ONE of Scotland’s youngest female brewers has released her debut creation out of the Wee County’s Harviestoun Brewery.

Lisa Matthews, completed a degree in Brewing and Distilling last year while working part-time at the Clacks company, and was subsequently taken on full-time as a junior brewer last May.

Now, Lisa, originally from Islay, has completed her much-anticipated first product – an IPA called Heaven Cent.

Heaven Cent takes its name and aroma from the centennial hop. According to Lisa, it is a perfectly balanced IPA with beautiful fruity aromas and a citrus tang.

The beer will be available at selected bars around Scotland, including Alloa’s Coopers Bar, Tormaukin Hotel in Glendevon and Forth Inn, Aberfoyle.

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser:

Heaven Cent is also be available to buy in a five-litre mini-keg format direct from Harviestoun’s online shop, so people can also enjoy it at home.

Describing her excitement at getting her first product on the shelves, Lisa said: “After months of development with the whole team, I’m so excited that we’re able to launch Heaven Cent.

“I think it’s fantastic that there are more women taking leading roles in the brewing industry than ever before and I’m really proud to be part of that growing trend, along with my colleague Amy Cockburn, who is head brewer at Harviestoun.

“Heaven Cent is made using the centennial hop, which gives it a distinctive citrus tang, as well as clean crisp, floral notes and a hint of spiciness. The centennial hop is also what makes Heaven Cent so completely unique and different from any other product in our range.

“Harviestoun has been brewing in the shadow of the Ochil Hills in Clackmannanshire since 1983, so we were making craft beer in Scotland long before it became a popular trend.”

The Alva-based brewery is one of Scotland’s most awarded independent breweries and is a pioneering producer of nine other high-quality craft beer and lagers.

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser:

Its most famous award-winning beer, Schiehallion pilsner, is named after a well-known mountain in Perthshire. Schiehallion is unique among British beers as being the only current brand to win the coveted ‘World’s Best Pilsner’ award.

Harviestoun’s beers are made with the soft local water and the majority of its malt barley is grown within eight miles of the brewery in Alva.

The Hillfoots company remains committed to using the same local ingredients, the same yeast as they always have.

They insist on the very best ingredients in their imaginative recipes, which are crafted without compromise. All at Harviestoun respect and celebrate the provenance that they have inherited and are developing this special business with energy and imagination.