NEWS

TRAQUAIR CELEBRATES ITS 900th BIRTHDAY WITH A BEER TO REMEMBER

Embargoed until Wednesday 28th March

A special, limited edition beer will be launched today to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the signing of the Royal Charter by Alexander I at Traquair House in the Scottish Borders in 1107.

The 900th Birthday brew, which has been produced at Traquair’s famous 18th century brewery, will join other famous collector’s ales brewed at Traquair to celebrate unique events such as the 1000th Brew, the Silver Wedding Brew and Catherine’s 21st.

Only 40,000 bottles of the limited edition beer will be produced and packaged in a specially designed silk screened bottle. The ale has an ABV of 9% and a shelf life of ten years so it is certainly worth buying a bottle to keep for a special occasion.

Traquair was the pioneer of micro brewing in Scotland when the 20th Laird, Peter Maxwell Stuart began brewing in the ancient brewery in 1964. Since then the traditional Scottish ales have achieved a worldwide reputation amongst connoisseurs and most recently Traquair was voted 20th best brewery in the world by the consumer website www.ratebeer.com in 2005.

The unique quality and taste of the beers are said to come from the fermentation part of the process which takes place in the unlined oak tuns. This together with water from a natural spring ensures that Traquair Ales can only continued to be brewed in their original premises.

A series of events are planned throughout the year to celebrate the special anniversary. For additional information on the 900th Anniversary Events Programme see: Events

For further information please contact:

Catherine Maxwell-Stuart at Traquair House:
catherine@traquair.co.uk
tel: 01896 830323
or Sandra Grieve at Peagreen PR:
sgrieve@peagreenpr.co.uk
tel:07718 296707

DAVID STARKEY TO HELP TRAQUAIR CELEBRATE 900 YEARS OF ROYAL CHARTER

Leading historians, writers and journalists will help Scotland’s oldest inhabited house celebrate its 900th anniversary as part of an exciting events programme launched today.

Alexander 1 sealed a charter at Traquair House in the Scottish Borders in 1107 and to celebrate this anniversary in style, in addition to the annual events programme, the present Laird plans to host a special Birthday Weekend in June. David Starkey, William McIllvanney, Sarah Smith and other leading historians and writers will be taking part in lectures, discussions and debates on issues such as the Jacobite cause, the Stuart dynasty and the Union. Top children’s writers including Vivien French, Debi Gliori and Mhari Hedderwick will ensure that children are not left out of Traquair’s birthday celebrations.

Since the signing of the Royal Charter, Traquair has played host to 27 Scottish monarchs and it is also the longest continually inhabited house having been lived in by the Stuart family since 1491.

The present descendant and Laird, Catherine Maxwell Stuart commented;

“It is quite awe inspiring for a building to have reached such an age and still remain an intimate family home. It has narrowly escaped being burnt down because of the family’s Catholic and Jacobite sympathies yet somehow always survived. A combination of superb craftsmanship, the care that each generation has put into its upkeep and a good dose of luck has ensured its survival. We feel that it’s something worth celebrating in this our anniversary year.”

A special limited edition 900th Birthday brew will also be produced at Traquair’s famous eighteenth century brewery and will join other special brews as a genuine collector’s item.

For additional information on the 900th Anniversary Events Programme log on to http://www.traquair.co.uk/events.html

For further information please contact:

Catherine Maxwell-Stuart at Traquair House:
catherine@traquair.co.uk
tel: 01896 830323
or Sandra Grieve at Peagreen PR:
sgrieve@peagreenpr.co.uk
tel:07718 296707