Skull Splitter heads for US on draught

Orkney Brewery’s super-strength Skull Splitter ale will soon be available on draught in the US for the first time ever.

The 8.5% brew, which is named after former Viking earl of Orkney Thorfinn Hausakluif, has proved to be a popular bottled beer in the US for many years.

The first ship containing Skull Splitter, packaged in one-trip kegs, has already crossed the Atlantic. Special launch events in New York and Philadelphia have already been organised for later this month, before the ale is rolled out across the rest of the country.

Norman Sinclair, managing director of Orkney Brewery’s parent company, Sinclair Breweries Ltd, said: “Bottled Skull Splitter has always been hugely popular in the USA, so creating a draft version was the next logical step for us.

“The market in the USA for high quality, hand crafted and distinctive beers is very strong and our discerning customers there are really looking forward to having access to Skull Splitter in draft form. Indeed, the level of interest in the USA launches has been considerable and it’s great to be heading over there to fly the flag for the brewery and for Orkney.”

A special Viking party will be held at the Pub on Passyunk East (known as the POPE), a real ale venue in Philadelphia on 24 January. This will be followed by another launch party, which will be held at New York’s St Andrews Scottish Bar and Restaurant in central Manhattan. A specially-designed axe-shaped Skul Splitter tap handle has also been designed to mark the launch.