The company was founded in 2007 by a distiller, David MacDonald, and a local farmer, Innes MacPherson, who set out to produce world-class beers on the farm in Mulben. Initially brewing from a tiny pilot plant, for the first four years the brewery survived on the owners’ day jobs and focused exclusively upon getting the recipes and the products right. Distribution was deliberately confined to a limited number of informed, local buyers and it wasn’t until 2011 that the first commercial casks arrived on the market.
The first product – Spey Stout – was enthusiastically received by consumers and critically acclaimed throughout the wider brewing world. Encouraged by this early success, the company expanded production in 2012 and began distributing more widely throughout the North East and further afield. In early 2016, production moved to a dedicated unit – still on the farm! – that has seen Spey Valley Brewery become the largest brewery in the local area.
Brewery closed in 2020 and relaunched in Summer 2023 with a different beer lineup.
Scopey (25115) reviewed Sunshine on Keith from Spey Valley Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle from Inverurie Whisky Shop. It pours clear golden with a small white head. The aroma is fresh, floral, elderflower, pretty juicy, straw and a touch of citrus. The is crisp, dry, clean, good hit of bitterness, straw, zesty grapefruit, pithy lemon, minerals and grass with a firmly dry finish. Light body and moderate carbonation. More hops than expected with a decent bitterness.
McCash (16021) reviewed Sailor Terry from Spey Valley Brewery 9 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle from Appellation Wines. Appearance - opaque black with a lovely fawn head. Nose - sweet malt and cereal. Light milk chocolate. Taste - light chocolate but more toffee and caramel. Creamy. The ginger and clove thing kicks in right on the finish. Palate - light to medium bodied with a creamy texture and a fairly good finish. Overall - a bit thin and just about in stout though definitely has elements of Mild.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle from Alesela. It pours hazy deep red - brown with a medium beige head. The aroma is rich, wood, fruit cake, spicy, fruit cake, sticky, meaty, candied peel and toffee. The taste is bitter, wood, varnish, resin, drying, leather, bit of toffee, fruit cake, grapefruit rind and spice with a dry finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Decent boosty esb.
Scopey (25115) reviewed 1814 Lager from Spey Valley Brewery 9 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4
Bottle from Alesela. It pours clear golden - amber with a small white head. The aroma is sweet, grainy, buttered popcorn, porridge, bread and hay. The taste is crisp, bitter, buttered white bread, grainy, grass, popcorn and cereal with a dry, creamy finish. Light - medium body and fine, prickly carbonation. Can’t say I love buttered popcorn in my beer. A pretty basic lager by all accords.
Tdtm82 (4807) ticked Stillman's IPA from Spey Valley Brewery 9 years ago
ianwelby (4686) reviewed Spey Stout from Spey Valley Brewery 9 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Black beer, beige head. Malty smell. Flavour has malt, chocolate, berries, a touch of citrus. Creamy mouthfeel. Very drinkable.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
6.3 cask at revolution... Dark amber.. Small white head nose... Soft sweet floral fruit nose... Juicy sweet fruits.. Dru herbal fruit dry fruit.. Quite big intense fruit
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Cask at craft beer revolution. Pours golden orange, nose is toffee, salty citrus, taste is salty, grapefruit, sweet toffee. --- Beer merged from original tick of Publican Advisory - Experimental Content Brew #1 on 10 Dec 2016 at 09:06 - Score: 7. Original review text: Cask at craft beer revolution. Pours golden orange, nose is toffee, salty citrus, taste is salty, grapefruit, sweet toffee.
Stuu (34525) ticked Lager from Spey Valley Brewery 9 years ago
Bottle at the water of leith. Pours clear golden, nose is grassy, floral, malty, taste is sweet, grassy, bitter, floral.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle from Appellation Wines. Appearance - a gorgeous copper, amber autumnal. The heid is fluffy. Perfect. Nose - red fruits and caramel. Some honeycomb. Taste - red fruits and honeycomb. Lovely caramel biscuit undertone. Palate - close to medium bodied with a creamy yet crunchy texture and a long dry crunchy finish. Overall - lovely ESB.