breweries throughout the UK and continental Europe.

The site of the business will be at Bellfield Street in the Hawkhill are a of the city close to Dundee University.

Fit-out works are expected to start next month and the brewery is due to be operational in October.

Production is set to start next week and the brewery will be able to produce 3,200 litres of beer a week.

Business developer Sean McMahon said he is pleased with progress by builders at the premises in Sugarhouse Wynd.

The craft beer market has doubled in size over the last five years. It is valued at $20 billion (£14.35bn) and is predicted to reach $39bn (£28bn) by 2019.