Innis & Gunn moves into Canada

May 4, 2005: Edinburgh brewing company Innis & Gunn is marking the end of a successful first 18 months of business by introducing its Original Oak Aged Beer to Canada. This follows December's introduction to the Swedish market and First Drinks Brands' acquisition of Innis & Gunn's UK on-trade agency rights in last month.

In Canada, Innis & Gunn will be available in five provinces: Alberta, Nova
Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Dougal Sharp, managing director of Innis & Gunn, said:"Initial tests have
been extremely encouraging in all five provinces where speciality and
imported beers are showing strong growth. We have full launch programmes planned for each province and are very excited by the opportunities in
Canada.

"Sales of Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer continue to grow in Sweden and are
tracking well above expectation. We're in discussions with importers in a
number of other countries including the USA and Denmark where we hope to launch the beer later this year."

This, he said, underlined the global interest and growth in speciality beer
brands. Nowhere is this more evident than in the UK on-trade.

Innis & Gunn's Oak Aged Beer has created a new category in the UK beer market. The 6.6% beer goes through a 77-day maturation process in lightly toasted American white oak (ex-bourbon) barrels. The lengthy ageing adds a new dimension of flavour - lightly oaked with a light effervescence and mellow smoothness, which is more closely associated with the great oak aged wines and spirits of the world.

The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company Ltd is part of the independent, family-owned distiller William Grant & Sons Ltd.