The 16 Best Craft Beer Bars In Scotland
The craft beer revolution has seen microbreweries and taprooms pop up across the U.K., particularly in Scotland, where you'll find loads of excellent indie breweries concocting exciting beers and collabs — many with their own taprooms. In fact, Scotland is home to over 100 breweries, so there's plenty of choice whatever type of beer you're into.
Whether you're visiting Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh, heading for cosmopolitan Glasgow, or taking some time out up north in Aberdeen or Dundee, you'll want to make the most of your trip to Scotland by checking out the very best beer bars the country has to offer. From deep, dark imperial stouts to fruity sours, and hoppy IPAs to smooth Scottish ales, there's something on the menu to suit all tastes.
We've rounded up 16 of Scotland's best craft beer bars across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, and other Scottish cities. Visit a couple or tick them all off your travel itinerary — the choice is yours, but either way, you're sure to sample some amazing home-grown beers.
1. The Hanging Bat (Edinburgh)
Cosmopolitan, hipster, cool. These are three words that easily apply to the vibe at The Hanging Bat on Edinburgh's bustling Lothian Road, also home to some of Edinburgh's best cocktail bars. Don't be intimidated, though. The service here is friendly, and if you're into beer, the staff will happily talk your ear off and make recommendations from the tap list.
Speaking of the tap list, there are over 20 draught beers and ales on tap, many from the onsite brewery. As if that wasn't enough, you'll also find over 100 local and international bottled beers to choose from. The tap list changes regularly, with a good mix of light and dark beers to suit all tastes and regular tap takeovers. The Hanging Bat is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. until late. While you're practically guaranteed a table on one of the bars' three floors on weekday afternoons, evenings and weekends can be busy, so we'd recommend calling to reserve a table. Head for the mezzanine for a spot of people-watching with good views of the tap list for choosing your next drink.
The food menu at The Bat is definitely worth checking out too. Think classic pub food with a Scottish twist, like nachos topped with haggis. You'll also find burgers, halloumi fries, and deep-fried pickles up for grabs: perfect food to accompany your beer of choice.
2. Lost in Leith Bar & Fermentaria (Edinburgh)
Sunshine in Scotland isn't always guaranteed, but one thing we can guarantee is that when the sun is shining, the picnic tables outside Lost in Leith Bar & Fermentaria in Leith will be packed. Open from 4 p.m. on weekdays and from noon on weekends, this Edinburgh institution on Commercial Street is a short bus ride (or slightly longer walk) from the city center and well worth the trip.
Indoors, the cozy vaulted bar is a great spot to enjoy some imperial stouts or barrel-aged ales in the winter months, while the aforementioned picnic tables are the place to come spring and summer. Lost in Leith showcases Campervan Brewery's classic beers and a range of beers from around the world — and they barrel-age their beers on-site.
New to craft beer? Lost in Leith runs Beer Academy sessions — bookable in advance — where you can taste and learn about different beer styles. It's easy to lose an entire sunny afternoon sampling the bar's beers, and if you get hungry, you can order in from Pizza Geeks just across the road.
3. Koelschip Yard (Glasgow)
Head for Pollokshaws in Glasgow for our next stop — you can hop on a train from Glasgow Central to Queens Park Station, just a few minutes walk away. Open from 4 p.m. until late Monday through Thursday and from 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday, the selection of beers on offer makes Koelschip Yard a must for any craft beer aficionado.
With 14 kegs and a cask line (on weekends), everything here is generally from small and indie breweries, and there's also an extensive bottle list if you don't fancy anything you see on tap. You can check out the beer list before you arrive, as it's regularly updated on the bar's website — but you'll generally find everything from IPAs to imperial stouts on offer.
Unfortunately, Koelschip Yard doesn't serve food, though bar snacks are on offer, so we'd recommend eating before you arrive on weekends. During the week, you can bring in your own takeaway to enjoy with your beers, which is a nice touch.
4. Salt Horse (Edinburgh)
Salt Horse in Edinburgh is an Old Town favorite — a cozy bar with a bottle shop attached. Located on Blackfriars Street, between the Royal Mile and the Cowgate, it's open Thursday through Saturday from noon, from 12.30 p.m. Sundays, and from 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Weekdays are generally pretty quiet but booking is recommended to guarantee a seat on weekends.
Speaking of seating, you can cozy up in the industrial-style main bar or head for more casual seating in the bottle shop, where you'll find around 250 different bottled and canned beers available to drink on-site or take out. Staff are eager to recommend beers if you tell them what you like, or if you're unsure what you want. The vibe here is intimate, with just a handful of seats, and with a small but perfectly formed tap list of 12 keg lines, you're sure to discover a new favorite — or style — of beer. You can even bring your furry friend, as dogs are welcome.
While you're here, don't miss out on the food menu. With burgers, dirty fries — we recommend the ones loaded with pulled pork and spicy mayo — and chicken wings on offer, this is perfect, finger-lickin' pub food to accompany your beers.
