When it comes to Scottish beverages, whiskey might be the first thing that comes to mind, but beer is not far behind in terms of unique taste and popularity. Scottish beer has been brewed and perfected for over 5000 years using barley and other herbs. While hops replaced aromatic plants in the 19th century, Scottish beers are still generally malty and dark in color, with a hint of smokiness derived from the use of peat malt.
The most popular beers produced in Scotland are India Pale Ale and Scotch Ale, but there are many other great options.
Caledonia Best - 3.2%
Caledonia Best is a beer that is 100% Scottish in its ingredients and recipe. Launched in 2010, it has quickly become a favorite of the Scottish people. The recipe uses 100% Scottish Barley and was created in partnership with the Scottish nation’s barley farmers. The beer has a smooth, crisp taste with a slightly hoppy finish. It has a deep golden color and a light, refreshing aroma. The alcohol content of Caledonia Best is 3.2%, making it a great beer to enjoy at any time of day. This beer is perfect for those who enjoy a lighter beer with a refreshing taste. It is a popular beer in pubs and bars across Scotland and is a great choice for those who want to try a beer that is truly local to Scotland.
Tennent’s Lager - 4%
Tennent’s Lager is produced in the Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow, which was founded in 1740 and is one of the oldest breweries in Scotland. The brewery's location in Glasgow has allowed Tennent's to become synonymous with the city and its culture. The lager has a bright golden color and a crisp, refreshing taste that is enjoyed by many. It is commonly served on tap and is also available in cans and bottles.
Pilot Beer Iced Tea Ale - 5%
Pilot Beer Iced Tea Ale is a refreshing IPA that is blended using Earl Grey and Scottish Breakfast tea, making it an ideal beer for those who enjoy the unique flavour of tea. Brewed by the sea in Leith, near Edinburgh, this beer has a light, fruity and citrusy taste that makes it perfect for a summer evening. The beer is very easy to drink, and the unusual combination of tea and hops make it stand out from other IPAs on the market. The Pilot Beer Iced Tea Ale is a great example of Scottish craft beer, with its innovative recipe and local ingredients.
Fraoch, Heather Ale - 5%
Fraoch, Heather Ale, is made using a 4,000-year-old recipe passed down through generations. This unique ale is made using bittersweet herbs that were favored by the Celts. The taste is quite distinctive, with a slightly sweet and malty flavor with a hint of bitterness. The heather flowers impart a floral aroma and a slightly earthy flavor, making it a perfect drink for those looking for something different. The ale has a moderate alcohol content of 5%, and it is brewed by the Scottish-based Williams Brothers Brewing Company, which specializes in brewing unique beers using traditional ingredients.
Dark Island, Orcadian Ale - 4.6%
Dark Island is a unique, delicate and sophisticated beer that is created by The Orkney Brewery. It has a ripe and fruity chocolaty nose and balanced flavors of dark coffee, figs, nuts, and dry fruits. The dark color of this beer comes from using peat malt and it also has a smoky flavor. It is an iconic beer and is considered to be a traditional Scottish Ale. The beer has a very appealing and lingering aftertaste of fruits and mild bitterness of hops. The Dark Island also won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Scotland, making it a popular choice among beer enthusiasts. Overall, Dark Island is a complex and flavorful beer that is a must-try for anyone who enjoys Scottish beers.
Fyne Ales, Jarl - 3.8%
Fyne Ales' Jarl is a light beer that has won several prestigious awards, including Champion Beer of Scotland in 2013 and Champion Golden Ale of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival. The brewery makes use of the abundant Scottish rain to brew their superb real ales at permissible alcohol strengths, and Jarl is their most famous creation. Hopped with Citra, this beer comes packed with refreshing flavors of citrus and the bitterness of dry grass, which build gradually through drinking. The beer is enjoyable with shellfish and is a perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day.
