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Irish Distillers, a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard, has sold Irish brewery Eight Degrees back to its original founders, Scott Baigent and Cam Wallace, after five years. Founded in 2010, Eight Degrees produces full-flavoured beers from natural ingredients. A spokesperson for Irish Distillers told FoodBev: "As part of the sale agreement, Eight Degrees Brewing will continue to supply craft beer to Irish Distillers to support the Jameson Caskmates range. All existing staff will remain with the company under new ownership.”

Baigent said: “We have enjoyed the journey over these past five years, with Irish Distillers playing a massive role in completing the build of our brewery in Mitchelstown at the foot of the Galtee Mountains in North Cork. We also have enjoyed creating some really exciting beers together with Irish Distillers, especially the experience of ageing beers in whiskey barrels, along with developing a range of exciting whiskeys that were finished in craft beer-seasoned barrels.”

Wallace added: “Having re-charged our batteries, we are keen to get back into the driver’s seat and continue the journey we started more than 14 years ago. Over the past year or so, we have had some time out from the brewing world, time to go into the wilderness and take the opportunity for a bit of self-reflection. It’s brought us right back to where we started.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.