About
The Swannay Brewery was founded by Rob Hill as Highland Brewing Company in 2005 in Moorhouses. Moved to Orkney in 2006. In 2015 the brewery rebranded from Highland Brewing Company to Swannay Brewery.

Our brewery is located on the northwesterly tip of Orkney’s mainland, a wind-battered area known as Swannay. Brewing in a rustic farmstead we’re in a unique location: showered in spray from the Atlantic Ocean in the winter and surrounded by fertile farmland in the summer.

Our founder Rob Hill - ever the collector - first came to Swannay Farm in 2003 looking to buy the old time clock. One year later, after being let-go from his then current head brewer job, he somehow bought the whole building complex and started to think about how to make beer at Swannay.

With no means or desire to purchase shiny new brewing plant Rob went on the hunt for something that’d been used before. He ended up with not one but three kits(!): a five brewers barrel (BBL), a 20 BBL and a 100 BBL.

Already with twenty-five years’ brewing in his boots Rob knew exactly what the first beer needed to be: Scapa Special, our flagship pale ale that still accounts for around a third of all we brew today. It wasn’t long before the five BBL kit was up to four brews a week using just three fermenting vessels. This was no mean feat considering Rob was also doing all the delivering, cask washing, sales, admin - literally all tasks involved in running the company - himself.

Around about 2010 Rob’s son Lewis returned home from university and (perhaps foolishly) started helping out at the brewery. The 20 BBL plant was soon ‘commissioned’ and production volumes continued to increase. Today a team of six comfortably brew Swannay’s range of modern classic beers four to five times a week.
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Borresteijn (12769) reviewed
Orkney Porter from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
7.5/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
275ml Bottle from cgarvieuk, thanks Craig! Deep dark brown to black colour, thin beige head. Aroma of liquorice, chocolate. Flavour is sweet chocolate, some roasted malts, caramel, alcohol in the finish. Medium bodied. Nice one.
Tried from Bottle on 24 Jul 2009 at 15:31
fonefan (86114) reviewed
Orkney Best from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6.3/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7
Cask (handpump) @ Bow Bar, 80 West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2HH, Scotland.Alc. 3.6%. Clear medium amber orange color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, moderate hoppy, orange. Flavor is moderate sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. [20090410]
Tried from Cask on 10 Jun 2009 at 02:14
RichTigers (5280) reviewed
Orkney Best from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6
Bottle. Golden beer with a strongish head. The aroma is gently hopped, and the flavour is dry, hopped, toffee and slighlty sour at the finish. Overall a nice drink.
Tried from Bottle on 09 Jun 2009 at 18:46
fonefan (86114) reviewed
St. Magnus from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Cask @ Abbotsford, 3-5 Rose Street, Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2PR.Clear medium red amber orange color with a average, creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting - diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, fruity, moderate hoppy, citrus, orange. Flavor is moderate tol ight light heavy sweet and shell bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. [20090409]
Tried from Cask on 05 Jun 2009 at 18:08
fonefan (86114) reviewed
Orkney Blast from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Cask (handpump) @ Cask and Barrel, 115 Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3RZ, Scotland.Clear medium to dark orange color with a average, creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to light heavy malty, toasted, caramel and toffe notes, moderate to heavy hoppy, grapefruit. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration, and a alcohol burn on the lips. Body is medium, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft to flat, finish feel is light alcoholic. [20090409]
Tried from Cask on 05 Jun 2009 at 18:00
wyzzywyz22 (6250) reviewed
Orkney Blast from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 6
Cask, Bodega, Newcastle. A golden affair with a thin pallid head. Sweet malt aroma with some fruitiness. A hint of spice in the flavour which was again on the sweet side. Medium bitter finish. Rather unrefined and simple. Glaggable.
Tried from Cask on 27 May 2009 at 18:12
Bullit (6140) reviewed
Scapa Special from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Cask @ Bon Accord. Golden colour, white head. Aroma of flowery hops and fruits. Flavour has biscuit malts, fruity hops. Slightly bitter finish. Good drinkable.