5. Fierce Beer (Aberdeen)
Fierce Brewing opened in 2015 in Aberdeen, later opening three Fierce Brewing bars: one in Aberdeen, one in Edinburgh, and one in Manchester. The Aberdeen iteration on Exchequer Row, near the foot of Union Street, opened its doors in 2018 and has plenty of outdoor seating for the city's (rare) sunny days.
With 20 taps pouring everything from IPA to Pilsner and Imperial Stout to barrel-aged brews, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, the bar has you covered with a beer flight that lets you sample a range and choose your favorites. The friendly staff is always happy to offer recommendations if you're not sure what to choose — who knows, you may discover something new!
There's no food on offer at this dog-friendly craft beer bar, but you're a stone's throw from Aberdeen's main shopping thoroughfare of Union Street. Here you'll be spoilt for choice with restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite to eat.
6. Tempest Brewing Co. (Scottish Borders)
A hop, skip, and a jump from Edinburgh — well, a one-hour train ride to Tweedbank – takes you to Tempest Brewing Company near Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Located on an industrial estate, the brewery also has a bottle shop, indoor seating, and a beer garden.
The taproom and beer garden here host Tap Sessions Friday nights from 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 12.30 p.m., with last orders at 9 p.m. both days. There's often live music as well as regularly changing grub, from tacos to burgers, courtesy of a local food truck. Tempest brews a fantastic range of beers, from seasonal barrel-aged specials like All the Leaves are Brown to Dark Skies fruit sour, Cold Wave dry-hopped pilsner to Muscle Memory IPA, and more. During the summer months, lighter beers and sours are generally on offer, so if you're after imperial stouts or ales, come during the winter and grab a cozy indoor seat.
7. Drygate Brewing Co. (Glasgow)
One of the best places to eat and drink in Glasgow, Drygate Brewing Co.'s Peaks Bar won Best Pub and Bar in Glasgow in the National Pub & Bar Awards 2021. It's easy to see why, with 23 rotating taps and a huge selection of bottles and cans from local, national, and international breweries.
The on-site brewery offers bookable tours where you can gain insight into the brewing process, while Peaks Bar has seats where you can enjoy your beers with panoramic views over the brewery. On sunny days, take advantage of outdoor seating or head to the brasserie for a bite to eat from seasonally changing menus.
Drygate Brewing Co. also hosts regular live gigs with famous artists taking to the stage, live sports on huge screens, and even mid-week ping-pong tournaments, if that's more your jam. You can even bring your dog along and treat them to the doggy menu, featuring beef burgers, chicken, and dog ice cream!
8. CASC (Aberdeen)
Located on Stirling Street, a stone's throw from Aberdeen's train and bus stations, CASC bar and shop is renowned for its whiskey and cigars — but also for its craft beers. Open every day from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., you can pop in for a beer on a sunny afternoon before making your way into the city center, or come for a long, lazy evening exploring the beer menu.
Speaking of, CASC's beer menu is color-coded by style to help you choose between IPAs, barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. With 28 rotating taps, there's an impressive selection of local, national, and international brews pouring and a good mix of styles — something to suit all tastes. Part of CASC's appeal is that you can bring along your whiskey and cigar-loving friends who aren't into craft beer and still have a fantastic time. With so many great craft beers on offer, you may even convert them.
9. Campervan Brewery Taproom (Edinburgh)
Remember we mentioned Lost in Leith, the bar serving up Campervan beers? Campervan Brewery also has its own much smaller taproom on Jane Street in Leith, and it's well worth visiting — plus, it's kid and dog friendly. With just ten beers on tap, there's a seasonally rotating offering focusing on lighter, fresher, fruitier brews during the summer months, when the outdoor beer garden is also open.
In winter, sit indoors and sip winter ales and imperial stouts. You can enjoy food from local vendors and pop-ups, and there's often live music, too. Campervan Brewery's Taproom is open Fridays from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. til 10 p.m. We'd highly recommend booking, as it can get busy, but it's not essential. When hunger strikes, you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants — many serving up the freshest fish and seafood — just a short walk away in Leith.
10. 71 Brewing (Dundee)
Dundee's craft beer scene has really taken off in recent years with the city now home to several great beer bars. Leading the revolution is 71 Brewing, Dundee's first active brewery in over 50 years. At 71 Brewing, you'll find the brewery, bottle shop (open during the week), and outdoor beer garden that's open during the spring and summer months. The team is in the process of building an upstairs taproom, but this isn't open to the public yet.
All the brewery's core beers are on offer to enjoy, from the signature crisp 71 Lager to Outer Galactic Imperial Dry Hopped Pilsner, and pine-y Cloud Fall Pale Ale, as well as the latest releases and collaborations like It's All Gone Pete Tonka Imperial Pastry Stout, brewed in collaboration with Brew York. There's often live music, plus monthly changing guest food trucks for a bite to eat, serving up everything from Mexican street food to bao buns and burgers.
11. Shilling Brewing Company (Glasgow)
An absolute must-visit for craft beer fans in Glasgow, Shilling Brewing Company is housed in a vast, beautiful building with plenty of seating to bring all your friends. We'd recommend booking a table if you're visiting on weekend nights, though, as the bar does get packed.
