The 6th October meeting of Anstruther Rotary Club was in two parts. The first part sad, being the last time the club will meet at the Craw’s Nest Hotel in Anstruther. The forthcoming closure of the hotel means that, from Monday 13th October, meetings will be at the Rockies Restaurant, Anstruther Golf Club. This is just down the road from the Craws Nest at 2 Shore Road.

The second part was entirely different, with club members visiting the Eden Brewery at Guardbridge. Located in part of the old paper mill buildings, now owned by St Andrews University, it was very interesting to see what is clearly a successful business start-up now developing a greater range of craft beers and with plans for whisky and gin production.

An introductory talk covered the history of the site on the banks of the Eden Estuary where, for most of the 19th century, the Haig family operated a whisky distillery. That brewery closed in 1882 and the last brewery in St Andrews closed soon after, in 1902. The paper mill closed in 2008.

It was fascinating to see and touch the different malted barleys and hop varieties that give the craft beers such individual character – happily confirmed with tastings! Eden Brewery is particularly concerned with the type of cask and barrel used in maturing the beers and which again has huge influence on character – small, large, virgin oak, bourbon and so on.

Also of great interest was the care taken over environmental matters. Spent barley and hops are used as feed on local farms and used barrels, at end of life, are converted into furniture by a Crail craftsman.

A site tour gave insight to the very small-scale nature of this craft business and a chance to admire the beautiful and newly acquired hand-made copper stills for the brewery’s whisky venture.

Club member Bill Batchelor proposed a warm vote of thanks for a fascinating and inspirational visit.