Isle of Bute: Meet the all-female brewing team doubling revenue in a ‘male-dominated industry’

Just an hour outside of Glasgow, The Isle of Bute is known for its coastal community and charming scenery and one team of female brewers is looking to build its international reputation through alcoholic beverages. Since November last year, the Bute Brew Co and Isle of Bute Distillery has invested £20,000 in training to upskill a trio of female team members to take on the brewing and distilling roles previously occupied by male colleagues. Their impact is already being felt, in this time, the company’s revenue has increased by 127% and online sales have doubled.

Rhona Madigan-Wheatley founded the company in 2018 and recently returned from maternity leave. At the same time, her husband Jack left the business to return to his law career, leaving Rohna to go it alone. She said: “When our previous head distiller left, we had the option to recruit, or to retain and upskill; we made the right choice. I couldn’t be more proud of our talented, committed team. We have such a good culture, and I think that’s partly because we do feel like we’re in it together in a male dominated industry. When I returned from maternity leave, I’d lost my confidence. Now I feel like things are moving fast and I’ve had a big part to play. I was on the sidelines for too long and I’m glad to be back with fresh confidence and fresh eyes with a fresh team. “

When asked how the industry can be difficult to navigate for women she said: “My most important role is to remind the team to ignore imposter syndrome and make sure they believe in themselves. I know how important confidence can be. I’ve really struggled with anxiety, particularly early in my career when I felt I had to cover up my dyslexia. Now I tell our team to do what I do – focus on what you’re good at, don’t try to be anyone else, and believe in yourself.” 

 New distillery manager Iona Buick, 27, moved to the Isle of Bute, where her father lives, when Covid curtailed her camper van adventure around Australia. Having never run events before arriving back in Scotland four years ago, she’s now responsible for managing the team and running events of up to 400 people. Buick said: “The faith shown in me has been phenomenal. Joining a small company has really accelerated my learning curve; I’m so lucky to now have all this experience under my belt and to be able to use it to put the distillery and the brewery on the map. The island is one of the most incredible places in Scotland and more people should see how it’s getting even better all the time – Bute is having a moment, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

24-year-old Imogen Holland has long had distilling on her mind, joining the company as a bar person to gain experience straight from earning a Brewing and Distilling degree at Heriot Watt University. She has now progressed to a permanent role as both a distiller and a brewer. Holland, whose parents have also swapped city life to join her in Bute, said: “Covid meant it was difficult to get experience, so I was willing to move anywhere for my career. This was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’d never even touched a brew kit or still and for all the theory I learned, nothing compares to learning by doing. I feel like this past year, I’ve learned more than any other year in my life. We are all so hungry to learn, to improve and to prove we can do it. We are so proud of our progress and our success; we can’t wait to keep that momentum going and help the company become a major player in the drinks industry.”

As well as a significant growth in online sales, the brand’s success has also been driven by the launch of Bute Yard, a collaborative food and drink venue of which the Isle of Bute Distillery and Bute Brew Co are anchor tenants. It launched last year with the ambition to develop the Isle of Bute economy and its community through collaboration and answering the needs of the local food and drink sector for expansion. Ronah said: “We expected revenue to grow following Covid, but it has been incredible. I think Scotland as a whole has felt a growth in tourism. All you have to do is look at the increase in hotel prices.”

The brand has even received During one of Dave Myers final TV appearances before his death, he was seen enjoying a Bute Brew Co. beer when he came to visit the team during his time on the island.  Soon the brand will launch its new line of alcohol free cocktails; a project led by Buick and Holland. The company has also secured exclusivity as the beer partner at this year’s ButeFest and is set to launch the world’s first Oyster gin.