On the night of July 29th, a fire broke out at our brewery in Castle Douglas.

Our Hot Liquor Tank (HLT) — the vessel we use to start every single brew — was completely destroyed. Power to the entire brewhouse was cut off, and we were forced to halt production immediately.

Thanks to quick action from the fire service and local electricians, power is now restored and our cold store and fermenters have been saved. But our brewing system is out of action — and we’re now fighting to rebuild at the worst possible time: the height of our busiest season in our 30th anniversary year.

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Who We Are

Sulwath Brewers is a family-run brewery that has been part of Dumfries & Galloway for 30 years. First opened by our founder with the belief that local beer belongs at the heart of the community, we are now in our third generation of family ownership. We’ve brewed through storms, shortages, shutdowns, and global pandemics — but this is something we cannot overcome without help from our community.

This fundraiser is run directly by Sulwath Brewers, and all donations will go directly to the brewery to restore production.

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How the Donations Will Be Spent

Every penny raised will go towards:

• Replacing the destroyed brewhouse equipment (starting with the HLT)

• Electrical rewiring and safe restoration of our brewing system

• Covering essential running costs so the business can keep operating while we’re unable to brew

Funds will be paid directly into Sulwath Brewers’ business account and used solely for the purposes above. If we exceed our target, any surplus will be used to upgrade or improve the equipment so we can future-proof the brewery for years to come.

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How We’ll Use the Funds

Once received, donations will be spent immediately on ordering and installing replacement equipment, hiring qualified tradespeople for the necessary repairs, and covering unavoidable business costs until production resumes. This will allow us to get beer flowing again as quickly as possible and safeguard local jobs.

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How You Can Help

Whether it’s £5 or £500, every donation gets us one step closer to filling the mash tun again. We’re not offering perks or rewards — just our heartfelt thanks and your name on our “Supporters of the Rebuild” wall here at the brewery.

Once we’re back up and brewing, we’ll be throwing a big thank-you party, and everyone who’s supported us will be invited to raise a pint with us.

If you can’t donate, sharing this campaign means just as much.

From all of us at Sulwath — thank you for helping us fight back.

Let’s get this brewery brewing again.