10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Cairnpapple

"What: Edinburgh Castle is one the city’s most recognisable sites and Cold Town House’s rooftop terrace offers some of the finest views you could wish for of the landmark. The après ski-themed outdoor area comes complete with gondola seats and vintage Nissan van-cum-bar, with food options at Cold Town House ranging from Neapolitan-style pizzas to hanging grills. Make sure to try one of beer’s brewed in-house with your food too.Where: 4 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU"

"Cold Town House, an après-ski-themed beer garden on the Grassmarket in the heart of the Old Town, is a relaxed urban venue, with views of the castle. Owned and run by local brewery Cold Town Beer, it serves its own craft beer, as well as prosecco and warming whiskies. Great value pizzas can be ordered from the vintage van parked on the pergola-covered rooftop."

"This craft beer haven has a great atmosphere, offering a wide selection of both their own famous BrewDog beers in addition to a few guest names. The stainless steel and exposed brickwork of their Cowgate location gives the bar a funky industrial feel, which offers a nice alternative in an otherwise heavily influenced rock bar area in the heart of the Old Town. BrewDog's Lothian Road bar sits in what used to be a Clydesdale Bank - it's now home to 20 taps of craft beer and a killer take-away selection kept in chilled fridges."

"Brew Dog was established in 2007 by two young men who were passionate about craft beer and tired of uninspiring industrially produced beers and ales. They began to brew headline grabbing beers such as Tactical Nuclear Penguin (with an astonishing 32% ABV) and Sink the Bismarck (an incredible 41% ABV -the result of a beer arms race between Germany and Scotland). They opened their first bar in Aberdeen in 2010 and the following year opened a Brew Dog pub in the heart of Edinburgh which quickly became a local sensation."

"Born and bred in Scotland, Brewdog is such a successful brand that it’s gone global, with 78bars spread around the world. Though founded in Aberdeenshire, three are located inEdinburgh. Choose between the Lothian Road or the Cowgate location (which is a little bit more central)."

"Perhaps a controversial choice as an essential Edinburgh craft beer, given that Paolozzi, the Edinburgh Beer Factory's flagship brew, only launched on October 18 - but in that short time, the crisp, sparkling lager has gained enviable comparisons (in our local bottle shop, anyway) to Munich's much-revered Augustiner Hell. Perhaps such a success straight off the mark is due to the wealth of experience behind it - the EBF is headed up by John Dunsmore, former boss of both Tennent’s owner C&C Group and macro brewing plc Scottish & Newcastle. Of course, the beautifully-labelled bottle (sporting designs by Leith-born Pop Art figurehead Eduardo Paolozzi) makes it a lovely drink to be seen holding as well."

"If you’re planning a road trip of Scotland we suggest celebrating your arrival into Edinburgh Airport by immediately sipping suds at Edinburgh Beer Factory. The brewery is located a short 8 minute drive from Edinburgh Airport, making it the perfect first or last stop on a Scottish beer tour. Edinburgh Beer Factory first opened in November 2015."

"Combining old and new ideas and techniques, Edinburgh Beer Factory create beer inspired by the Edinburgh-born ‘Godfather of Pop Art’, Eduardo Paolozzi. Their brewery tours include a walkthrough of their lager-making process, from blank canvas to final product. You’ll even get the chance to taste the raw ingredients and the unfiltered brew!"

"Founded and operated by veteran brewer Andrew Barnett in the Summerhall former vet school, and on the site of the historic Summerhall Brewery (demolished circa 1913), Barney’s is a micro-brewery literally rooted in tradition. There’s no pasteurisation or filtration in the process, which is 100% natural. All of Barney's beers – including the humbly-named Good Ordinary Pale Ale plus a lager, a red beer and a dark porter – are cask-conditioned or bottle-conditioned."

"Barney’s Beer is a craft brewery located at the southeast corner of Edinburgh’s Meadows in Summerhall. Ranked as one of the best Edinburgh breweries, Barney’s Beer is housed in the stables of the city’s old vet school. Barney (Andrew Barnett) started working in his hometown brewery in Wolverhampton back in 1983 at 16 and has been in the industry ever since."

"Barney’s Beer offers public and private tours|Courtesy of Barney’s Beer. Housed at Summerhall in a former vet school’s stables, Barney’s has been brewing for the people of Edinburgh since 2010. The use of the Summerhall site as a brewery actually predates its use as veterinary college."

"Great Grog Bottle Shop, award-winning wine and beer merchant settled in Edinburgh, is run by John, Tom, and Jerry. The Great Grog Bottle Shop started in 2005. They specialize in craft beer and wine."

"A few recommendations (although there are many more), are Stirling, Doune Castle, and the Kelpies. The city of Stirling and nearby has a lot of great attractions, including Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument. Doune Castle is a medieval castle made famous as the primary filming location for the cult film Monty Python and the Holy Grail and most recently used in Season 1 of the TV series Outlander."

"Stirling is a city in central Scotland. At the heart of its old town, medieval Stirling Castle is on a craggy volcanic rock. On the Abbey Craig outcrop, the National Wallace Monument is a 19th-century tower. It overlooks the site of the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge, where William Wallace defeated the English."

"I suggest a late lunch after you explore the charming, cobbled streets of this historic area and experience some street performers, Canongate Kirkyard (Adam Smith is buried here), Dunbar Close, St. Giles Cathedral, and eventually Edinburgh Castle itself, all the way at the top of the Royal Mile (Be sure to book your Edinburgh Castle skip the line tickets in advance). The charm and beauty of Edinburgh, Scotland never cease to amaze me."

"After a morning spent meandering around the vintage shops of Grassmarket, pop into this charming café for a juice, a veggie snack and a dose of green goodness. Find your perch by a pastel-hued table amid jungle-esque decor and sip on a smoothie (the Ass-Aye-Eee with berries, açai, apple and coconut milk is delightfully sweet) and nibble on a slice of toasted sourdough or a warm bowl of veggie curry."

"A post shared by Susan (@susandoherty__) on Nov 16, 2016 at 4:13pm PST. Hula Juice Cafe has a lot more to offer than just juice. Here, you can get a selection of fantastic vegan food, including wraps, bagels, salads, and açaí bowls, to enjoy with your smoothie or nut milk latte."

"Hula do an aaaamazing range of juices which as a juice bar you would probably expect. Although not totally vegan, still worth a shoutout on this list though as they did have some delicious and healthy vegan food on offer!. Think smoothie bowls, avocado and toast and sandwiches."

"Image SourceThe market is an ideal place in Edinburgh to explore shops from leading-edge designers to fashion origins. The market is filled with designers, artists, and individuals selling crafts and classy clothes. Take a look for designer hats at Fabhatrix and Mr. Wood’s Fossils and if what you are looking for are old trend hats then Armstrong’s is the place to be."

"113-115 George St, Edinburgh EH2 4JN and Unit 8, Omni, Leisure Dev, Edinburgh EH1 3BN. Slug and Lettuce do a Bottomless Brunch. You will need to prebook."

"Located off Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, The Last Drop’s macabre past is part of its draw: The name references the square outside, which was once Edinburgh’s hanging grounds. Don’t expect a gloomy vibe inside, though. The place retains its traditional character, with plenty of banter and great beers to try plus an excellent selection of British and craft gins."

"The Last Drop, is a traditional pub on Grassmarket Square, which has a handful of tables and chairs at the front of the pub. A collection of Grassmarket pubs also have a number of tables set up over tents in the middle of the pedestrianised area. We managed to get a table for three walking by Alba Bistro."