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Scotsman
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Retired Bridge of Allan policeman to pedal 2,500 miles in aid of children's charity
Johnny Dreczkowski, an extreme athlete and 'serial fundraiser', is making the two-wheel journey from Stirling Castle to Marrakech this summer in aid of the Eilidh Brown Respite Home, a countryside haven in Stirling where children with cancer and their families can take a much-needed break. The route will see Johnny travel through seven countries in just six weeks, navigating his way from Scotland to England, through the Netherlands, Belgium, France, across the Pyrenees mountains at the Col Du Portelait mountain pass and down into Spain, through Zaragoza and Madrid, before crossing to Tangiers in Morocco. From there he will pedal south to Casablanca, then on towards the Atlas Mountains, hopefully arriving at the Koutoubia mosque, in Marrakesh, around the middle of June. Mr Dreczkowski will even celebrate his 57th birthday on 15th May whilst cycling through the Bergerac region of France. The Meadowpark in Bridge and Allan and award-winning Scottish craft brewery, Cold Town Beer, are sponsoring Mr Dreczkowski on his latest charity cycle ride and his cycling kit. Both businesses have collaborated with and supported him on previous fundraisers in recent years. Commenting on 'The Rock To Morocco' fundraising journey, Mr Dreczkowski said: 'Every mile I ride will be powered by people's generosity and our joint belief in supporting this amazing local charity that helps children with cancer and their families. 'The Eilidh Brown Respite Home provides much-needed support and a safe haven for families dealing with the unimaginable. They offer a space of comfort and care, and I want to help ensure that, with annual costs of around £50,000, they can continue their unbelievable work. 'People can sponsor my ride to directly support the Eilidh Brown Respite Home and the incredible families they assist.' The custom-built respite home, which opened in 2023, was set up by the parents of local girl Eilidh Brown, who tragically died from a rare germ cell cancer just days before her 16th birthday in 2010. It was one of her dying wishes to create such a sanctuary, a place where youngsters and their loved ones could be together and enjoy some peace and tranquillity. Mr Dreczkowski has been raising funds for the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund, the charity behind the house, for the past 10 years. His wife, Ally Croll, is the architect who designed the bespoke building. He has already single-handedly raised more than £100,000 over that time, helping to bring the project to fruition. The former policeman hopes his latest endeavour will raise awareness and help cover the running costs of the home, which amount to at least £50,000 a year. More than £14,000 has already been pledged, smashing the original £10,000 target. Now he's hoping to bring in as much as £20,000 or more. In preparation for the journey, he has been training for up to eight hours a day, including cycling, weights, yoga and other exercise, to make sure he is 'battle-hardened' enough for the trip. When he returns to Scotland later in the summer, there is a further fundraising event planned at The Meadowpark Bar and Kitchen on Kenilworth Road in Bridge of Allan on Saturday 14th June. The full-day music festival 'The Rock to Morrocco' will be staged from 12pm to 10pm. The event is also being supported by Cold Town Beer and John Pryde Music, with all proceeds going to the Eilidh Brown Respite Home. Euan Bain from The Meadowpark and Cold Town Beer has welcomed Mr Dreczkowski's latest endeavour and wished him well on his journey. He said: 'We have an ongoing relationship with Johnny and are delighted to support his latest fundraising campaign. The journey will be a tough one, covering 2,500 miles in all sorts of terrain and weather, but he has put in an enormous amount of training and preparation for this epic ride. 'The Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund is a local charity close to all of our hearts and we are glad to be able to help support their wonderful respite home, which provides much-needed breaks for children and families facing tough journeys of their own.' Johnny Dreczkowski is covering all of his own expenses on the journey, with every penny of donations going to the Eilidh Brown Respite Home. People can sponsor him via his JustGiving page The Rock to Morocco Music Festival will take place at The Meadowpark Bar and Kitchen Summer Marquee, 56 Kenilworth Road, Bridge of Allan, on Saturday 14th June. Get ready for a day filled with amazing live music, the best DJ's, great cocktails, delicious food, and summer vibes with all proceeds in aid of The Eilidh Brown Respite Home. Tickets are available at Eventbrite, priced at £20 per person. For more information on the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund, go to The Meadowpark is part of the Edinburgh-based Signature Group, a leading Scottish hospitality company made up of more than 20 bars, restaurants, hotels and a brewery. About Johnny Dreczkowski Known as JD, the 56-year-old was Head of Counter Terrorism and Covert Specialist Training at Police Scotland until he retired three years ago. He has been raising cash for good causes for the