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NorthLink serves up new tipple to mark 10 years with Serco

NorthLink Ferry at sea.
Many products on board NorthLink ships are from Shetland and Orkney-based suppliers.

NorthLink Ferries has partnered with a Shetland-based brewer to create Magnus IPA – a bespoke craft beer to mark the 10th anniversary of the contract it operates with Serco.

The ferry company collaborated with a team at Lerwick Brewery based in Staney Hill on Shetland to design the new 5% abv beer, which is now available to buy on board NorthLink Ferries for £4.95 in 440ml cans.

Can of Magnus Beer on a NorthLink ferry.
Magnus IPA marks 10-year anniversary of NorthLink contract with Serco.

The team worked on the new beverage for six months, choosing a sweet IPA with notes of tropical fruits and opting for a royal blue can with a wave design.

The tin features the iconic NorthLink Viking logo, which represents Magnus, the  NorthLink’s Viking mascot featured on the side of its ships.

Northlink ‘champions’ Shetland and Orkney produce

Lerwick Brewery head brewer Jonny Sandison told the Press and Journal: “Northlink is an excellent customer of ours and a champion of Shetland and Orkney produce in general, regularly stocking our 60° North Lager on draught as well as a range of our bottles and cans.

“The Magnus IPA was brewed with Amarillo, Azacca and Nelson Sauvin hops to give a profile with ripe fruit flavours. It also has a good malty base providing a sweet body.”

He added: “This is a one-off collaboration but that is not to say we wouldn’t happily do similar again in the future.”

Northlink's Tanya Sim and Vikki Grant.
(L-R) NorthLink’s Tanya Sim and Vikki Grant enjoy a Magnus beer.

Serco NorthLink Ferries customer service director Billy Robb said: “We wanted to do something special to celebrate the anniversary and what better to toast to 10 years than with our very own NorthLink beer.

“It’s extremely important to us to support businesses which are local to the islands we serve – it’s why so many of the products for sale on board our ship are from Shetland and Orkney-based suppliers – so working with the team at Lerwick Brewery was a no brainer.

“When it came to choosing what kind of beer to create, we opted for an IPA, as craft beers are really popular at the moment.”

Serco has operated the Northern Isles service since July 2012 providing scheduled passenger and freight services to the Northern Isles.

NorthLink Ferries buys more than 84% of onboard products from suppliers based within 50 miles of its operating ports.

Caledonian Sleeper train.
Serco will run the Caledonian Sleeper train service until next June.

Serco also operates the Caledonian Sleeper service providing overnight trains from London to Inverness, Aberdeen Fort William, Edinburgh and Glasgow, but the franchise will be terminated next June.

Calls are growing for the service to be brought back into public ownership, although Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Andrew Bowie has told Labour and the SNP to “keep their hands off” the sleeper service.

In contrast, RMT union general secretary Mick Lynch has described it as a “huge opportunity” to deliver better value for money and stronger public oversight.

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