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.

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6.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6.5 Flavor 6.5 Texture 7 Overall 7
Bottle. Nose is malty, bread. Taste is malt, brown bread, lightly nutty, gentle fruitiness.

It's fine
Tried on 24 May 2026 at 19:51

6.3/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Yesterday after an afternoon at Servion, rainy weather and a stout before to go to Spain the day after. To be honest, it was not my favourite stout, too light and watery, weak roasted malt, a bit metalic, few bitterness, drinkable, good for the apero, 15.01.23
Tried from Can from Amstein on 03 May 2026 at 06:30

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Keg at the brig and barrel. Pours clear golden, nose is grapefruit, toffee, taste is light fruit, floral, bitter 6
Tried on 02 May 2026 at 10:05

6.8/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 6.5 Texture 7 Overall 6.5
Clear amber color with small white head. Cruity, hay, grass, caramel, feuits aromas. Bit sweet, light bitterness. Average body, bit oily, fruity finish
Tried from Draft on 22 Apr 2026 at 17:33

7.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7.5 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle pour at The Haven, next to Sam Adams Brewery in MA. Poured a dark pour, fluffy, light tan head. Aroma was quite a lot like Guinness, with some more toasty, and light peaty notes. Robust, and enjoyable.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Apr 2026 at 22:41

6.5/10
Good. One of the 300 Beers to try before you die. Bottle at home.
Tried from Bottle on 14 Mar 2026 at 17:00

6.5/10 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

6.3/10 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

7.8/10 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

7.6/10 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