past 26 years, with other recipients including the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Stirling Royal Infirmary, Sports Leader's UK, Help The Heroes (Cateran Yomp and Tough Mudder) and Strathcarron Hospice. He is no stranger to tests of endurance, having undertaken numerous challenges over the past few years, covering thousands of miles on foot, running and walking, by bike and even swimming. He has walked the West Highland Way three times, run the London Marathon, competed in a Half Iron Man contest and completed the National Three Peaks Challenge, scaling the UK's highest summits in 24 hours. Cycling challenges include pedalling the North Coast 500 route; from Land's End to John o' Groats; all round the UK and Ireland; and last year, also for the Eilidh Brown House, a 1,400-mile solo trip from Stirling Castle to the Colosseum in Rome. 1 . Contributed Retired policeman and extreme athlete Johnny Dreczkowski is cycling from Stirling Castle to Marrakech this summer in aid of the Eilidh Brown Respite Home, a countryside haven in Stirling where children with cancer and their families can take a much-needed break Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed The extreme athlete has also pedalled from Land's End to John O' Groats for the Eilidh Brown charity Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 3 . Contributed Mr Dreczkowski is no stranger to tests of endurance, having undertaken numerous challenges over the past few years, covering thousands of miles on foot, running and walking, by bike and even swimming Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed The 56-year-old, former Head of Counter Terrorism and Covert Specialist, has been raising cash for good causes for the past 26 years - last year he completed a 1,400-mile solo trip from Stirling Castle to the Colosseum in Rome, also for the Eilidh Brown Respite Home Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: Scotland
Edinburgh Live
22-04-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh brewery 'thrilled' after taking home UK's Beer of the Year award
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh brewery is delighted after one of their beers was crowned UK's Beer of the Year. The creation took home the title from the London Beer Competition. Cold Town Beer clinched the prize for their flagship drink, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured. The base beer for Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is taken from Cold Town Beer's Topic Thunder Stout. The latter took home a gold medal at last year's London Beer Competition, reports the Daily Record. Approximately 400 litres of the award-winning brew was allowed to sleep for almost a year in an oak cask previously used to hold a renowned Speyside whisky. The beer is described by makers as "a rich, dark and opaque liquid with a lusciously smooth, velvety texture and a distinctively deep mouthfeel". According to Cold Town Beer, only 875 cans of Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured will ever be produced. It is available to purchase online, with 12 cans costing £69. Head of Production for Edinburgh's Cold Town Beer Ian Kennedy said: "We're absolutely thrilled. We've spent the last seven years building a range we're truly proud of, and it's incredibly exciting to see Cold Town getting national recognition. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "This beer is something special. It's a celebration of everything we've been working toward, and a real moment for our team to put Cold Town firmly on the map." Director at Cold Town Beer Euan Bain added: "From day one, we set out to create beers that were full of character and brewed with care--and our Barrel Aged Stout is the perfect example of that ethos. "Maturing it in Speyside whisky casks was a passion project for the team, and the result has exceeded all our expectations. "To see it recognised as Beer of the Year - United Kingdom is a huge honour and a testament to the dedication of everyone at Cold Town." The London Beer Competition is one of the most demanding tasting rooms in the industry. Winning a category award at the contest means that Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured stands out among its global peers. Now in its eighth year, the London Beer Competition differs from many other beer competitions around the world. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Unlike most traditional competitions that judge beers solely on taste, it rewards beers based on quality, value, and packaging. This year's competition brought together a panel of some of the most influential beer buyers, bar owners, and industry experts from around the world. The judging took place in London, where hundreds of beers from more than 20 countries were blind-tasted, assessed, and scored Elsewhere, the overall global Beer of the Year award went to Belgian beer Ramon. The alcohol-free beer includes only 0.3 per cent alcohol by volume and 40 per cent fewer calories than an average Pilsner beer. Other winners include Honkirin in Japan for International Lager Of The Year and ABK Edel Spezialbier in Germany for Pale Malty European Lager Of The Year. Meanwhile, Toast Brewing - New Dawn Session IPA won IPA Of The Year. More information and the full list of winners can be found on the London Beer Competition website.
