Breweries In Scotland

CHEERS!

And the Scottish real ale industry can only go from strength to strength, according to C.A.M.R.A’s Scottish director, Colin Valentine.

"New breweries are opening up and very few are closing down, so there is obviously enough space for people to make a living," he says.

There are approximately 30 small-scale breweries in Scotland and between them they produce over 100 real ale beers. So what exactly makes a good real ale?
"Taste", explains Colin. "If you can still taste the beer 20-30 seconds after drinking then it is good.

"Nowadays people like hoppy-type beers, whereas in the past they preferred malty-type beers. They are looking for something more distinctive.

"There are a lot of good ales out there and I think we should get out there and drink them."

Raise your glasses as we take a tour round some of Scotland’s breweries.

Traquair House Brewery
Innerleithan
Peebleshire
EH44 6PW
Tel: (01896) 830 323
Fax:(01896) 830639
Web site: www.traquair.co.uk
Email: enquires @traquair.co.uk

Traquair House Brewery was originally an 18^th century domestic brewery producing beer for the house and estate workers. It was disused after 1800 and remained so for 50 years, until 1965, when Peter Maxwell Stuart, 20^th Laird of Traquair, reopened the brewery complete with original vessels and equipment. It is now under the control of his daughter Catherine Maxwell Stuart. Brewing at Traquair is still traditional and it is the only brewery in Britain to continue to ferment its total production in oak, producing around 600-700 barrels per annum. The recently opened Malt Loft encompasses a new brewery shop and museum tracing the history of brewing at Traquair and ale tastings. The brewery produces Traquair House Ale, Traquair Jacobite Ale and Bear Ale.

Traquair House itself is also open to the public.

Belhaven Brewery
Dunbar
East Lothian
EH42 1RS
Tel: (01368) 864488

Purveyors of "the cream of Scottish beer," Belhaven Brewery is also the oldest surviving brewery in Scotland, dating back to 1719.
Its most successful story has been Belhaven Best, a smooth and creamy honey coloured ale, which won the 1994 Overall Scottish Marketing Award for outstanding performance in a competitive market.
It also brews Belhaven Pale Ale, Export, Lager and St Andrews Cask Ale.

Orkney Brewery
Quoylo
Sandwick
Orkney
KW16 3LT
Tel: (01856) 841 802
Fax: (01856) 841 754
Web site: www.orkneybrewery.co.uk
Email: beer@orkneybrewery.co.uk

Originally set up 10 years ago to supply beer to the island, Orkney Brewery has expanded so much it now supplies cask, kegs and bottled beers all over Great Britain, Europe and the USA. Founded by Roger White and his wife Irene in 1988, the brewery is situated in an old schoolhouse. Its location, amid the six acres of lakes and grassland of Orkney, means the brewery is run with its own water supply and is very environmentally friendly!

The brewery is known for its quality and consistency throughout the UK and has won many prestigious awards with C.A.M.R.A.

Favoured brews include Dark Island, winner of the 1995 Great British Beer Festival, Skullsplitter, brewed in celebration of Thorfin Skullsplitter, 7^th Viking Earl of Orkney and Red MacGregor, the most recent winning recipe.

Heather Ale Brewery
Craigmill
Strathaven
Lanarkshire
ML10 6PB
Tel: (01357) 529529/529029
Fax: (01357) 522256
Web site: www.heatherale.co.uk
Email: fraoch@heatherale.co.uk

"If I did not drink the heather at least once a year, I think I should die" Sir Walter Scott.

The origins of Heather Ale stretch back as far as 2000 BC when archaeologists discovered a Neolithic shard containing traces of fermented beverage made with heather flowers. However, it wasn’t until 1986, when a Glasgow homebrew shop translated an old family recipe for "Leann fraoich" (heather ale) that Fraoch (heather) Ale was brewed.

The philosophy behind Heather Ale Ltd, is to "utilise indigenous resources and produce historic ales", so much so that the range of products has increased and includes Grozet, auld Scots for Gooseberry, Ebulum, Elderberry Black Ale and Alba, Gaelic for Scotland, which is brewed from Scots pine and spruce shoots.

The brewery is beginning tours next spring following the opening of a visitor centre.

Sulwath Brewers Ltd
Gillfoot Brewery
Southerness
Dumfries
DG28AY
Tel: (01387) 255849/880218
Fax: (01387) 255849
email: allen@scottdavid98.freeserve.co.uk

Sulwath Brewers was initially established to brew natural real ales endemic to the region. However, the ales can now be found in Devon and Aberdeen.

The name Sulwath is the ancient name for the Solway estuary, which as well as producing renowned real ales, is also home to migratory seabirds such as geese.

The most popular ale produced is Sulwath Criffel, which uses "Nugget" hops with Goldings and "Fuggles" for heightened aftertaste.

The also brew The Knockendoch, a darker, copper coloured brew, and JPJ Special Ale, which is available for limited periods only.

Being a small family business, Sulwath is extremely adaptable and will also make bespoke brew.

Aviemore Brewery
Unit 12
Dalfabel Industrial Estate
Aviemore
PH22 1PY
Tel: (01479) 812060
Fax: (01479) 811465

The Aviemore Brewery rolled out its first barrel in September 1997, launching the first of the Wolfe of Badenock Beers – the Ruthven Brew. The beer was named after the notorious Alexander Stewart who is remembered for burning down Elgin Cathedral in 1390.

The story of Wolfe is renowned in the area and can be seen in many historical sites around the city, some of which lend their names to the beers.

Other ales include bottled beers - Ruthven Ale, Cairngorm Brew, and Red Murdoch. While cask ales include Highland IPA, Cairngorm Brew, Ruthen Brew, Wolfe’s Brew and Wee Murdoch Strathspey brew.

