Under New Management, Really.

Location of Origin: 42a Slateford Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH11 1PH, Scotland, United Kingdom
Date Established: 1869
Category: Subsidiary, Regional Brewery Operating as a wholly owned, Independent Unit of Scottish and Newcastle (a Subsidiary of Heineken International), with National and moderate International Distribution.

Scotland's brewing industry has never had it easy. Facing political and economic pressures domestically and internationally, breweries in Scotland have come and go like the vacant retail building in the center of town that can't seem to ever hold on to tenants. By the time the Caledonian Brewery was founded in Scotland's capital city in 1869, there were over four dozen brewerie making beer for the rest of the Kingdom. But as financial troubles, a prohibition movement, and hostile takeovers by big players from abroad, started whittling away at the once prominent source of Scottish pride, things looked bleak (as they have been many times before), and by long before the time the Caledonian Brewery was purchased by Scottish and Newcastle in 2004, it was the only remaining Edinburgian brewery from the 19th century still operating. The brewery almost closed its doors completely in 1987, after the brewery stopped producing in Edinburgh in an effort to reduce costs. But the company was still threatened by a lack of prospective investors and complete physical neglect. In 1987, management was bought out and the brewery turned itself around soon, returning to Edinburgh not too long after. Four years after the 2004 purchase, S&N was taken over by Heineken International, who took full control of all of the breweries from S&N's portfolio. Today, the brewery still operates in Scotland's second largest city and conducts business as an independent unit of Heineken, staying true to their Scottish heritage and brewing recipes. The brands have been unaffected as well. So yes, Newcastle, McEwan's, and Caledonian are all run by the Dutch, but no, they don't taste like cheap lagers... fortunately.

Reviewed Beer from Caledonian Brewery Company Ltd


None Yet.

All rated Beer from Caledonian Brewery Company Ltd

7-25-13 - Newcastle Bombshell Blonde Ale - 2.32, Golden Ale, 4.40%
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12-28-12 - Newcastle Werewolf - 2.66, Scottish Red Ale, 4.50%
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4-13-11 - Newcastle Brown Ale - 2.75, English Brown Ale, 4.70%
This was the flagship brew of Scottish and Newcastle before it was taken over by Heineken. A lightly hopped, brown colored, fairly malty beer with a smooth, moderate bodied feel and a lighter taste. Moderate carbonation gives this a choppy pour and a crisp finish.
6-14-10 - McEwan's 80 Fine Ale - 3.75, Scottish Ale, 4.20%
First brewed in the late 1800s, this is a cask conditioned bitter which featured a medium bodied character, a moderate amount of carbonation, and a moderate foam head. The Caledonian Brewery took over the production of this ber, which was produced in quantities of about 10,000 barrels until it was retired in 2006. The beer is officially brewed by Wells & Young.