Scotsman
22-04-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
The Scottish whisky cask-matured beer that's just been named best in UK in national awards
Edinburgh-based Cold Town Beer clinched the top national accolade for its flagship beer, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured. Now in its eighth year, the London Beer Competition has become one of the most respected and international beer competitions in the world. Unlike traditional competitions that judge beers solely on taste, the London Beer Competition rewards beers based on quality, value, and packaging – the three key factors that influence consumer buying decisions. This year's competition brought together a panel of some of the most influential beer buyers, bar owners, and industry experts from around the world. The judging took place in London, where hundreds of beers from more than 20 countries were blind-tasted, assessed, and scored. Winning a category award at the London Beer Competition means that Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured stood out among its global peers in one of the most demanding tasting rooms in the industry. Ian Kennedy, head of production for Edinburgh's Cold Town Beer, said: 'We're absolutely thrilled. We've spent the last seven years building a range we're truly proud of, and it's incredibly exciting to see Cold Town getting national recognition. 'This beer is something special. It's a celebration of everything we've been working toward, and a real moment for our team to put Cold Town firmly on the map.' The base beer for Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is taken from Cold Town Beer's Topic Thunder Stout, which took home a gold medal at last year's London Beer Competition. Even before the win, the Edinburgh brewery knew they had something special on their hands, so they filled a Speyside whisky cask with 400 litres of Topic Thunder and left it to mature. One year later, they emptied the cask to create an extremely limited run of 875 cans, enriched with smooth whisky character and deep complexity. This process took Topic Thunder one step further, refining an already award-winning beer into something truly exceptional. The result is a beer that helped Cold Town Brewery clinch the title of 'Beer of the Year – United Kingdom'. Euan Bain, director at Cold Town Beer, added: 'From day one, we set out to create beers that were full of character and brewed with care—and our Barrel Aged Stout is the perfect example of that ethos. "Maturing it in Speyside whisky casks was a passion project for the team, and the result has exceeded all our expectations. To see it recognised as Beer of the Year – United Kingdom is a huge honour and a testament to the dedication of everyone at Cold Town.' For more information on Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout and to purchase online, go to their website.