Broughton Ales LTD
Broughton
Peebleshire
ML12 6HQ
Tel: (01899) 830345
Fax: (01899) 830474

Broughton Ales Ltd is situated in the Border Hill country, famous in Scottish history and renowned for its old ale houses originating in the 13^th and 14th centuries. It is also known for the Ale Wives of the Border keeps and castles, who brewed beers and stouts which form the traditional base for Broughton’s cask and bottled ales and stouts.

The ancient recipes are still used with the aid of modern technology to produce exceptional ales and stout of pure quality. Beers include Greenmantle Ale, Merlin’s Ale, Scottish Oatmeal Stout, The Ghillie, Black Douglas and Old Jock.

Tennents Caledonian Brewery
Wellpark Brewery
Duke Street
Glasgow

Opened in September 1987, Wellpark Brewery, in the East End of Glasgow, is one of the larger breweries in Scotland., producing the world-famous Tennents Lager.

Attached to the brewery is the Sty Mungo Heritage Centre which displays an extensive array of brewing equipment used in the production of beer through the years.

Here, visitors are guided through the history of Tennents and the Scottish brewing industry.

Today, Wellpark Brewery is the only brewery to be found in Glasgow and it still uses traditional materials and methods.

Fyfe Brewery
469 High Street
Kirkcaldy
Fife
KY1 2SN
Tel: (01592) 264 270
Fax: (01592) 646211
email: fyfebrew@cableinet.co.uk

Husband and wife team Nick and Gillie Bromfield set up Fife Brewery in May 1995 just because "they fancied setting up a brewery". So, following the conversion of the old sailworks at the back of the Harbour Bar, which they also own, they began to brew their own ale.

The ales they produce include Rope of Sand (3.7%) - so named after Michael Scott, the Wizard of the North, who challenged the devil to plait a rope of sand - Auld Alliance (4%), Lion’s Slayer (4.2%) and Fyfe Fyre (4.8%).

Christmas time sees the appearance of a special brew called Cauld Turkey (6%).

Tours can be arranged, but only small groups can be catered for.

The Inveralmond Brewery
Inveralmond Way, Inveralmond
Perth
Scotland
PH1 3UQ
Tel: (01738) 449 448
Web site: www.inveralmond.co.uk

Despite being only two years old, (it first opened in 1997), this brewery has built a solid reputation for producing quality ales, which can be found in many pubs around Scotland.

These include Independence, Thrappledouser, Ossian’s Ale and Lia Fail - Gaelic for Stone of Destiny.They do home sales to specific pubs. For Greyfriars House, Perth, they provide an ale called Friars Tipple for the Prince of Wales Pub in Aberdeen the Prince of Wales Ale.

Bridge of Allan Brewery
The Brewhouse
Queens Lane
Bridge of Allan
Tel: (01786) 834 555
Fax: (01786) 833 426
Web site: www.bridgeofallan.co.uk

The Bridge of Allan Brewery and Visitor Centre offers the public a chance to see behind the scenes of a working micro-brewery, meet the brewer and discover the ingredients and craftsmanship that go into making perfect real ale.

Using the traditional craft of hand-brewing, all the brewery’s beers are made in small batches and conditioned in the cask. This produces a range of characterful ales, many of which have a historical theme.

Caledonian Brewery
42 Slateford Road
Edinburgh
EH11 1PH
Tel: (0131) 623 8066
Web site: www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk

In 1869, when George Lorimer and Robert Clark established the Caledonian Brewery in the centre of Edinburgh, the capital was flourishing as one of the great brewing cities of Europe. (The natural water drawn from the so- called "charmed circle" of wells gave the city a reputation for fine beers).

Today, head brewer Russell Sharp continues those traditions using original brewers’ equipment with hand selected natural ingredients.The brewery offers a tour which allows visitors to find out more about the unique brewing heritage. The visitor centre, located in the brewery’s original maltings, reveals the secrets behind the crafting of the award-winning ales as well as an insight into stages of brewing ale.

And, after the guided tour, you can relax in the brewery’s cellar and enjoy a free beer of your choice. The brewery also organises evening brewery tours and parties where you can enjoy Scottish ceilidhs and Scottish food and drink

Lugton Inn & Brewery
Lugton
Ayrshire
KA3 4DZ
Tel: (01505) 850 267
Fax: (01505) 850 509
Web site: www.lugton.co.uk
Email: drink@lugton.co.uk

The Isle of Skye Brewery
The Pier
Uig
Isle of Skye
Tel: (01470) 542477
Fax: (01470) 542488
Web site: http://www.skyebrewery.demon.co.uk/
Email: angus@skyebrewery.demon.co.uk

Office

Old Exciseman's House
Carbost
Isle of Skye
IV47 8SR
Tel:(01478) 640366
Fax: (01478) 640410

The residents of the Isle of Skye need never go thirsty as they have their
own supply of real ale. Based in Uig, the Isle of Skye Brewery, established in April 1995, was the brainchild of two teachers who worked together at Portree High School. However, when one of the partners left, sole properietorship went to the remaining founder Angus MacRuary, who along with head brewer Eric Jones has taken the brewery from strength to strength.

The brewery produces Red Cuillin, which came third in the Champion Beer of Scotland 1998, as well as being shortlisted in the Premium Ale Category for Champion Beer of Great Britain. Other brews include Young Pretender, winner of the Norfolk Festival, Black Cuillin, Blaven, and Herbridean Gold.

There is also a shop - opened seasonally - which sells souvenirs, other Scottish beers and country wines. Tours are available, but phone beforehand.


Back

Print Email