10 Best Breweries in Blairadam Forest

"Cold Town House is situated in the famous Grassmarket area of Edinburgh and has a range of traditionally brewed offerings along with their signature dish, the stone-fired Neapolitan pizza. There is a full roof which is rolled back when the rain stops, revealing ‘that’ Edinburgh Castle shot. There’s a decent selection of drinks including Cold Town Beer, which is freshly brewed on the premises and served by the glass or in the six-pint tower."

"CTH opened in 2019 and has already proven popular with the stag weekend crowd. Set over three stories and with a rooftop terrace overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the former church has the added advantage of having its own brewery on hand. As well as its own-brand beers, it has a range of cocktails, prosecco, whisky (obvs), and a locally-sourced menu."

"Cold Town House is a venue on Grassmarket, at the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. It is owned and run by the local brewery Old Town Beer. The brewery’s own craft beers, as well as prosecco and several whiskeys, are served in a relaxed urban atmosphere with a spectacular view of the castle."

"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."

"Offering some of the best beers in the city, BrewDog's Lothian Road is about both quantity and quality. A huge space boasting over 20 craft beers as well as a menu of hearty eats, from beefy burgers and healthy salads to delicious chicken and cauliflower wings."

"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."

"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."

"When it comes to humble beginnings, Paul Gibson certainly takes a top spot. His home-grown brewing project began in his garage out of a green VW called Olive. After heading out on the road across the UK and creating beers on a shoestring budget, Paul set up a permanent (and much larger) home for his microbrewery in Leith."

"Situated in Leith, on the Edinburgh coast, thisbrewery started life on the road as a “mobile brewery” in a 1973 VW campervan (hence thename). Today, having opened a permanent location in 2017, it’s still going strong. Their spacious taproom is laid-back and unpretentious."

"Bellfield Brewery is the UK’s first craft brewery dedicated to producing quality gluten-free beer. The gluten-free craft brewery in Edinburgh is located a short walk from Holyrood Palace with plans to fully launch its tap room in summer 2019. Located in the historic area of Edinburgh alongside the mainline train track, with a birds’ eye view of the London train, visitors to Bellfield Brewery are able to enjoy beer in the sunny yard or indoor taproom."

"One of the best breweries in the city also happens to house of the best beer gardens. Bellfield is sure to have you coming back for more, with its range of award-winning craft creations, alongside gins, whiskies and organic wines for those avoiding the hoppy stuff."

"Located on the Royal Mile a short distance from the castle, the John Knox House & Scottish Storytelling Centre attraction is a treat for anyone interested in Scotland's rich cultural heritage. It was built in 1470 and is said to be the one time home of the protestant reformer after which it's named. A highlight of a visit is exploring the exhibits and displays related to the Scottish Reformation, a pivotal moment in the country's history."

"Getting to John Knox House : Located on the Royal Mile, the museum is a 6 minute walk from St Christopher’s Inns Edinburgh. Photo credit: David Ross. John Knox (1514-1572) was a Scottish minister, founder of the Scottish Presbyterian Church and leader of the Scottish Reformation."

"Address: Old Town, Edinburgh, EH1 2HSWebsite: The Grassmarket. The Grassmarket in Edinburgh is a bustling collection of pubs and restaurants which sit around a large open square at the southern edge of Edinburgh Castle. Because the district is so centrally located within the city you can easily find it by either walking west from the Cowgate or walking south from the Castle Esplanade."

"This area of town is often bustling with people so there's always a buzz about this weekly market. It's widely regarded as a top place to be for those looking to get their hands on some stunning jewellery, crafts and artwork. Paella and hot Latin foods are regularly served up by the stall holders along with treats like cupcakes and macarons."

"Fun fact: Back in 1477, the Grassmarket was a huge market in Edinburgh with most of it trading cattle and horses. This is apparently where the name Grassmarket originated as the western end of it was where the animals’ grass was kept."

"This space is a working studio, gallery, non-profit organisation and shop. It's the first open-access printmaking studio in Britain, and has been going strong since 1967. Visitors can watch artists at work, see an exhibition, attend a lecture or buy original prints, books, jewellery and other splendid stuff in the shop."