It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Helga, the beloved Brewery Dug of Isle of Arran Brewery. At 13 years old, Helga brought joy and companionship to all who knew her. Her friendly demeanour and love of people made her a cherished member of our brewery family. Helga's memory will forever live on in our hearts and she will always remain proud and centre as the Brewery Dug.

Her presence will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with all who had the pleasure of knowing Helga during this difficult time, especially Veronica, Jose and their respective partners who have cared for and loved Helga for many years.

While we are saddened by the passing of Helga we would also like to celebrate her long lived and very happy life; so please find below a wee obituary for our beloved Brewery Dug:

Helga first joined our brewery family in the summer of 2011, she was a beautiful white boxer and the last of her litter to find a forever home. Veronica remembers first meeting Helga as a tiny puppy: She escaped from her dog mother in the kitchen and ran right up to Veronica where she demanded, and in return gave, as much love and attention as humanly (or dogly?) possible. A behaviour that Helga kept up for the rest of her life with every single person she met!

Baby Helga!

As Helga grew so did her personality, picking up traits that would stick with her for the rest of her life. She loved walks in the woods, getting her lovely white coat covered in mud and even in her old age she would still carry the biggest stick around through the woods! (hitting everyones shins as she went by!)

When Helga was 2 years old she was officially old enough to take her Brewery Dug Exams, which she of course passed with flying colours! And has since then (and always will be) been our world famous Arran Brewery Brewery Dug, at which time this famous picture of Helga with her rippling muscles and Gerald (with his less than rippling muscles) was taken.

Helga in her prime!

When Helga was 4 years old she met her best friend Sue, who was a beautiful grey rescue Greyhound and another member of our brewery family. Helga and Sue were instantly the best of buddies sharing a bed from day one and with Helga then developing an intense love for all Greyhounds she saw forever after! (which was not always necessarily reciprocated…)

Helga would then continue her long and successful career as a Brewery Dug, where Helga would be best categorised under the classic work ethic of working hard and snoozing hard! She worked tirelessly as our brewery mascot and spent most of the working day being showered in affection from the hundreds of dog loving people who have visited the brewery over the last 11 years and the rest of the time snoring away under Veronica’s desk!

Helga & Sue

Helga was very lucky to have spent the vast majority of her life on Arran which as far as she was concerned was paradise on earth! She went on plenty of walks through the woods and on beaches, truly living a life of bliss. Her favourite place in the world was the big grassy field at Kingscross point where she would love to do front rolls for her own amusement, only finally starting to show signs of slowing down once she turned a whopping 11 years old at which point she reduced her front rolls to more of a back scratching wiggle.

As Helga began to slow down it was time to offload some of her workload, and her assistant Freyja - the “Brewery Pup”- was hired. At first Helga was not best pleased with the new introduction to the brewery family; Freyja was an annoying young puppy completely in love with Helga and constantly wanting her attention, and poor stiff jointed Helga did not have the patience for such an annoying pup!. Fortunately for the both of them; as Freyja matured so did the love between them and they were fast friends before the end.

Helga and Baby Frejya!

Helga and a more "mature" Frejya

Helga had been deaf and nearly blind for a while, but in the last month of her life she was finally beginning to show her true age and spent most of her time snoozing away in her favourite spot underneath Veronica’s desk with some nice slow ambles along the beach in Whiting bay.

After a long happy life, bringing joy and affection (and lots of white hairs and dog slobber) to everyone she met, Helga passed away at 13 years old last week. (Written May 15th 2024)

I hope that now if you ever find yourself enjoying one of our Brewery Dug beers in the future you will also remember the Brewery Dug - Helga, who brought so much to this brewery for many years.

Thank you for reading .