This year Dundee is to host the first annual Cailleach Festival showcasing the work of Scottish women in beverage, food and art.
Organised by Dundee’s own 71 Brewing, the inaugural International Women’s Day event will be held at Canvas Dundee on March 8, featuring 12 breweries, four distilleries, musical performances and street food vendors – all women-owned or run companies and artists.
Named in homage to the Cailleach, the ‘divine hag of creation’ of Scottish folklore, the festival aims to shine a spotlight on creative women in Scotland, while welcoming everyone to come together for a day of celebration of creativity and artisanship.
Breweries pouring throughout the day will include 71 Brewing itself, Campervan, Bellfield, Closet Brewing, Cold Town House, Newbarns and more, offering a diverse selection of beers.
Providing the spirits and cocktails will be Gin Bothy, Matugga Rum, Nc’nean, and Tayport Distillery. Non-alcoholic options will be available from Bon Accord soft drinks and Jump Ship.
Crowned Scottish Brewery of the Year last year, 2025 also saw 71 Brewing merge with ‘nostalgic’ Scottish soft drinks brand, Bon Accord. The founder of Bon Accord, Karen Knowles, has since taken on the role of managing director across both companies.
Marking a new chapter of female leadership, Knowles is said to bring a strong track record in brand development, commercial growth, and strategic leadership. In her expanded role, she is now responsible for ‘driving the combined vision of both brands’, and accelerating sustainable growth across both the brewing and soft drinks portfolios.
As part of the Cailleach Festival, 71 Brewing is inviting entries to a homebrew competition, with participating brewers judging the submissions and the winner announced at the festival and receiving a seat at a global cohort of women earning their certification in beer through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).
“Homebrewing has always been a pipeline of avid hobbyists to going pro, and this aspect of the festival enables women passionate about the craft of brewing to meet and learn from the seasoned industry veterans of the Scottish brewing community,” said 71.
As its liquid contribution to the festival, 71 Brewing will be pouring Brank’s Wrath, a hazy pale ale brewed with many of the participating breweries, as well as a group of MSc students from Heriot Watt University.
Named as a reclaiming of a ‘brank’ which was a medieval instrument of punishment for outspoken women, this new release pouring for the first time at the festival marks the ‘passion, talent, and resilience’ of the women of the Scottish brewing industry.
The event is also part of a global initiative, the International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day, which started in 2014 with the aim of bringing women in the brewing industry and local community together to create a beer and provide charitable funds to nonprofit organizations supporting women’s causes through beer sales.
This year, 71 Brewing will fund additional seats for attendees to their brew day and for the winner of the homebrew competition to take part in a guided learning course and examination for their WSET qualification in a Level 1 Award in beer.
“In an industry where the workforce is 70% male and the workplace is rife with sexism, the work of the IWCBD with participation from the WSET and through projects like 71 Brewing’s festival is instrumental in carving out space and opportunity for women in a male-dominated field,” said the organisers.
Tickets for the Cailleach, which include a stainless steel festival glass and four drinks tokens are available now.