Old Norway - 10.2%
Old Norway, produced by Swannay Brewery, is a barley wine beer with a reddish-golden color and a distinct sipping experience. It is packed with sweet British malt flavors, giving it a vinaceous and thick taste like a dessert wine. The American hops provide the drink with an orange burst and viscous pine finish, which is enhanced by a hint of smokiness from the peat malt. Old Norway has a taste and smell similar to a fruit cake, with the wildness of the sea surrounding the Orkney Islands adding to its character. While barley wines are not for everyone's taste, Old Norway is highly recommended for those who have a taste for them.
Harviestoun, Old Engine Oil - 6%
Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil is a smooth and rich dark ale, with a full-bodied taste that is perfect for cold winter nights. This beer has a distinctive aroma of roasted malt and chocolate, and its flavors of coffee, caramel, and licorice make it a favorite among beer enthusiasts. Old Engine Oil is brewed using traditional Scottish ingredients and is aged in oak barrels, giving it a unique character that sets it apart from other dark ales. Its velvety texture and complex taste have earned it numerous awards, including the World’s Best Porter at the World Beer Awards. This beer is best enjoyed at room temperature, and pairs well with hearty stews, roasted meats, and strong cheeses.
Belhaven, Twisted Thistle - 5.6%
Belhaven Brewery, located in Dunbar, Scotland, has been producing award-winning beers since 1719. One of their most popular offerings is the Twisted Thistle IPA. This bold and hoppy beer has a deep golden color and is brewed with a blend of six different malts, including crystal and pale malts, to provide a smooth, balanced flavor. It has a floral and citrus aroma with a crisp, bitter finish. It is a perfect accompaniment to spicy food, grilled meats, or strong cheeses. The Twisted Thistle has won multiple awards, including a gold medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup, and is a favorite of beer enthusiasts all around the world.
Orkney Brewery, Skull Splitter - 8.5%
Orkney Brewery's Skull Splitter is a strong and rich Scotch ale with an ABV of 8.5%. The ale has a deep amber color and a fruity aroma with hints of malt, caramel, and dark fruit. The taste is complex and full-bodied with notes of roasted malt, toffee, and a subtle hint of peat smoke. It is named after the legendary Viking warrior, Thorfinn Hausakluif, also known as Skull Splitter. The beer is brewed with malted barley, wheat, and oats and is fermented with a traditional Scottish yeast strain. It is a well-balanced beer with a smooth and warming finish, making it perfect for colder weather.
Cromarty Brewing Co., Happy Chappy - 4.1%
Cromarty Brewing Co. is a relatively small brewery located in the Scottish Highlands. Despite its size, the brewery is known for producing high-quality and innovative beers. One such beer is Happy Chappy, an American-style IPA that is bursting with flavor. This beer is made using a combination of hops from the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand, which gives it a fruity and citrusy taste. It has a rich amber color and a frothy head that lingers. At 6.5% ABV, it packs a punch, but it is also incredibly smooth and easy to drink. Happy Chappy has won numerous awards, including a gold medal at the SIBA North Awards in 2015.
Broughton Ales, Old Jock - 6.7%
Broughton Ales, located in the Scottish Borders, produces a range of traditional and unique beers, including the classic Old Jock. This strong ale is brewed with a combination of malted barley and roasted barley, giving it a dark, almost black color and a complex flavor profile with notes of coffee, chocolate, and caramel. The beer is named after a famous Scottish wrestler and is as bold and robust as its namesake. Old Jock has won numerous awards, including a gold medal at the 2011 World Beer Awards for Best Strong Ale. It's a beer that's not for the faint-hearted but is sure to impress those who appreciate a strong, flavorful brew.
Williams Bros. Brewing Co., Fraoch Reserve - 11%
Williams Bros. Brewing Co. has been known for its unique take on historic Scottish beer styles and ingredients, and Fraoch Reserve is no exception. This beer is a variation of their classic Heather Ale, made using the same 4000-year-old recipe that dates back to the ancient Celts. However, Fraoch Reserve is aged in whiskey casks for an extra depth of flavor and complexity. The result is a smooth, malty beer with a hint of smokiness, followed by a sweet, floral finish. This beer is perfect for those who want to explore the traditional Scottish beer style with a modern twist.
