Spring is certainly the time for new beginnings and as the brewery gears up ready for pubs to reopen in the coming weeks, so to the farm is getting ready for a busy summer with a new arrival in Glen Fyne – say hello to Hector, our new shorthorn bull!

Two year-old Hector has joined us from along the road at Stronmagachan Farm, which some of you may be familiar with via their catering outlet, Real MacKay Stovies, a popular mainstay of many FyneFests over the years. Farmers Ruaraidh and Alison MacKay have given us a beautiful beast with a very kind nature – Hector is settling in brilliantly and is already a firm favourite of our farmer Stu Maclachlan.

“He’s a brilliant animal – I’m really pleased we got him as he’s in such good shape and he’s got a really gentle temperament,” shares Stu. “We’ve named him Hector after one of my favourite piping tunes – Hector the Hero.”

HECTOR THE HERO – YOUTUBE

With the arrival of Hector, we have bid farewell to both Freddy, our previous shorthorn bull, and Seamus, our highland bull who has travelled south to a farm in Cumbria after a few years in the glen helping to replenish our stock of full-highland heifers. Hector will be put to work this year as we return to our standard highland/shorthorn cross-breeding programme, producing hardy, fast-growing cows to fill the fields around the brewery.

If you’re planning to visit Fyne Ales in the coming weeks, keep an eye out for our new gentle giant, as Hector finds his feet (hooves?) in the peaty hillsides of Glen Fyne.