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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6.9/10 Appearance 9 Aroma 7 Flavor 6.5 Texture 7 Overall 6
Deep brown, beige bubbly head. Medium body. Nose of roasted barley & coffee, maybe leather. Sweet taste with some bitterness at finish. Decent beer.
Tried on 16 May 2025 at 19:16

6.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 5.5 Flavor 5.5 Texture 7 Overall 6
Clear brown ale. Moderate beige head. Caramely nose. A hint of hops. Light-bodied. Sweetish taste. Caramel, molasses. Light hoppiness.
Tried on 16 May 2025 at 19:12

7.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6.5 Flavor 7 Texture 9 Overall 6.5
Red-brown body with creamy head. Nose of bread, chocolate, syrup. Esters. Medium body. Sweet and bitter notes in taste. Smooth bitter finish as well as aftertaste. Decent
Tried on 16 May 2025 at 19:10

6.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 7
330ml bottle. Clear, dark auburn colour with small to average, dense, creamy, moderately lasting, minimally lacing, dark beige head. Sweet-ish, sugary and slightly spicy, caramel malty and minimally fruity aroma, notes of caramel, some treacle, hints of cherry, raisin, toffee, a touch of rye malt-like spiciness. Taste is sweet-ish, minimally toasty and spicy, caramel malty, mildly bitter and minimally fruity hoppy, notes of caramel, some toffee, a touch of cherry, raisin, dried fruit; minimally dry, papery and minimally alcoholic finish.
Oily texture, smooth and soft, minimally cloying palate, fine, mildly prickly carbonation.
Rather sweet but still balanced, fairly rich but not overly complex - nice.
Tried from Bottle from REWE Markt Mumme on 15 May 2025 at 18:23

6.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6.5 Texture 6 Overall 7
Van tap bij Beehive Inn in Edinburgh gedeeld. Zoetje, citrustonen, hoppig, lichte rooksmaak. (10-5-2025).
Tried from Bottle at Beehive Inn on 10 May 2025 at 15:24

6.6/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6
Van tap bij White Hart Inn in Edinburgh. Smooth, licht droppig, licht plakkerig, maltig, toffee, wat marmelade, wat droog, licht roasted malts, bitters. (9-5-2025).
Tried from Draft at White Hart Inn on 09 May 2025 at 20:53

6.3/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7
Van tap bij White Hart Inn in Edinburgh gedeeld. Caramel, toffee, zacht, smooth, fruitig. (9-5-2025).
Tried from Draft at White Hart Inn on 09 May 2025 at 14:33

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
A can into a pint glass at the Partick Borough Hall, Glasgow. A decent easy to drink bitter with a creme head.
Tried from Can on 04 May 2025 at 20:02

6.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 7
Old rating from 08-04-15 - 330ml bottle, pours amber with white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of citrus, grapefruit, lemon, grass & malt. Medium body. Moderate bitter finish
Tried from Bottle on 27 Apr 2025 at 17:50

6.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 7 Overall 7
Old rating from Nov 2014 - 500ml bottle, pours dark brown with a beige foamy head. Aromas & tastes of bread, chocolate & roasted malt. Moderate body. Chocolate finish
Tried from Bottle on 21 Apr 2025 at 15:11