Harviestoun, Schiehallion - 4.8%
Harviestoun Brewery, based in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, is known for its award-winning craft beers, and one of its most famous brews is Schiehallion. This light, golden, and refreshing lager has a crisp and clean taste, with a slightly bitter finish. It gets its name from the Schiehallion mountain in the Scottish Highlands, which is known for its distinctive conical shape. Schiehallion is brewed using malted barley, hops, and Harviestoun's own mineral-rich water, which is sourced from the Ochil Hills. This unique combination of ingredients results in a beer that is crisp, refreshing, and easy to drink. It has won several awards, including the World Beer Awards' Best Pilsner in 2016 and the Scottish Beer Awards' Best Lager in 2018.
Loch Lomond Brewery, Southern Summit - 4%
The Loch Lomond Brewery is located in the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. They produce a range of beers that reflect the beautiful surroundings of the area. One of their most popular beers is the Southern Summit, an American-style IPA that features an array of tropical fruit flavors and a slightly bitter finish. This beer is brewed with a mix of four different hops, including Chinook, Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe, which all come together to create a bold and refreshing taste. The Loch Lomond Brewery is committed to using only the highest quality ingredients in their beers and to producing them in small batches to ensure the utmost quality and freshness.
BrewDog, Punk IPA - 5.6%
BrewDog is a Scottish brewery that was founded in 2007 and has quickly gained popularity around the world. Their most famous beer, Punk IPA, is a bold and hoppy India Pale Ale that has become an icon of the craft beer movement. It has a refreshing citrus and tropical fruit aroma, with a malty backbone and a bitter finish that leaves a pleasant aftertaste. BrewDog is known for their experimental and innovative approach to brewing, and Punk IPA is a perfect example of their creativity and passion for great beer.
Stewart Brewing, Edinburgh Gold - 4.8%
Stewart Brewing is one of the top brewing companies in Scotland, and they are known for their award-winning beers. One of their most popular beers is Edinburgh Gold, a refreshing and crisp pale ale that has a light, hoppy flavor with a subtle bitterness. This beer is brewed using a blend of Scottish malted barley and a combination of American and European hops, giving it a unique taste. The beer is golden in color and has a smooth finish, making it a great option for those who prefer a lighter beer with a refreshing taste. Edinburgh Gold is a perfect beer for any occasion, and it is widely available in pubs and bars across Scotland.
Tempest Brewing Co. - Brave New World - 7.4%
Located near the Scottish-English border in Kelso, Tempest Brewing Co. has made a name for itself with its experimental and progressive brewing style. Their Brave New World IPA is a testament to their commitment to big flavors, heavy hopping, and high alcohol volume. This IPA is tropical, fruity, and brilliantly bitter, making it as good as any other IPA out there.
Black Isle Brewery – Blonde – 4.5%
Organic brewery Black Isle Brewery is located in the Scottish Highlands and their Blonde beer is a lager-style brew that has gained widespread popularity. The beer is golden straw in color, thirst-quenching, fresh, and has a notable biscuit-like maltiness. It’s regarded by many as one of the best all-rounders the country has to offer and is a great alternative to commercial mass-produced lagers.
Williams Bros. Brewing Co. - Joker IPA – 5%
Williams Bros. is internationally renowned for their unique take on historic Scottish beer styles and ingredients, but it's their contemporary creations that are earning them plaudits in their homeland. The clean and hoppy Joker IPA may not be their most inventive, but it’s rapidly becoming their signature pub offering. This IPA is rapidly gaining popularity and is sure to satisfy even the most discerning craft beer aficionado.
Innis & Gunn - The Original – 6.6%
For those who prefer craft lagers, look no further than Innis & Gunn. Although their headquarters are in Edinburgh, their beer is brewed in Glasgow. The flagship product, known as The Original, is produced using oaked beers matured in Bourbon barrels. This gives it a unique flavor that is rich, smooth, and full of character.
These 21 Scottish beers are just a small sample of the incredible variety and quality of beers that Scotland has to offer. From light and refreshing to dark and complex, there's a beer for every taste and occasion. So next time you're in Scotland, make sure to try as many of these beers as you can – your taste buds will thank you. And if you can't make it to Scotland, don't worry – many of these beers are available in specialty beer stores around the world.
