Newspaper Article - and meet the team!

The Edinburgh Evening News ran a story about Natural Selection Brewing. Check it out, or pick one up!

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Students-own-limitedrun-brew-set.6795531.jp

Further background information on Natural Selection Brewing:

The idea for this project was conceived by Steve Stewart of Stewart Brewing Company, who is himself an ICBD graduate. The premise for the project was to give students the opportunity to get a feel for what it is really like to design a beer brand from concept to launch. Stewart approached Dr. David Quain of the ICBD with his idea, and together they refined it to create the framework for a practical project.

After an application process, 4 students were selected to make up the team. While the team members would work together to achieve the group goals, certain specific team roles were created to ensure that all aspects of the project would be covered. Our roles break down as follows:

Damon Scott - Brewer
- Damon decided on the style and approach for the beer we would brew, and conducted test batches at the ICBD pilot brewery before completing final recipe and brewing it with Iain at Stewart Brewing Co.









Colin Lymer - Brand Design
- Colin was responsible for building the concept of our brand and giving it a story and appropriate iconography. He was the one who came up with the name 'Natural Selection Brewing' to incorporate themes of evolution, academia, and the connection between Darwin and Edinburgh to attach to our beer brand. He was responsible for developing our label, and ensuring that our brand is presented in the best way to the public.








Steven Kersley - Sales and Marketing
- Steven developed the sales strategy for our brand, and has been actively 'pounding the pavement' to meet publicans and liquor store owners/managers to sell our beer. He has also conducted market surveys to aid him in developing our market strategy, and he has most frequently acted as the public face of our brand.




Kevin Emms - Project Manager
- My role is to oversee and coordinate the project team to ensure that all deadlines and goals are being met. I also take on or help out with specific tasks where I can. I have liaised with project supervisors to make important company decisions and I keep detailed records of our progress.




Our project has been a massive learning experience so far, challenging us on our ingenuity in the pilot brewery, on fostering good team dynamics, making quick and effective brand decisions under extremely tight deadlines, and showing us working parts of the industry we would not learn about in the classroom.  We are optimistic for a very positive response when we release our beer  in 2.5 weeks, and we look forward to hearing consumer feedback!

Next on the agenda for us is to package our beer this weekend; some into casks and the rest into bottles with our fancy new labels! After that, we look forward to seeing you for the launch party at the Guildford Arms (just off of Princes Street, across from the Balmoral Hotel) on Thursday July 21!

Cheers!

Kevin Emms
Project Manager