Have you ever wondered if you could take a hobby and transform it into a commercial success? Meet the Low brothers, Jack and Conall, as they recount how they did exactly that in their hometown, Pitlochry.
Wasted Degrees, Perthshire’s award-winning brewery, has an inspiring story to tell. Starting from their parents’ garage in 2016 brewing small quantities of beer for their own use, Jack and Conall are now poised to open a new brewery and taproom on a woodland site in the tourist town. The taproom will serve food and drink for up to 96 people and will be a major new development for Pitlochry. The brewery will operate from 8am-4pm and the taproom from 11am-10pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
The founder entrepreneurs in their own words
Conall stated, “The story behind Wasted Degrees is that this was a hobby for personal consumption and at that time I didn’t see anything beyond that. While growing up in Pitlochry there was beer, but not necessarily the styles or types I enjoyed consuming. So, the hobby was kind of born out of necessity, having something available to me that I enjoyed drinking.’’
The name Wasted Degrees comes from Conall’s teacher training in Edinburgh followed by a time spent teaching in Glasgow.
Asked how he realised he was producing a product that was marketable, he added,
“A lot of trial and error in the early days. It’s when the obsession takes hold and when you become interested in ghosting something, that’s when we found the recipe for success.’’
The first beer sales were at farmers’ markets, and since then the brothers have grown their business and now export to 13 European countries. They have exported tens of thousands of litres of beer, all with the Perthshire label on them.
The business strategy
Jack has a business degree and spent time working worldwide in commercial development. He joined the business in 2021.
“We choose not to do large supermarket deals. The philosophy, at the moment, is that it does not necessarily lend itself to sustainable business. You might be flavour of the month for so long with a supermarket and then that business might fall away. We look to maintain predominantly direct routes to market. The export deals are a great bonus on the side that helps grow the business.’’
With their Pitlochry upbringing, the brothers remain dedicated to growing their business in the town. As Jack said, “We have skin in the game here.’’
The pair are a new type of entrepreneur: local, environmentally and socially aware, determined to remain in control of their idea and their destiny. Wasted Degrees will be a major boost to Pitlochry as a tourist attraction. Jack and Conall are already great role models for any young people who want to start something new in the Pitlochry business world.
The question remains, is going to university ever “wasted”? I would say not – but always remain open to new opportunities. Decisions made at 17 or 18 years of age will not necessarily set you on a trajectory that will last a lifetime.
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