Rerate: cask @ Bon Accord. Nice, fruity, refreshing. +.3
Tried from Cask on 18 May 2009 at 17:57
Fin (18756) reviewed
Orkney Porter from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
7.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle that was kindly passed to me by the ever generous Craig (see his rating below) Many thanks mate. Consumed 31-03-09 Pours very dark brown with a huge tan head that as impressive as it was teetered around like a tipsy lady in stilletos before collapsing. Quite substantial mouthfeel and in the flavour dept’ I get loads of dark muscavado sugars, warmth from the alcohol and a lovely soft creamy sweetened cappucino taste yum.. There is also some dark chocolate truffles marvellous. The aroma, lest I forget was coffee, some roastiness but also dark sugars again. A lovely beer. A7 A3 F8 P4 OV16 3.8
Tried from Bottle on 01 Apr 2009 at 03:03
cagarvie (40318) reviewed
Orkney Porter from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
9.5/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 10 Texture 10 Overall 10
Bottle at home ... deep red back ... big coffee nose with some soft roast ... big toffee malt... little tobacco ... little meaty .. solid dark malts with no charcoal or burnt malts charcater ... low bitterness...light hop in background ... its the light sweet vanilla treacle toffee ness that realy works for me 4.2... tk2 08-01-10 bottle at home .... deep black ... thin lacing ... sweet soft roast malts little tofffee nose ... good dark fruit and toffee malt .... some chocolate .... light hop .in background... i will stick 4.2 on this . lovely... Tkx ... 040510 ... (bbf 1209) bottle at home ... having talked to the brewer today about a new beer that i totally failed at :-( ... i was put in the mood for this one .. deep brown red ... thin tan head ... sweet toffee chocolate malts ... very soft ... nice roast nose ... little over carbonated now ... nice roast toffee roast ... little meaty ... soft chocolate ..little bitterness ... little treacle ... almost a hint of spice ... cinnamon and clove ... aging wonderfully ... shame its a little overcarbonated for me.4.4cask at bowbar ... deep black .. thin tight tan head ... sweet plum and chocolate nose ... big roast ... sweet fruits .... plum ... little raisin ... little cherry ... big chocolate ... rich and complex... light bitter linger .... 4.5bottle at home 04/11/10 bbf Dec 2009 ... deep brown .. thin tan head ... big soft toffee roast ... little over fizzy ... bit thiner than i remember ... big chocolate roast ... light vanilla ... light meatyness ... little treacle ...quite a lot of fruityness ... nice ... 4.0 bottle at home 12/11/10 2009 vintage ... deep brown ... creamy tan head ... sweet light meaty toffee malt nose ... light oily rich body ... big chocolate roast ... little meaty ... quite a bit of treacle ... dark dark sweet fruits ... raisins and cherries...hints of coconut oil 4.3cask in bow .feb 11.. dark black ... sweet chocolate roast malt nose ... very sweet .. light oily body .. nice soft sweet chocolate roast malts ... rich full bodied bliss 4.4cask in bow feb 11 ...deep black ... thin tan head ... sofft sweet chocolate roast ... nose ... dark chocolate ... dark fruits ... lots of green raisin ...wonderfully rich...4.4Bottle at home 2010 vintage drunk 11-05-11 ...deep black ... thin bubbly tan head ... soft blackcurrant chocolate roast malt nose ... little too high carbonation for me ... lots of rich ripe juicy vine fruits ... hint of tobacco ... solid roast malts ... hint of ovaltine ... body is a little thiner than i remember ... light drying linger ... very nice . 4.2cask at bow bar 2009 cask drunk july2011... dark black ... thin tan head ...soft dark toffee roast ... big chocolate ... deep complex roast malt nose ... big sweet roast malts ... some oxidastion ... big roast ... dark malts ... chocolate roast ... soft malty finish ... in some ways this is at the top of its game complex rich and devine... but the oxidisation thats gone along with the complex maturation also distracts... def no thinness as in last btl 4.3Cask at SRAF 2012 ... opps no notes but this was possibly the best ive ever had it, its was so good i drunk too much 4.6Bottle at home drunk 092012 bbf Dec 09 ... deep brown ... thin tan head ... soft mellow toffee roast ... light coffee ... light oxidised malts nose ... cool ... ok this is fairly well oxidised ... rich roast malts ... light toffee hop ... the oxidisation bring out a little nuttyness ... mellow soft smooth ... oh this is still lovely ... its just got such depth ... richness ... 