Ireland and Leinster wing James Lowe has invested in Wicklow-based craft beer brewery O Brother Brewing.

The move marks Lowe's first venture in the beverage sector and follows a successful 2024 for O Brother, which celebrated a number of milestones while marking 10 years in business.

O Brother moved from Kilcoole to the historic Belmont Demnse in Wicklow and launched three exclusive brews for Aldi in 2024. The firm also announced the roll-out of its core four-beer range to 78 Tesco stores nationwide.

Barry O'Neill, CEO of O Brother Brewing, said: "We’ve just completed a year of real transformation for us, and having someone of James’ calibre join the O Brother tribe at this point is the perfect way to kick off the new year.

"We have lots to do as we build on the momentum of 2024 and we’re looking forward to having James’ support.”

Lowe joins former teammate Devin Toner as an investor in O Brother after the towering ex-lock bought into the company last year.

The company raised €600,000 from Toner and other investors during that funding round, and is aiming to boost output to 2m pints by 2027.

“I’ve always admired the creativity and passion that goes into craft brewing, and O Brother has it all – a great team, exceptional beers, and a vision that’s hard to beat," said Lowe.

"It’s a privilege to be part of this journey and to support an Irish family business that’s making such a big impact."

O Brother in now fully operational at Belmont Demense, and the company is aiming to open a taproom and visitor centre at the site in the coming months.

The brewer recently released a new brew called Bookends in collaboration with Kilcoole-based boutique coffee roaster Roasted Brown. The 5.5% amber ale is infused with small-batch Costa Rican coffee.

The latest available accounts for O Brother Brewing show losses narrowed to €15,100 in 2023 and that the company has made losses of €292,500 to date, with net liabilities of €22,500.

Photo: James Lowe. (Pic: Alan Rowlette)