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Niall Barber, Head Brewer
Head Brewer
Niall Barber

In the summer of 2022, while camping in the area, Niall and his wife visited Kinlochleven. Attached to the front door of the brewery was a note simply stating “Brewery For Sale, serious enquiries only.” They were already keen homebrewers and were in the infancy of fabricating a brewery of their own. In December 2022 the sale was finalised, with production resuming in March 2023.

2022
Acquired
Mar ’23
First Brew
4
Core Beers

The Brewery Building
Grade B Listed
Our Building

Since 1907 there has been a hydro electric powered aluminium reduction facility in Kinlochleven. It was the first village in the world to have every home connected to electricity and became known as the Electric Village. Our brewery is housed in a grade B listed building that formed part of the carbon plant making electrodes for the Hall-Héroult process.

1907
Hydro Electric aluminium works established
2000
Aluminium works closes, site redeveloped as home for Atlas Brewery
2011
Atlas Brewery closes, former Atlas Brewer Harry Heskey takes over the site and forms River Leven Ales
2022
Harry Heskey retires, Niall and his wife purchase the brewery with production resuming in March 2023
2026
Rebranded as Electric Village Brewing Company

Brewing in Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven
A Quarter Century of Brewing

We are the third brewing occupants of the building since the site was repurposed and redeveloped following the closure of the aluminium works in 2000. There has now been almost 25 years of continuous brewing on site and even a visit by the HM Queen Elizabeth II.

25+
Years of Brewing
3rd
Brewing Occupant
1
Royal Visit