Orkney Brewery
Last updated 15 May 2026
The most northerly brewery in Scotland (bar Shetland's Lerwick Brewery), producing traditional Scottish ales from a converted former schoolhouse in Orkney's West Mainland. Dark Island is the flagship — a rich, malty ale with chocolate and blackcurrant notes that's become one of Scotland's most recognisable craft beers outside the central belt. Northern Light (a lighter session ale) and Skull Splitter (a strong ale at 8.5%) round out the core range. The brewery benefits from Orkney's clean water and barley-growing tradition. The visitor centre and tasting bar are worth including in an Orkney trip alongside the distilleries and archaeology.
Scotland's most northerly destination brewery. Dark Island is a multi-World Beer Cup winner; Skull Splitter at 8.5% is a wee heavy that punches well above its weight. The visitor centre at Quoyloo is one of the better brewery experiences in Scotland — proper food, working brewery, Orkney coast outside the door.
Tasting the flagship: Dark Island (4.6%)
Roasted malt, dark chocolate, a hint of dried fruit. Faint hop in the background; this is a malt beer.
Rich and rounded — chocolate, dried fig, restrained sweetness. Body fuller than the 4.6% ABV suggests.
Long, drying, faintly bitter chocolate. Lingering more than you'd expect.
Flavour profile
- hops1/5
- malt4/5
- bitterness2/5
- body4/5
- sweetness3/5
- abv3/5
Drinker-axis profile across the brewery’s core range, scored 0–5.
Rating breakdown
See how we score breweries for the full methodology.
Visiting
Quoyloo, Sandwick, Orkney
KW16 3LT
- mon
- 10:00–17:00
- tue
- 10:00–17:00
- wed
- 10:00–17:00
- thu
- 10:00–17:00
- fri
- 10:00–17:00
- sat
- 10:00–17:00
- sun
- 11:00–16:00
- Glasgow
- 8h + ferry · 260+ miles · Long drive to Scrabster (Caithness), 90-min ferry to Stromness, 20 min drive.
- Edinburgh
- 8h + ferry · 260+ miles · Same as Glasgow.
- Inverness
- 5h + ferry · 150+ miles · A9 north to Scrabster, ferry to Stromness, drive.
Northlink ferry from Scrabster to Stromness (90 min), then taxi or bus to Quoyloo. Loganair flights from Edinburgh/Glasgow/Aberdeen to Kirkwall.
Free on-site car park.
Beers to try
Dark Island
Scotch ale (wee heavy adjacent) · 4.6% · 30 IBU
Multiple World Beer Cup gold winner. Roasted malt, chocolate, dried fruit, restrained sweetness. The signature Orkney beer.
Food pairing: Roast venison, dark chocolate, aged cheddar.
- World Beer Cup Gold (multiple years)
- CAMRA Champion Beer of Scotland 2017
Skull Splitter
Wee heavy · 8.5% · 30 IBU
Named after a Viking earl. Big malt, dried fruit, dark chocolate, gentle alcoholic warmth. Drinks like a digestif. Sip slowly.
Food pairing: Game pie, sticky toffee pudding, blue cheese.
- World's Best Strong Pale Ale (World Beer Awards)
Northern Light
American pale ale · 4% · 38 IBU
Lighter, hop-forward counterpoint to the dark beers. Citrus and pine; clean bitter finish.
Food pairing: Fish and chips, salad, light cheese.
Corncrake
Golden ale · 4.1% · 35 IBU
Named after the rare Orkney bird. Pale, hop-forward, drinkable. The session beer in the range.
Food pairing: Pub food, fish, chicken.
Where to buy
| cask | keg | bottle | can |
|---|---|---|---|
Yes Cask presence in Scottish free houses and Northern English pubs. | Yes Selected craft taps. | Yes 500ml bottles widely distributed. | Yes 440ml cans in supermarkets. |
Format availability for the core range. Limited / seasonal releases may differ — check individual beer cards above.
Supermarkets: Strong UK-wide supermarket distribution. Dark Island reliable in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose. Skull Splitter common in Tesco and Sainsbury's. Heritage status helps shelf space.
- Orkney Brewery online shopDirect
- Tesco UKSupermarket
Dark Island and Skull Splitter widely.
- Sainsbury's UKSupermarket
Dark Island and Northern Light.
- WaitroseSupermarket
Full range including some Special Releases.
