The Bowsing Ken

Belhaven Brewery :
     Belhaven Scottish Ale

  Here's the problem: A certain brand of beer gets imported to North America on a seemingly limited basis. You find one four-pack on the shelves, and that's all you can get. The manager says he doesn't know when, or if, he will ever get anymore in. The trouble is this is a darn good beer, one that you would like to keep in your fridge on a regular basis. So, other than jetting across the pond - to Scotland in this case - this may be your one and only experience with a fine, tasty ale. Thus was my introduction to Belhaven Scottish Ale.
  A few months back - January 2017 - I found myself in Las Vegas, Nevada, and since this was not my normal stomping grounds, I searched out several package stores to see if they stocked anything interesting, something I can't find in my local area. I found one four-pack of Belhaven Scottish Ale. Now, I have heard of the Belhaven brewery before, but have never seen any of their offerings over on this side of the Atlantic. But, that's all I could find - one four-pack. And, "no," said the manager, there was no more in the back. Darn! So, I bought the four-pack, came home and drank it. A darn good ale, to be sure.

The village of Belhaven, which has always been associated with the larger town of Dunbar, is located in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the shores of Belhaven Bay. The name Belhaven is one of those rather ancient names that, depending on the source, has a few different meanings, ranging from "Safe Harbor," "Safe Shelter," "Sheltered Water," or according to the folks at the Belhaven Brewery, "Beautiful Harbor."  All seem quite apt.
  Local lore has it that the brewing of beer in the vicinity of Belhaven has been going on for 900 or so years. Actual records chronicling beer production date back to around the mid-1500s. As for the Belhaven Brewery there are a couple different versions of how the brewery began. Common to both is the date - 1719 - and the founder - a local famer by the name of John Johnstone. The official story is that Johnstone founded his brewery from scratch, while an alternate version has him buying an existing brewery, although the name of this brewery is not known. In any case, the year 1719 is accepted in both versions as the date the Belhaven Brewery was founded. This date makes the Belhaven Brewery the oldest operating brewery in Scotland.

  The location of the brewery is quite fortuitous, being in an area of extensive grain production, as well a having a plentiful source of water right from a well on the brewery grounds. The ale brewed at Belhaven was highly regarded. A passage in the book "The History of Dunbar," by James Downie, 1859, notes: "A brewery [in Belhaven} has long been established here. Brewing is carried on to a considerable extent, and the ale is famed." Being in an area of rich grain farming, a natural adjunct to the business of brewing beer was Belhaven's large malting house, that supplied maltings for not only it own production, but also to several local brewers and whisky distillers. This sideline, however, is no longer in operation.
 The Belhaven brewery stayed in the family for nearly 250 years, before being sold, first in 1972 to a hotel conglomerate, and then in 2005 to the Greene King group of pubs and breweries. Today, Belhaven produces a number a beers corresponding to a number of different styles, including cask conditioned ales. By most accounts, Belhaven has been increasing its exports to North America, although in my area I have yet to find any. I will, however, keep my eye out for more, and report back.

Well, now that you have a map, why not stop by the brewery. Find out more - click HERE. Cheers!