The owner of a Dublin brewery has said the current economic climate is “scary” after his gas bill increased by 900%.
Rascals Brewery in Inchicore describes itself as the “only independent craft brewery, pizza restaurant, bar and off-licence” but the energy crisis is putting its business model under huge pressure.
“I’m trying to keep going and keep positive,” owner Cathal O'Donoghue told Lunchtime Live.
“We’ve a good team working with us, we’re making good products, we do have good customers that come in here to our own premises.
“I’m trying not to be too downbeat about it but there is a concern for sure.”
A hand counting expenses of an electricity bill on smartphone calculator. Picture by: Sergio Monti / Alamy Stock PhotoEverything is more expensive
The cost of raw materials has also gone up - as has electricity, although they locked in a new price last year when it was much lower.
However, it is the cost of gas that is the biggest concern:
“We went to our supplies last week and they increased our gas price from 2.8 cent per kilowatt to 20 cents - which is a 900% increase,” he explained.
“It’ll increase our monthly bill from 700 euro up to 5,000.
“It’s massive, it’s unsustainable.
“And I know it’s the same for other breweries around the country and other small businesses. It’s a scary time to be honest.”
A brewery worker. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA ImagesMr O'Donoghue is now desperately trying to curtail energy consumption at the brewery.
“I look at the electricity metre every time I turn something on,” he described.
“What can we do? Can we reduce it down? So I’m just trying to save energy at the moment.”
He is also considering changing his boiler as well - which he describes as “an older machine, so it probably is a bit inefficient.”
The price of the brewery’s kegs has been increased but they cannot put up the price of cans “because the prices in supermarkets are locked in… So we can’t increase the price because the retailers wouldn’t accept it.”
Main image: Beer bottles at a brewery.
