Belhaven Brewery — Attraction in Scotland

Belhaven Brewery, located in Dunbar, East Lothian, is a true gem that every beer enthusiast should experience. With its rich history and excellent guided tours, it offers an unforgettable journey through the world of brewing.

The brewery's history is nothing short of remarkable. Established in 1719, Belhaven is one of Scotland's oldest working breweries, and its legacy is evident in the quality of its beers. With almost 300 years of expertise in crafting exceptional brews, Belhaven has become synonymous with traditional Scottish ales and stands as a proud ambassador for the country's brewing culture.

I had the pleasure of experiencing the guided tour of Belhaven Brewery, led by the knowledgeable and passionate Chris. He greeted us with a warm smile and set the tone for an engaging and informative visit. Chris's enthusiasm for brewing was contagious, and it was evident that he took great pride in sharing the brewery's story.

During the tour, Chris took us through the different stages of the brewing process, from the malt room to the fermentation vessels. He explained the importance of using the finest ingredients, such as locally sourced barley and water from the brewery's own well. His attention to detail and ability to explain complex brewing techniques in a simple yet captivating manner made the experience even more enjoyable.

One highlight of the tour was the opportunity to sample some of Belhaven's iconic beers. Albeit, I was driving and had to sample the beers when I got home. Chris guided us through a tasting session, offering interesting insights into the unique characteristics of each brew. From the smooth and rich Scottish Ale to the refreshing and crisp Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA, every sip was a testament to the brewery's craftsmanship. It was a delightful sensory experience that further deepened my appreciation for Belhaven's dedication to producing outstanding beer.

Moreover, the visit to Belhaven Brewery allowed us to immerse ourselves in its charming surroundings. Nestled in the picturesque coastal town of Dunbar, the brewery exuded a sense of history and tradition. The Victorian buildings and stunning views of the coastline added an enchanting backdrop to the tour, making it an unforgettable experience.

In conclusion, Belhaven Brewery is a treasure trove for beer enthusiasts, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From its storied history to the expertly guided tour provided by Chris, every aspect of the visit was infused with passion and a genuine love for the craft of brewing. If you find yourself in Dunbar, East Lothian, a visit to Belhaven Brewery is an...

So this is the tour we went on. Saturday 10:15 all booked in.

The instruction tell me there is limited parking and indeed there is. But it turns out that there is plenty as they limit booking numbers, so parking becomes less a worry.

The tour guests meet at the front entrance shop, just to the left.

The tour guide was very welcoming with a very easy Manor and style.

Initially we do the standard health a & safety talk. Remember it's an industrial site your going through.

Then we are of with a walk around the carpark, a talk about the history of the brewery. Sounds daft; walk around the carpark? But yes when you hear and see some of the points raised including the original stream used to brew. It's quirky and informative.

Then in we go to the brewery. I will not describe the tour that would spoil it for you. But you will learn about the family, the barley Inc a munch on the different types, its really a fun part of the tour, take a few grains not a hand full,of each. It's amazing. Then there is the tour through the brewery. OK this nit is actually quite short, let's face it there isn't much to see in an actual brewing part of the brewery and its quite a compact area. I start to think "is this it?" But the guide keeps it interesting answers questions and gets the whole group talking and at ease.

But then we come to the monks haven. This is as the say; the best bit, kept to the end. A warning here though. I presume it's the reason you came anyway, but I hope you enjoy beer. We are now lead into a mini pub. Sat down and then shown the products with tasting. Great conversation comes out and all really get talking, now that might just be the quantity and the range of brews we are all consuming erm tasting. 😳 but it rounds of what I felt eventually was a great value visit.

If your a group one of you the drivers going to miss the experience, but they walk away with a nice complimentary " party pack" of three beers for tasting later.

The guide is fantastic, we also had a trainee guide with our tour. Informed, informative and extremely inclusive. Our tour group had different nationalities and between them there were conversational talks in various languages. By the end we were all laughing and talking away. Something I don't see in many of these types of tours were there is far more muted questions silent viewing and shuffling crowds.

This is really was a fantastic tour. For the cost of it and getting there it was well worth it. The tour guide is so enthusiastic about the brewery and its products it shine out and illuminates the experience.

Go, enjoy, learn. But take a...

Me and my better half visited the Belhaven Brewery on 08/05/2024 (during the week in the afternoon) as part of our Scottish vacation. It takes about 30 minutes to walk from Dunbar train station to the brewery site and from Edinburgh it's an one hour train ride.

We were greeted like friendly locals at the entrance and were a small group of visitors led by the great Chris.

At the beginning we were shown and explained some of the production processes with the respective beer of the hop variety and the Scottish brewing history over the years. You could clearly tell that Chris was a long-time and obvious beer expert and it was a pleasure to listen to him.

I would also like to mention in the middle section of the tour that they try to brew sustainably and there is even a community garden for local fruit lovers.

Just before the end, there was a generous tasting of the different beers in a beautifully decorated pub room on the brewery premises. In our experience, other tours only offer a small number of drinks, but this one really catered for all tastes.

At the end, we bought a few little things in the souvenir store and brought back this beautiful bar mat of the tasty Belhaven Best, which still adorns our little home bar today (see the attached picture)!

Compared to German beer in addition, Scottish scouts, ales, etc. are fundamentally different in taste as different hop varieties and ingredients are used outside of the well-known German “Reinheitsgebot”. Therefore, a “coffee-like creamy” note can be detected in a Belhaven Black for example, which would never be possible in a Bavarian beer (what a delicious shame...).

Unfortunately, the Belhaven brewery only delivers directly to customers in the UK, as far as I could read about the ordering process on the website. I'd love to be able to order direct from the producer here (at extra cost if it's further to ship) if possible and not support the resellers in Germany.

Nevertheless, I would like to thank Chris and the Belhaven Brewery once again for a great time and wish every visitor an equally exciting and valuable time in Dunbar!

PS: Chris, if you ever want to visit Bavaria - have a look at the "Hofbräuhaus München"...