Direct delivery: Orkney Brewery online shop
Food pairings
Orkney beers are malt-driven and pair with bold flavours — game, smoke, dark chocolate, aged cheese. Northern Light is the outlier; lighter pairings work.
| Beer | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Island | Venison casserole, dark chocolate brownie, aged Mull cheddar | Classic malt-driven pairing. The brewery's restaurant serves a Dark Island and chocolate pudding combination worth ordering. |
| Skull Splitter | Sticky toffee pudding, blue cheese, smoked beef | 8.5% ABV holds up to dessert and bold cheese. |
| Northern Light | Fish and chips, light salad, lemon chicken | Hop-forward — cuts fried food, lifts citrus. |
How it’s brewed
Traditional Scottish brewing applied with island patience. Long fermentations; conditioning that takes weeks not days.
Medium — ~8,000 hl/year
~1.4 million pints
Soft Orkney water from on-site borehole. Optic and Maris Otter malts. English hops on the heritage range; American hops on the IPA stream.
- Dark ales
- Wee heavy
- Heritage Scottish styles
Visit the brewery
Full visitor centre and café at the brewery. Open daily (seasonal hours). Working brewery view, on-site retail, restaurant.
- Tap room: Yes
- Parking: Yes
- Dog-friendly: Yes
- Wheelchair access: Yes
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Food on site: YesFull restaurant with Orkney-sourced ingredients. Beer-paired tasting platters.
75 min
Full brewhouse tour, 4 tastings, branded glass. Daily in season.
30 min
6 small tastings from the core and seasonal range.
Head brewer
Approach: Traditional Scottish brewing on an island where ingredients have to travel. Long fermentations, careful conditioning, no shortcuts.
Timeline
- 1988Founded in a converted schoolhouse at Quoyloo, Orkney.
- 1995Acquired by Sinclair Breweries; expansion of capacity.
- 2005Dark Island wins World Beer Cup Gold.
- 2012New visitor centre opens at Quoyloo.
- 2018Skull Splitter named World's Best Strong Pale Ale.
Awards
- World Beer Cup Gold (Dark Island)2005
- World Beer Cup Gold (Dark Island)2012
- World's Best Strong Pale Ale (Skull Splitter)2018
- CAMRA Champion Beer of Scotland (Dark Island)2017
Live music & events
The Orkney Craft Village — where the brewery shop is based at Quoyloo — hosts occasional events that include live music, particularly during the St Magnus Festival in June and the Orkney Folk Festival in May. The brewery itself doesn't run a regular tap room music programme, but Orkney's wider festival calendar is exceptional.
Check what’s on →- If you're visiting Orkney, the brewery is a must-do — but combine it with the Ring of Brodgar (5 min away) and Skara Brae (15 min). A morning at neolithic sites + brewery lunch is the canonical Orkney day.
- Dark Island Reserve (cask-strength version) is brewery-only — not available off-site. Ask if any is on tap during your visit.
- Skull Splitter at the brewery is fresher than supermarket cans — the difference is noticeable.
- Pre-book the restaurant for Sunday lunch — it's the most popular table on the island.
- Buy a few bottles of Dark Island Reserve at the on-site shop if it's available — they age well and are rarely seen on the mainland.
Where to eat nearby
Orkney-sourced menu; beer-paired sharing platters.
Kirkwall's destination dinner — Orkney seafood, view over Scapa Flow.
Lunch stop after the neolithic site. Basic but the view is the point.
Stromness seafood institution. Book ahead.
Best time to visit
May to September. Orkney's daylight is exceptional in summer (sunset close to midnight in June); the brewery, restaurant, and surrounding neolithic sites are all open. Avoid mid-winter (severely reduced hours, ferries can cancel in storms).
Weather: Orkney is windier than mainland Scotland year-round but actually drier than the west coast. Bring layers and waterproofs in any month. The brewery is sheltered; getting there in November can be a different story.
Orkney Brewery FAQ
+Where is Orkney Brewery?
At Quoyloo, on the western Mainland of Orkney — about 20 minutes' drive from Stromness ferry terminal or 30 minutes from Kirkwall.
+Can I visit the brewery?
Yes — the visitor centre, restaurant, and shop are open daily (seasonal hours). Tours run daily in the summer season with booking recommended.
+Is Dark Island a wee heavy?
Closer to a Scotch ale than a true wee heavy. At 4.6% ABV it's session-strength rather than the 6-8% wee heavies. Dark Island Reserve (brewery-only cask-strength version) is closer to wee heavy territory.
+Where can I buy Dark Island?
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose all stock it UK-wide. The brewery's online shop has the full range plus brewery-only specials.
+How do I get to Orkney?
Northlink Ferries from Scrabster (Caithness) to Stromness — 90 minutes. Or fly Loganair from Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Aberdeen to Kirkwall.
Similar to Orkney Brewery
Where to stay near Orkney Brewery
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Orkney Brewery's tap room.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
At a glance
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Last updated 15 May 2026