Stewart Brewing
Last updated 15 May 2026
Edinburgh's local brewery in everything but postcode (technically Loanhead, just south of the city bypass). Stewart Brewing produces the most widely available cask ale in Edinburgh — Edinburgh Gold appears on hand-pulls across the city and is a reliable, well-made golden ale. The range extends into modern craft territory with Radical Road (a Scotch-hopped pale ale using Scottish-grown hops) and a rotating seasonal programme. The brewery tap room runs tours and tastings at weekends. A solid, unpretentious operation that bridges the gap between traditional cask ale and modern craft without alienating either audience.
Edinburgh's reliable middle-ground brewery. Stewart isn't chasing the pastry-sour fashion or the heavy-keg hype — they make properly-made cask and keg in classic Scottish styles, plus a strong Hollyrood Pale that's everywhere in Edinburgh free houses. Not exciting, but consistently good.
Tasting the flagship: Edinburgh Gold (4.8%)
Soft golden malt with light floral and citrus hop. Not aggressive — designed to be drinkable across a session.
Balanced — malty body with a clean hop bitterness. Smooth carbonation, full mouthfeel for a 4.8% session beer.
Medium, clean, lightly bitter. Asks for another pint.
Flavour profile
- hops3/5
- malt3/5
- bitterness3/5
- body3/5
- sweetness2/5
- abv2/5
Drinker-axis profile across the brewery’s core range, scored 0–5.
Rating breakdown
See how we score breweries for the full methodology.
Visiting
10 Dryden Road, Bilston Glen Industrial Estate, Loanhead
EH20 9LZ
- thu
- 16:00–22:00
- fri
- 12:00–23:00
- sat
- 12:00–23:00
- sun
- 12:00–20:00
- Glasgow
- 55m · ~45 miles · M8 east, A720 bypass to Loanhead.
- Edinburgh
- 20m · ~7 miles · A772 south to Loanhead.
Lothian Bus 37 from Princes Street — 35 min to Loanhead.
On-site free car park.
Beers to try
Edinburgh Gold
Golden ale · 4.8% · 35 IBU
The flagship. Golden, balanced, never aggressive. The pint you get when you ask for 'a Stewart' in an Edinburgh pub.
Food pairing: Fish and chips, roast chicken, pub lunch staples.
Hollyrood Pale
Pale ale · 5% · 45 IBU
Crisper and hoppier than Edinburgh Gold. Modern American hops; cleaner body. SIBA Scotland gold winner.
Food pairing: Burgers, BBQ, fried food, mature cheddar.
Radical Road
American pale ale · 6.4% · 60 IBU
Bigger Stewart — heavier hop, more body. Named after the Salisbury Crags walk.
Food pairing: Spicy food, smoked meats, blue cheese.
Cauld Reekie
Oatmeal stout · 4.4% · 35 IBU
Smooth and creamy. Oats give body without aggression. Year-round but pours best in winter.
Food pairing: Oysters, chocolate brownie, smoked meat.
Where to buy
| cask | keg | bottle | can |
|---|---|---|---|
Yes Strongest presence — Edinburgh free houses pour Stewart year-round. | Yes Bars and selected craft accounts. | Yes 500ml bottles in independent off-licences. | Yes 440ml cans — Hollyrood Pale and Embra most common. |
Format availability for the core range. Limited / seasonal releases may differ — check individual beer cards above.
Supermarkets: Strongest supermarket presence of Edinburgh's craft brewers. Tesco Scotland reliably stocks Hollyrood Pale and Edinburgh Gold in cans; Morrisons carries bottles; some Sainsbury's stores too.
- Stewart Brewing online shopDirect
Full range; brewery-only specials.
- Tesco (Scotland)Supermarket
Hollyrood Pale + Edinburgh Gold in cans.
- Morrisons (Edinburgh)Supermarket
Hollyrood Pale bottles.
- Cornelius Beer & WineOff-licence · Edinburgh
Full Stewart range fresh.
- Honest BrewOnline retailer
Stewart in mixed Scottish craft cases.
