About
Pilot was born when Matt Johnson and Patrick Jones met while studying for masters degrees in Brewing & Distilling at Heriot-Watt University in 2012. A shared view that there was something different to be done in brewing – not traditional real ales, but not just another U.S. craft beer clone either – led to home-brewing together, which eventually led to buying a second-hand brewhouse and moving to the heart of cosmopolitan Leith, commencing brewing right at the end of 2013.
We’ve never done things the easy way. We dismantled the plant ourselves. We moved it to Leith and rebuilt it ourselves. We dug out the drainage (pro-tip: pay real men to do that), installed the flues and built the cooling system ourselves. We design, brew and drink the beer ourselves. We are Pilot.
We’ve never done things the easy way. We dismantled the plant ourselves. We moved it to Leith and rebuilt it ourselves. We dug out the drainage (pro-tip: pay real men to do that), installed the flues and built the cooling system ourselves. We design, brew and drink the beer ourselves. We are Pilot.
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - golden with a light haze and a fluffy head.
Nose - orange, bready and light herby.
Taste - bready and citrus with some zest at the back.
Palate - light bodied, dry and refreshing finish.
Overall - good.
Appearance - golden with a light haze and a fluffy head.
Nose - orange, bready and light herby.
Taste - bready and citrus with some zest at the back.
Palate - light bodied, dry and refreshing finish.
Overall - good.
Tried
from Can
from
Appellation Wines (Comely Bank)
on 04 Sep 2026
at 19:52
7.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - hazy to cloudy yellow with a foamy white head.
Nose - banana, candied lemon, icing sugar and some toffee.
Taste - more banana and some citrus peel.
Palate - light to medium bodied, tangy textured middle. Dry, tangy finish.
Overall - pretty good example of the style.
Appearance - hazy to cloudy yellow with a foamy white head.
Nose - banana, candied lemon, icing sugar and some toffee.
Taste - more banana and some citrus peel.
Palate - light to medium bodied, tangy textured middle. Dry, tangy finish.
Overall - pretty good example of the style.
Tried
from Can
from
Appellation Wines (Comely Bank)
on 04 Sep 2026
at 19:47
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 8
330ml can from Cork & Cask. Gluten Free. Coppery amber-brown colour, foamy beige head and aroma of malt, biscuit, bread. Taste is sweetish, malty, bread, chocolate hints, biscuity, dried fruit, with drying earthy bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, dry tangy malty bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.
Tried
from Can
from
Cork & Cask
on 28 Aug 2026
at 21:07
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
330ml can from Cork & Cask. Gluten Free. Golden colour, foamy white head and aroma of grain, straw, grass, lemon. Taste is sweetish, malty, grainy, bread, papery, hay, lemony citrus with grassy bitterness. Light bodied, medium carbonation, drying grassy citric bitter finish. Quite drinkable.
Tried
from Can
from
Cork & Cask
on 25 Aug 2026
at 20:26
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Tap @ Cloisters, Edinburgh. Light hazy amber with a white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, peach and sugary. Flavor is medium sweet. Sweet finish. 250726
Tried
from Draft
at
Cloisters
on 25 Jul 2026
at 22:21
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
Tap @ The Holyrood 9A, Edinburgh. Hazy golden with a white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, fruity and light hoppy - citrus. Flavor is medium sweet and light bitter. Dry and light bitter finish. 240726
Tried
from Draft
at
The Holyrood 9A
on 24 Jul 2026
at 21:47