Belhaven

Commercial Brewery in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Owned by Greene King
Associated with 6 Venues

Established in 1719

Contact
Brewery Lane, Dunbar, EH42 1PE, Scotland
Description
Established in 1719, Belhaven is Scotland’s oldest working brewery. With abundant local barley, fine water from the brewery well and access to markets up and down the coast, Belhaven was the perfect place for a brewery back then, and it still is today. In 1719, Dunbar market gardener John Johnstone erected a brewery close to Belhaven Bay and founded a brewing dynasty which was to last for 250 years and a brewery which would last much longer. The brewery and maltings persevered through the wars and upheavals of the early 20th Century and was eventually sold by John Johnstone’s descendants in 1972. In 2005 is was taken over by Greene King who kept the Brewery open in Scotland.

     Show


6.5

Good. One of the 300 Beers to try before you die. Bottle at home.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Mar 2026 at 17:00


6.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

On keg at the Brig and Barrel, Belhaven. Pours clear golden with a thin white head. Aromas of bready malt and light lemon. Taste is light grain and herbs. Dry finish.

Tried on 23 Feb 2026 at 17:27


6.3
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 5.5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

On keg at the Brig and Barrel, Belhaven.
Appearance - golden and clear, thin white head.
Nose - bread, lemon maybe?
Taste - grain and a hint of citrus or herbs.
Palate - light bodied, sweet middle and dry finish.
Overall - OK.

Tried from Draft on 22 Feb 2026 at 17:33


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Aromas and flavors are a mix of Scotch ale and start with black patent. Toasty, molasses with a slight hint of peat. Slightly sweet with enough bitter to balance. Creaming body. Nicely done. My first Scottish stout I think.

Tried from Can at Bodega Brew Pub, Inc. on 02 Feb 2026 at 05:43

gave a cheers!

7.6
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Dark amber wtih large light tan head. Candi sugar, toffee malt, and hay aroma. Moderately sweet molasses/brown sugar, toffee malt, and mildly bitter hay flavor. Good body.

Tried from Can on 11 Jan 2026 at 03:38


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Nice typical pale lager.
True to style. Crisp and ok.
Malty and herbal
[On tap at Number Forty-Seven in Troon, Scotland]

Tried from Draft at Number Forty-Seven on 22 Oct 2025 at 08:14


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

It a nice, classical and solid IPA, on the English way, hop, fruity, malt hidden by the hop, refreshing at all the time, 14.06.17, drinking it probably at Paris.

Tried from Bottle on 07 Sep 2025 at 13:34


6.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Fass 1 pt (0,568l) @Cuan Mor, Oban: Golden, glasklar, mäßig stabiler mittelporiger Schaum; süße + sehr malzige Nase, helle/eingelegte Früchte, nur dezente grasige Hopfennoten, leichte Hefearomen, malzige Bitterkeit; süßer + sehr malziger Körper, helle/eingelegte Früchte, dezente grasige Hopfennoten, Malz, etwas Karamell, cremig, mittlere Kohlensäure, leichte Hefearomen; malzig-trockener Nachgang

Tried from Draft on 03 Sep 2025 at 15:08


7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

On keg at Wigtown Ploughman, Wigtown - jet black body with a firm tan head. Loads of chocolate malts, bit of liquorice, some roasted nuts. Surprisingly smooth and creamy, very quaffable.

Tried from Draft on 30 Aug 2025 at 13:08

gave a cheers!

5.9
Appearance - 5 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Tap on nitro in St Andrews Scotland. Very easy drinking - lovely on nitro - great tob

Tried on 28 Aug 2025 at 20:35