4.3cask at the bat ... dark black ... soft mellow chocolate roast malt nose ... sweet malts ... soft mellow silky smooth roast ... light chocolate ... just sublime 4.4cask at bat ... deep black ... thin tan lacing ... deep meaty chocolate roast .... heavy chewwy roast .. sweet malts ... dark fruits ... swet berries ... soft chocolate ... soft mellow smooth ... soft sweet roast ... amazing 4.5 bottle at home June 2014 vintage 2009... deep blacl ... thick tan head... big blackcurrant ... soft roast ...lifght oxidised cardboard nose... light fizz ... dark sweet roast ... big berriers ...light chocolate ... full rounded mouth ... tiny soya hints but tiny behind the massive roast fruits .. real nice consdidering age ... 4.2Cask at the Stockbridge tap 27jan15... Deep black... Small tan head... Soft sweet berries.. Dark roast malts.. Big chocolate nose... Soft mellow.. Rounded body.. Little thiner than i remember... Oaky chocolate... Light sweet vanilla hint... Mellow chocolate roast... Dark fruits... 4.3Cask at the hanging bat 27jan15... Deep black.. Thiner tan head... Soft dry chocolate berries.. Light dark chocolate nose... Soft roast.. Dark fruits.. Mellow. Berries... Sweet chocolate.. Dark roast... Soft sweet malts.. Lovley 4.5Cask at cloisters... Dark black... Thin tan lacing Dark chocolate roast... Soft chocolate malt roast nose... Soft sweet chocolate roast.. Mellow roast.. Soft meaty malts.. Chewy chocolate mellow roast chocolate roast.. Soft smooth.. Almost woody malts. 4.5Cask at cloisters... Dark brown black.. Thin tan lacing... Soft sweet chocolate roast malts... Dark big chocolate roast.. Big soft malts.. Juicy malts... Sweet toffee chocolate roast... Mellow meaty malts... Big sweet berries.. Juicy sweet malts.. Soft sweet chocolate malts 4.7 bottle at home bbf 2009 later that evening.... Dark black thin tan head... Soft mellow chocolate blackcurrant chocolate roast... Light ovaltine chocolate roast... Cardboard chocolate roast.. Dark wood malt... Big black roast 3.7cask (hand bottle) its lost all its life in a few hours... Soft sweet chocolate roast mellow plum chocolate roast malts nose.. Soft sweet chocolate roast... Big fruits.. Dark sweet fruits... Juicy roast... But lost a lot of life 4.3 but 1 for palateCask at the bow early 2016 bar... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Soft sweet chocolate roast.. Light almost ovaltine roast chocolate roast... Soft sweet chocolate.. Deep rich roast.. Dark malts.. Dark chocolate.. Heavy malt roast 4.2Cask at cloisters aug 2016 ... Dark black... Thin tan lacing.. Dark sweet chocolate roast.. Rich sweet malts... Dark sweet chocolate roast... Nice soft easy rich chocolate roast 4.5Cask at cloisters... Jan 17... Dark black... Small tan head... Dark chocolate roast malts... Rich sweet chocolate roast malts nose... Soft chocolate malts.. Rich smooth roast malts.. Rich soft malts... 4.5 cask at the hanging bat june 17... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Soft sweet meaty chocolate roast malts nose.. Soft sweet caramel toffee.. Soft plums... Dark fruits.. Soft sweet chocolate roast malts... But oddly slightly flat... Which is a shame 4.2 Cask at the hanging bat... End june17 2nd pin... Dark black... Small tan head.... Light sry chocolate roast malts nose Soft sweet toffee.. Big blackcurrant fruits roast.. Long sweet fruit nalts.. Juicy fruits malts 4.4 cask at the hanging bat ...july 01 17.. Dark black... Small tan head... Soft dark meaty chocolate roast malts nose.. Dark sweet chocolate roast malts.. Heavy sweet chocolate roast malts.. Long soft chocolate.. Light blackcurrant... Light treacle 4.5 gravity at the hanging bat... 13 dec 2017... Dark black.. Thin tan lacing... Dark sweet chocolate malts nose.. Dark roast.. rich chocolate malts.. Very soft... big blackcurrant chocolate roast.. heavy sweet chocolate.. definitely better than on the 10th 4.3 but think still suffers from no hand pull

CASK AT CLOISTERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY ... may 2025... dark black ...thin tan lacing ...soft sweet chocolate Roast malts nose ..rich soft sweet chocolate Roast malts
Tried from Bottle on 30 Mar 2009 at 15:17
Bullit (6140) reviewed
St. Magnus from Swannay Brewery
17 years ago
6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Cask @ Bon Accord. Dark golden colour, small bubbly white head. Aroma of floral hops and caramel malts. Flavour of caramel malts, cookie dough. Sweet and bitter. Rerate: cask @ 3 Judges. Amber colour, white head. Aroma is slightly hoppy. hint of fruit. Flavour is flowery hops, malts. +.4
Tried from Cask on 23 Mar 2009 at 07:39