The first listing of cider presses as a source of income appears in 1230 in a Royal Charter granted to Jocelin Bishop of Bath.
courtesy of NACM
Belhaven Brewery
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Belhaven's Monks Garden with one of the wells, the source of Belhaven's special water -
On the outskirts of the historic town of Dunbar you'll find Scotland's oldest brewery -
Belhaven's iconic kiln chimneys hark back to when it malted its own barley -
See the 90-year old mash tun where the crushed malted barley begins its journey -
The fermenting beer-to-be spends several days in the temperature-controlled fermenting vessels -
Finish your tour back in the Monk's bar with a half of your choice
Features
Tours
Shop
Public Transport within 5 miles
Eco Initiatives
Tour details
Individuals & Groups
Tours run by prior arrangement, generally at 10.30am or 2.30pm, except for Friday when there is only the morning tour. Due to the brewery's size, groups are limited to 12 people. Emma at Belhaven says it tends to be easiest to find the best time if you ring with two or three dates in mind – so far they've never failed!
Shop
Belhaven beers & gifts
Public transport
Train: Dunbar, 1.3 miles
Bus: from Edinburgh or Berwick-upon-Tweed to Dunbar
Opening times
All year
Mon-Fri: tour times, 10.30am or 2.30pm
Closed
Christmas & New Year
Prices
Adults: £5
Concessions: £3
Get in Touch
Tel: 01368 869200
Email: blreception@belhaven.co.uk
www.belhaven.co.uk
Belhaven Brewery
Brewery Lane
Dunbar
East Lothian
EH42 1PE
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Be assured of a warm welcome at Belhaven. Within an hour of Edinburgh on the outskirts of historic Dunbar, sits Scotland's oldest continuously working brewery. With waters akin to those under Burton and ready access to barley, it is perhaps unsurprising that brewing extends back many centuries to canny monks resident in the area.
Now part of Greene King, Belhaven retains its identity and its centuries of history – including a spell in the 1970s when Miss World's Eric Morley was in charge – make an interesting start to your tour, supping a half of your choice in the Monk's bar. Friendly guides take you through the brewery, explaining with skill and humour the processes in question. If the weather's good, you'll finish in the Monk's garden for your tutored tasting. Otherwise it's back to the bar – no great shame!
Eco-friendly initiatives
- Lighter bottles – glass weight reduced by 8%
- Lighting control – the brewery uses a passive infra-red system, so lights only come on when necessary and are timed to go off
- Air leaks – an ultrasonic leak detector allows any leaks to be picked up ASAP, reducing excess electricity consumption
Trade bodies
Camra, Visit Scotland, Investor in People
