Pilot
Microbrewery
in
Leith,
Midlothian,
Scotland 🏴
Associated with 2 Venues
Established in 2013
Contact
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.
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.
6.5/10
Tried
from Draft
on 18 Apr 2025
at 13:44
7.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - pale yellow and cloudy with a big fluffy white head.
Nose - dank, fresh sweat, green plant stalks, floral and citrus.
Taste - more dank and green notes. Then some ripe peach and pineapple follows it in.
Palate - light bodied, zesty finish.
Overall - good! Taste more fruity than the nose.
Appearance - pale yellow and cloudy with a big fluffy white head.
Nose - dank, fresh sweat, green plant stalks, floral and citrus.
Taste - more dank and green notes. Then some ripe peach and pineapple follows it in.
Palate - light bodied, zesty finish.
Overall - good! Taste more fruity than the nose.
Tried
from Can
from
Appellation Wines (Comely Bank)
on 12 Apr 2025
at 16:44
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
cask at the ryries ... hazy amber ..thin white lacing ..soft sweet floral fruit nose ...soft juicy citrus dry floral fruit
Tried
on 22 Mar 2025
at 20:50
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Lupe Pintos. Hazy golden body with a thin white head that slowly fades. Steady carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of peach, dried grass and passionfruit. Flavour of grass and basil. Thin to medium body with a slick texture. Soft fizz. Clean and hoppy.
Tried
from Can
on 14 Mar 2025
at 21:21
7.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - cloudy yellow and a snow white, fluffy head.
Nose - lemon, pineapple and fresh sweat.
Taste - grassy, lemon and pineapple.
Palate - light bodied, dry bitter finish.
Overall - enjoyable.
Appearance - cloudy yellow and a snow white, fluffy head.
Nose - lemon, pineapple and fresh sweat.
Taste - grassy, lemon and pineapple.
Palate - light bodied, dry bitter finish.
Overall - enjoyable.
Tried
from Can
from
Appellation Wines (Comely Bank)
on 07 Mar 2025
at 19:36
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - bright yellow to golden with a big fluffy white head and steady carbonation.
Nose - floral, lemon, but going into pungent tropical (maybe papaya) with some fresh sweat going around.
Taste - more sweat, lemon and pungent tropical.
Palate - light bodied, dry with balanced bitterness.
Overall - lovely stuff!
Appearance - bright yellow to golden with a big fluffy white head and steady carbonation.
Nose - floral, lemon, but going into pungent tropical (maybe papaya) with some fresh sweat going around.
Taste - more sweat, lemon and pungent tropical.
Palate - light bodied, dry with balanced bitterness.
Overall - lovely stuff!
Tried
from Can
from
Appellation Wines (Comely Bank)
on 04 Mar 2025
at 19:28
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Appellation Wines. Pours lightly hazed yellow with a short-lived thin white head. Aromas of pineapple, damp grains and light funk. Taste is more of the same. Decent body for the strength.
Tried
on 03 Mar 2025
at 16:08
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Can from Appellation Wines.
Appearance - yellow with a quickly disappearing head, very slight hint of a haze. Gentle carbonation.
Nose - light funk and dried tropical fruit.
Taste - tangy dried pineapple and light funky sour.
Palate - light bodied, but good texture for the abv.
Overall - not my style of beer but well executed.
Appearance - yellow with a quickly disappearing head, very slight hint of a haze. Gentle carbonation.
Nose - light funk and dried tropical fruit.
Taste - tangy dried pineapple and light funky sour.
Palate - light bodied, but good texture for the abv.
Overall - not my style of beer but well executed.
Tried
from Can
on 26 Feb 2025
at 17:39
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Edward Mulhare spoke the last ever line in the original Knight Rider series. He wasn't American, nor is this beer, but the style certainly is. Some brown malts with an underlying hoppy sweetness. Pretty good.
Tried
from Can
from
Great Grog Bottle Shop
on 20 Feb 2025
at 21:25
7/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
I was told this beer was made exclusively for Panda & Sons once I got speaking to one of the staff at the waiting to be seated stand at the venue once through the less than obvious door. It seems there's a can version also floating about. It's such a good light citrus session brew it deserves wider appeal anyway.
Tried
from Draft
at
Panda and Sons
on 05 Feb 2025
at 19:34