Pilot

Microbrewery in Leith, Midlothian, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Associated with 2 Venues

Established in 2013

Contact
Unit 4B, Stewartfield, Leith, EH6 5RQ, Scotland
Description
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.

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

Can from Appellation Wines. Pours hazy yellow to orange with a rocky white head. Aromas of grassy hops, stone fruit, light dank. Taste is grassy again, orange and peach. Bitter finish Decent.

Tried on 31 Dec 2025 at 16:40


7.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

Tried on 26 Dec 2025 at 17:09


6.8

Tried on 19 Dec 2025 at 18:54


7

I taste chocolate. Strange. Copper color and hazy.

Tried from Cask on 19 Dec 2025 at 18:54


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

Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - solid yellow to orange with a fluffy snow white head.
Nose - dank, grassy and some stone fruit.
Taste - grassy again, orange and stone fruit.
Palate - light bodied, juicy middle with a dry and bitter finish.
Overall - quite nice.

Tried from Can from Appellation Wines (Comely Bank) on 14 Dec 2025 at 18:50


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - solid orange and not much head after a fizzy start.
Nose - big clementine notes on opening the can, even before pouring. Not sure I'm getting the balm at all.
Taste - more of the same really, some tart and funk too.
Palate - light to medium bodied, tangy and funky sour finish. Decent linger.
Overall - quite nice.

Tried from Can from Appellation Wines (Comely Bank) on 13 Dec 2025 at 19:15


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can from House Of Trembling Madness. Clear golden body with a thin white head. Fine carbonation. Patchy lacing. Aroma of grass, green beans and bready malt. Flavour of lightly roasted malt and bitter, grassy hops. Medium body with a slick texture. Light fizz. Crisp and bitter.

Tried from Can at House Of The Trembling Madness (Lendal) on 07 Dec 2025 at 16:22


7

Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - amber with a fluffy beige head.
Nose - biscuits, ginger and generally cakey. A little dried orange lurking.
Taste - more of the same. Sweet cake and biscuit.
Palate - medium bodied and a bit sweet with a sweet malty finish.
Overall - decent.

Tried from Can from Appellation Wines (Comely Bank) on 04 Dec 2025 at 09:28


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7.3
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Cask@Dark Beer Fest 2025, The Hope, Carshalton (27/11/2025) - Sweet malty and hoppy aroma and taste, some sweet caramel, marmalade fruity, hoppy undertones, medium body, hoppy and malty finish.

Tried from Cask at Hope on 27 Nov 2025 at 19:37


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

Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - deep amber to brown with a foamy beige head.
Nose - red and citrus fruit. Brown bread.
Taste - brown bread, red fruit and something suggesting of citrus.
Palate - light to medium bodied, dry and zesty finish.
Overall - good.

Tried from Can from Appellation Wines (Comely Bank) on 15 Nov 2025 at 19:11