Direct delivery: Stewart Brewing online shop · UK mainland · Free over £40
Food pairings
Stewart's range pairs with traditional pub food — burgers, fish and chips, roast meats. Cauld Reekie is the outlier; give it dessert or smoke.
| Beer | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Gold | Fish and chips, roast chicken, ploughman's | Classic golden ale pairing — bitterness lifts fried food and salt. |
| Hollyrood Pale | Burgers, BBQ ribs, aged cheddar | American hop bitterness matches charred meat. |
| Cauld Reekie | Oysters, dark chocolate, smoked salmon | Roasted oat malt is the classic stout-with-oysters or stout-with-chocolate match. |
| Radical Road | Spicy curry, blue cheese, BBQ pulled pork | Bigger flavours need a bigger beer. |
How it’s brewed
Cask-led traditional Scottish brewing with modern hygiene. The same Maris Otter base across the range; experimentation happens in hops, not malt.
Mid-scale — ~10,000 hl/year
~1.8 million pints (2024)
Maris Otter base on all core beers. East Lothian water. Modern American hops on the IPAs; English hops on Edinburgh Gold.
- Cask ale
- Pale ales
- Stouts
Visit the brewery
Craft Beer Kitchen at the brewery — full tap room with food, brewery view through glass. Open Thu–Sun.
- Tap room: Yes
- Parking: Yes
- Dog-friendly: Yes
- Wheelchair access: Yes
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Food on site: YesFull kitchen — burgers, sharing boards, Sunday roast.
90 min
Full brewhouse tour, 4 tastings, branded glass to take home. Saturdays only.
360 min
Brew your own batch on the brewery's pilot kit; take home 60 bottles 4 weeks later.
Head brewer
Founded the brewery in 2004 after a Scottish & Newcastle career. The brewery's still owner-operated; Steve is hands-on with the recipes and the cask programme.
Approach: Cask-first traditional Scottish brewing with modern care. New equipment, old thinking on yeast and conditioning.
Timeline
- 2004Founded by Steve Stewart in Loanhead.
- 2009Edinburgh Gold launches — becomes a regional cask staple.
- 2014Move to current Loanhead facility, 10× the capacity.
- 2017Craft Beer Kitchen visitor centre opens at the brewery.
- 2022Hollyrood Pale wins SIBA Scotland gold.
Awards
- SIBA Scotland Gold (Hollyrood Pale)2022
- Scottish Beer Awards — Cask Brewery of the Year2019
- World Beer Awards Bronze (Edinburgh Gold)2020
- The Craft Beer Kitchen Sunday roast is the under-the-radar local secret. Book ahead — Sundays sell out by Friday.
- Ask the bartender what's on the brewery-only tap. Stewart usually has one experimental cask not seen elsewhere.
- If you're driving from Edinburgh, combine with the National Mining Museum 2 miles away — half-day trip.
- Stewart cask quality varies by pub — the brewery's own tap room is always the cleanest pour. Go to the source if you want the platonic Edinburgh Gold.
Where to eat nearby
Burgers, sharing boards, Sunday roast. Full Stewart range on tap.
Newbattle craft-and-traditional pub with Stewart on cask.
Best time to visit
Friday evening or Sunday afternoon — the tap room is at its best with a full schedule and the kitchen running. Avoid Thursday afternoons (quieter but limited food).
Weather: Indoor tap room with brewery views through glass. Weather doesn't affect the visit.
Stewart Brewing FAQ
+Where is Stewart Brewing?
10 Dryden Road, Bilston Glen Industrial Estate, Loanhead, EH20 9LZ — about 20 minutes south of Edinburgh city centre.
+Can I visit?
Yes — the Craft Beer Kitchen tap room is open Thursday to Sunday with a full kitchen. Brewery tours run Saturdays and need booking ahead.
+Is Stewart in Tesco?
Yes — Hollyrood Pale and Edinburgh Gold cans are reliably stocked in Tesco Scotland. Morrisons carries bottles.
+What's the best Stewart beer?
Edinburgh Gold for the classic Edinburgh pub experience; Hollyrood Pale for the modern hop-forward style. Cauld Reekie if you want a smooth oatmeal stout.
+Does Stewart do cask?
Yes — Stewart is one of the strongest cask presences in Edinburgh free houses. The Edinburgh Gold and Hollyrood Pale casks are widely available.
Similar to Stewart Brewing
Where to stay near Stewart Brewing
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Stewart Brewing'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