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The best of Edinburgh’s craft beer pubs
Scotland has a long and rich brewing heritage – with brewing in Scotland dating back at least 5,000 years. This love of beer is still apparent today through Edinburgh’s wide array of excellent pubs and bars devoted to craft beers. A cocktail or wee dram of whisky is all well and good but sometimes a simple, cool pint of good quality beer is all you need.
With summer in full swing (officially, at least), here is a selection of great bars that offer a diverse beer collection – perfect to refresh your taste buds on a warm summer’s day during the Edinburgh’s festival period.
Bow Bar - 80 West Bow
Located in Old Town on Bow street, Bow Bar is a beautiful old timey pub, clad in mahogany. It is a time warp back to an old Edinburgh style pub – in a good way! This establishment is a genuine all rounder with more than a few strings to its bow. Recently winning the title of Dram Magazine’s Whisky Bar Of The Year, it is also home to a huge selection of bottled beers and beers on tap for those who prefer a pint. With 50 international bottled beers, 8 cask conditioned ales and 6 keg beers to choose from, you will never be short of choice at Bow Bar. In addition to the huge selection of homegrown options, there are also Scandinavian, American and European specials to choose from.
Luckily Bow Bar also runs a series of mini beer festivals throughout the year so there is ample opportunity to work your way through the full drinks menu. This year’s summer festival starts on the 19th of July and is not to be missed. Just keep your fingers crossed for some good weather.
Jeremiah’s Tap Room – 7-8 Elm Row
A 20 minute walk from Quartermile in Edinburgh Old Town, lies Jeremiah's Tap Room. If you want to sample the best of Scottish beers and revel in the country’s beer making prowess in the comfort of a decked out, new-age beer bar, Jeremiah’s tap room is the haunt for you. These passionate beer advocates stock the best of Scottish microbreweries alongside a few more established names such as Black Isle, William Bros, Harviestoun, and Pilot. To round things off, Jeremiah’s has a five craft-keg and three cask lines, not to mention a few bottled beers thrown in for luck.
If you find yourself hard-pressed to make a decision, the friendly and passionate staff are always happy to run you through the right choice for you.
Hanging Bat – 133 Lothian Road
Described aptly by a trip advisor reviewer as ‘beer heaven’, there is little more that needs to be said about the Hanging Bat. Their selection of beer is nothing more than exhaustive, able to please the most picky of beer lovers. And just a ten-minute walk from Quartermile, it is the perfect evening stroll away from your luxury apartment.
With 20 keg and cask taps, and a bottled selection boasting over 100 beers, it is the ultimate craft beer joint. Just sit back and relax in their cosy, wooden clad decor – a throwback to the speakeasy or old taverns of the roaring twenties. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the incredible choice, customers are always encouraged to ask for a cheeky sample.
There is even a tiny brewing station setup on site – known as the Alpha project – that sometimes produces beers for the bar.
With plenty more bars and pubs around Edinburgh, this list barely scratches the surface of what the Scottish capital has to offer. But you’ll be glad to hear that from the comfort of a Quartermile apartment, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore your fair share of hidden gems.
Want to find out more about Quartermile? Why not take a closer look at the apartments now.