Fierce Beer is to offer punters a free bus service to its new taproom in Dyce after the only available transport link was axed.
The north-east brew boys are all set for spring opening of the Dyce pub, which backs on to the firm’s brewery outside of Aberdeen.
However, the plans were tossed a curveball in November when FirstGroup announced it was to get rid of the X27 bus service, which would have carried Fierce drinkers from Aberdeen city centre to the Dyce brewery.
Undeterred, Fierce now says it will run its own weekend transport service. A minibus will take customers from Fierce’s Aberdeen bar on Exchequer Row direct to the brewery and taproom.
What’s more, the bus will be FREE, with Fierce co-founder Dave Grant saying passengers may well have as much fun onboard as they do in the pub.
“I’m going to do the journey myself, just for the banter,” Dave says.
No beer on the bus but maybe a sing song
He confirms that NO beer will be available on the bus as that would contravene a number of regulations.
However, he says passengers could be allowed to choose what music is playing – when they are not joining in a bus singalong, that is.
“We’ll happily take requests,” he says with a laugh. “Though we probably won’t go as far as karaoke.”
Dave imagines passengers having a weekend day-out at the brewery and a visit to the new taproom.
And punters can enjoy a drink – including one of Fierce’s fantastic non-alcoholic beers – in the Aberdeen bar while waiting for the bus to pick them up.
Dave says details on how often the bus will run are yet to be confirmed. However, he hopes the charter bus will seat about 12.
Why Fierce will offer its own transport service to the Dyce brewery and tap-room
Dave says Fierce were forced into action when the cutting of the X27 meant the only possible public transport from Aberdeen to Dyce was the 727 airport bus.
However, that left people with a kilometre walk from the airport to the brewery.
“Just these obstacles would notionally put people off from coming,” he added.
“So we thought if we put our own on, it’s a triple whammy. We’ve got people who will go to a bar to sit and wait for the bus. And then they will come to Dyce, and maybe go back again afterwards.”
The Dyce taproom is on track to open in late April or early May after Fierce secured a licence on Tuesday.
The taproom is expected to be open four days a week from Thursday to Sunday.
Dave previously said a taproom was something the firm’s supporters “have always asked for”.
A crowdfunding campaign set up in December 2021 to raise £150,000 for the Dyce brewery was smashed in just two days.
Fierce moved in to the site in Howe Moss Terrace last May.
The move relocated Fierce from its old brewery, which was just around the corner.
Plans for the taproom were revealed in August last year.