Daily Record
22-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Edinburgh 'Speyside whisky' beer crowned 'best in the UK' at prestigious awards
Only 875 cans of the unique beverage will ever be produced. An Edinburgh beer has been crowned the UK's 'Beer of the Year'. The acclaimed beer took home the title at the London Beer Competition 2025. The prestigious title was awarded to the Edinburgh -based Cold Town Beer. It clinched the prize for its flagship beer, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured. The base beer for Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is taken from Cold Town Beer's Topic Thunder Stout. The latter took home a gold medal at last year's London Beer Competition. Approximately 400 litres of the award-winning brew was allowed to sleep for almost a year in an oak cask previously used to hold a renowned Speyside whisky. The beer is described by makers as "a rich, dark and opaque liquid with a lusciously smooth, velvety texture and a distinctively deep mouthfeel". According to Cold Town Beer, only 875 cans of Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured will ever be produced. It is available to purchase online, with 12 cans costing £69. Head of Production for Edinburgh's Cold Town Beer Ian Kennedy said: "We're absolutely thrilled. We've spent the last seven years building a range we're truly proud of, and it's incredibly exciting to see Cold Town getting national recognition. "This beer is something special. It's a celebration of everything we've been working toward, and a real moment for our team to put Cold Town firmly on the map." Director at Cold Town Beer Euan Bain added: "From day one, we set out to create beers that were full of character and brewed with care—and our Barrel Aged Stout is the perfect example of that ethos. "Maturing it in Speyside whisky casks was a passion project for the team, and the result has exceeded all our expectations. "To see it recognised as Beer of the Year – United Kingdom is a huge honour and a testament to the dedication of everyone at Cold Town." The London Beer Competition is one of the most demanding tasting rooms in the industry. Winning a category award at the contest means that Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured stands out among its global peers. Now in its eighth year, the London Beer Competition differs from many other beer competitions around the world. Unlike most traditional competitions that judge beers solely on taste, it rewards beers based on quality, value, and packaging. This year's competition brought together a panel of some of the most influential beer buyers, bar owners, and industry experts from around the world. The judging took place in London, where hundreds of beers from more than 20 countries were blind-tasted, assessed, and scored. Elsewhere, the overall global Beer of the Year award went to Belgian beer Ramon. The alcohol-free beer includes only 0.3 per cent alcohol by volume and 40 per cent fewer calories than an average Pilsner beer. Other winners include Honkirin in Japan for International Lager Of The Year and ABK Edel Spezialbier in Germany for Pale Malty European Lager Of The Year. Meanwhile, Toast Brewing - New Dawn Session IPA won IPA Of The Year.
Scotsman
22-04-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Edinburgh brewery ‘thrilled' to be crowned winner of UK's ‘Beer of the Year'
An Edinburgh brewery says its 'absolutely thrilled' after one of its beers was crowned the UK's 'Beer of the Year' at the prestigious awards. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Capital-based Cold Town Beer clinched the top national accolade at the London Beer Competition 2025 for its flagship beer, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout – Speyside Cask Matured. Edinburgh-based Cold Town Beer won a top national accolade for its flagship beer, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Speyside Cask Matured. | Cold Town Beer Now in its eighth year, the London Beer Competition has become one of the most respected and international beer competitions in the world. Unlike traditional competitions that judge beers solely on taste, the London Beer Competition rewards beers based on quality, value, and packaging – the three key factors that influence consumer buying decisions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This year's competition brought together a panel of some of the most influential beer buyers, bar owners, and industry experts from around the world. The judging took place in London, where hundreds of beers from more than 20 countries were blind-tasted, assessed, and scored. Winning a category award at the London Beer Competition means that Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout – Speyside Cask Matured stood out among its global peers in one of the most demanding tasting rooms in the industry. Ian Kennedy, Head of Production for Cold Town Beer, said: 'We're absolutely thrilled. We've spent the last seven years building a range we're truly proud of, and it's incredibly exciting to see Cold Town getting national recognition. This beer is something special. It's a celebration of everything we've been working toward, and a real moment for our team to put Cold Town firmly on the map.' The base beer for Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is taken from Cold Town Beer's Topic Thunder Stout, which took home a gold medal at last year's London Beer Competition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even before the win, the Edinburgh brewery knew they had something special on their hands, so they filled a Speyside whisky cask with 400 litres of Topic Thunder and left it to mature. One year later, they emptied the cask to create an extremely limited run of 875 cans, enriched with smooth whisky character and deep complexity. This process took Topic Thunder one step further, refining an already award-winning beer into something truly exceptional. The result is a beer that helped Cold Town Brewery clinch the title of 'Beer of the Year – United Kingdom'. Euan Bain, Director at Cold Town Beer, added: 'From day one, we set out to create beers that were full of character and brewed with care – and our Barrel Aged Stout is the perfect example of that ethos. Maturing it in Speyside whisky casks was a passion project for the team, and the result has exceeded all our expectations. To see it recognised as Beer of the Year – United Kingdom is a huge honour and a testament to the dedication of everyone at Cold Town.' For more information on Cold Town Beer's Barrel Aged Imperial Stout and to purchase online, go to Click here to sign up 👇
