AN EXHIBITION detailing Alloa’s proud beer heritage has been launched in the town.

The Breweries Memorabilia event, running at the Speirs Centre, shows how the history of commercial brewing in the town goes back 368 years.

Running until the end of January next year, the display will feature associated talks and guided walks by brewers who worked in Alloa.

These are intended to help tell the story of Alloa brewing, along with the exhibition itself.

This follows two significant Scottish beer heritage Raise Your Glass! exhibitions in Edinburgh that were supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

ew displays have been set up to celebrate the heritage of brewing in Alloa and elsewhere in Clackmannanshire.

It has been arranged jointly by Susan Mills, museum and heritage officer in Alloa, and John Martin of the not-for-profit community interest company Brewing Heritage Scotland and the Scottish Brewing Archive Association (SBAA).

Exhibits have come from the archives in Alloa, the two previous Raise Your Glass! exhibitions in Edinburgh, Forbes Gibb of Brewing Heritage Scotland and brewer Brian Eaton, who has a long association with Alloa.

A bust of a famous Alloa brewer, Archibald Arrol, formerly in Alloa Brewery, is also on show.

Scotland’s other great brewing centres were Edinburgh and Glasgow. Two widely famed Edinburgh brewers – Robert Younger and William McEwan – originally came from Alloa.

In 1900 there were ten breweries in and around Alloa, something recalled by Brian Eaton and fellow Alloa brewer Harvey Milne on guided walking tours.

Further events are being planned. It is expected that there will be talks by Brian, Harvey and John at the exhibition itself.