Craft brewing, cider making and distilling

Support for craft breweries, cideries and distilleries

Guide

Several organisations provide support, advice and assistance to craft beer, cider and spirit producers in Northern Ireland.

Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) has a dedicated food and drink team supporting businesses. They can help with exporting, intellectual property protection, product development and design. Their buynifood.com website offers guidance on local suppliers. Invest NI can also help with market research and reports through their Business Information Centre.

Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) works to bring local food and drink industry stakeholders together.

Tourism NI offers food and drink tourism advice and support.

Food NI works to promote Northern Ireland's food and drink offering through events, guides and the NI Good Food website.

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) - The Northern Ireland branch of CAMRA promotes and supports local breweries producing 'real ale'. According to CAMRA, real ale is defined as cask-conditioned beer made with traditional ingredients.

Craft beer, cider and spirit producers can get help to create a tourism offering by becoming an ÉCONOMUSÉE - a 'working museum' where visitors can learn about your craft and buy your products.

The British Beer and Pub Association is an industry body representing brewers and pubs in the UK.

For more information, read about food and drink support and funding or watch our case study below to see how Shortcross Gin got help to develop and export their craft gin.