History Beer in Scotland

edinburgh ale, 1844, hill & adamson. perhaps earliest photograph of men drinking beer

the use of bittering herbs such heather, myrtle, , broom flavour , preserve beer continued longer in remote parts of scotland in rest of uk. thomas pennant wrote in tour in scotland (1769) on island of islay ale made of young tops of heath, mixing two-thirds of plant 1 of malt, adding hops . though, in rest of britain, hops had replaced herbs in scotland end of 19th century, celtic tradition of using bittering herbs revived in brittany, france during 1990 brasserie lancelot, , in scotland williams brothers 2 years later.

even though ancient brewing techniques , ingredients remained in use later in scotland in rest of uk, general pattern of development same, brewing in hands of broustaris , or alewives, , monasteries, throughout europe; though, brewing ingredients, trend developments move more slowly. leges quatuor burgorum, code of burgh laws, showed in 1509 aberdeen had on 150 brewers – women; , compares figures london show of 290 brewers, around 40% men. after reformation in 1560s commercial brewing started become more organised, shown formation in 1598 of edinburgh society of brewers – though london had formed brewers guild on 250 years earlier in 1342.

however, after acts of union 1707, new commercial opportunities emerged proved substantial stimulus scottish brewers. tax on beer lower in other parts of united kingdom, , there no tax on malt in scotland – gave scottish brewers financial advantage. during 18th century of best-remembered names in scottish brewing established themselves, such william younger in edinburgh, robert & hugh tennent in glasgow, , george younger in alloa. in dunbar in 1719, example, dudgeon & company s belhaven brewery founded. scottish brewers, in edinburgh, rival biggest brewers in world.

an edinburgh brewer s ipa label

while has long been assumed various reasons scottish brewers made little use of hops, available information brewing , trade records show brewers in edinburgh used hops as english brewers, , strong, hoppy ale hodgeson exporting india , became known ipa, copied , brewed in edinburgh in 1821, year before allsopp believed have first brewed in burton. robert disher s brewery in canongate area of edinburgh had such success hoppy edinburgh pale ale other edinburgh brewers followed, exporting strong, hoppy scottish beer throughout british empire, , russia , america. beer historians charles mcmaster , martyn cornell have both shown sales figures of edinburgh s breweries rivalled of dublin , burton upon trent.

charles mcmaster, leading historian of scottish brewing industry according roger protz, believes hard water of edinburgh particularly suitable brewing of pale ale – water wells on charmed circle of holyrood through canongate, cowgate, grassmarket , fountainbridge; , due quality of water, brewer robert disher able launch hoppy edinburgh pale ale in 1821. while martyn cornell in beer: story of pint, shows when brewers of burton in late 19th century exporting hoppy burton ales in form of india pale ale, william mcewan , william younger breweries. when burton brewers exported strong malty burton ales, did edinburgh brewers, under name scotch ale. edinburgh brewers had large , well-respected export trade british colonies rivalling of burton brewers. mid-19th century edinburgh had forty breweries , acknowledged 1 of foremost brewing centres in world .

pub on edinburgh s royal mile

some writers, such pete brown in man walks pub, believe beer brewed in scotland developed different beer brewed in england. belief hops used sparingly, , shilling designation uniquely scottish. however, dr john harrison in old british beers gave recipe english brewery brakspear s 1865 50/- pale ale in 1.8 oz of hops used per imperial gallon (11 grams per litre), along scottish brewery w. younger s 1896 ale no 3 (pale) uses 1.8 oz of hops per imperial gallon. these both indicate there no difference in use of hops, everyday domestic beers, , shilling designation used in other parts of british isles.