With over 30 draught beers on offer, including many brewed on-site, you're spoiled for choice, and the huge screens hosting the beer menus and live Untappd app updates are a must when choosing what to try next. Here you'll find beer from local breweries like Overtone and Holy Goat alongside other U.K. and international offerings, and fridges packed with a variety of bottles and cans.
Come to Shilling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between noon and 5 p.m. and you can enjoy a delicious pizza and beer for just £10 (around $13). There's also a Boozy Brunch offering from noon until 3 p.m. daily, where you can tuck into two 2-pint steins of Shilling-brewed beer and a pizza for £25 (around $32).
12. Stewart Brewing (Edinburgh)
You'll need to get out of Edinburgh to visit the next beer bar on our list. True, it's not exactly easy to get to Stewart Brewing, located on Bilston Glen Industrial Estate in Loanhead, but you can hop on a number 37 bus from the city center and be here in just under an hour, Edinburgh traffic permitting — or rope in an obliging friend as your designated driver.
The brewery's adjoining tap room is small but also offers outside seating in the spacious beer garden. Book a Brew it Yourself experience to concoct your very own brew with friends, enjoy a brewery tour, or sample some of the 18 taps pouring beers straight from the tank and limited edition, one-keg-only brews if you're lucky.
Stewart Brewing is an Untappd Verified Venue, so you can check in on the app and earn a Stewart's Tap Master exclusive badge. While you're here, why not enjoy a fresh, Neapolitan-style pizza alongside your beer? When you're finished, you can even buy a growler to take away and get a discount when you bring it back for a refill.
13. Wee Vault Taproom (Edinburgh)
They say good things come in small packages, and they don't come much smaller than the Wee Vault Taproom, one of Scotland's smallest bars — seriously, this place is tiny. Don't be fooled by its size, though, as there's an impressive 24-tap setup, including Vault City beers and a wide range of guest beers.
Located on West Maitland Street, just a short walk from Haymarket Station, it's easy to overlook the Wee Vault Taproom, but you'd be missing out. This dog-friendly wee bar is open every day from noon, with snacks to accompany your beers and a bottle shop for takeaways. If you're visiting Edinburgh specifically for the taproom, we'd recommend booking simply because seating is so limited.
Vault City is known for its imaginative sour beers, like Tonka White Forest Gateau and Toasted Coconut Lemon Drizzle Doughnut, making this taproom a great place to come for a refreshing, fruity brew in the warmer weather. There's always something interesting or rare on tap, too.
14. The Beer Cafe (Glasgow)
The relaxed, cosmopolitan surroundings of Glasgow's Beer Cafe make it a special place to sit outside (or inside) on sunny days, people watching over a pint of something cold. Opened in 2002, The Beer Cafe is centrally located in Glasgow's Merchant Square. There are over 100 beers from around the world on offer, so if you can't find something you like here, we can't help you.
With a wide range of beers on tap plus an impressive selection of bottles and cans, the only problem you'll have here is choosing what to try first. Luckily, the friendly staff is always delighted to offer their recommendations and help you explore new styles or beers you've never heard of before. On that note, The Beer Cafe is the place to find global beers you might not get elsewhere in the U.K., like Greek Mythos or African Tusker.
All that beer sampling is hungry work, but luckily The Beer Cafe serves food. The menu is simple but delicious, with a range of 10 different pies on offer to choose from, to soak up all that beer.
15. West on The Green (Glasgow)
WEST on the Green is WEST Bewery's bar, restaurant, and beer garden, serving up beer brewed downstairs. Book a brewery tour, including a pint of WEST beer and a three-course meal in the restaurant, or enjoy a 45-minute tour with a tasting of three beers brewed on-site. The beer garden here is one of Glasgow's largest, with over 40 tables, and usually packed on sunny days, though it's first come, first served, so no booking. A slightly smaller drinks menu is served outside than in the main beer hall, and dogs and kids are welcome both indoors and outdoors.
Speaking of menus, the food on offer here is a fusion of German and Scottish cuisine, with dishes like Currywurst and Wiener Schnitzel alongside burgers and dogs. Order up and wash your food down with house brews like Feierabend, a dry, hoppy pilsner, or Munich Red, a caramel-like ruby red lager.
16. Allanwater Brewhouse (Bridge of Allan)
A short train ride from Stirling, Glasgow, or Edinburgh, the Bridge of Allan Brewery opened in 1996 and is a great place for a beer-y day out. Offering a range of more traditional ales alongside eclectic craft beers, you can relax inside or in the beer garden with a pint of one of the eight beers on draft, like Amber Ale, Summer Wheat, or Black Lager.
Why not take a brewery tour where you'll learn about the brewing process, sample the brewery's beers, and even enjoy a bite to eat in the bar? Bridge of Allan Brewery also hosts regular beer festivals, with quiz nights and live music. If you're in the mood for a quieter time, there are board games to play and books to read while sipping your brew of choice. You can also buy beers to take home if you have a particular favorite or want to take some back for family and friends.