Lerwick Brewery, Ladies Dr, Lerwick, Shetland

History

The Mercer brothers are all born and bred in Shetland. After working together for 20 years in their family business providing gas services to the Shetland Isles, they were looking for a new challenge. In 2013, they decided to focus on making the most of what they had around them in Shetland: the fresh, pure water, a unique climate which is consistent throughout the year with cooler summers and mild winters providing a good ambient temperature. All these elements, plus a passion for beer pointed towards one thing, brewing delicious beer. The brothers set up their brewery in Lerwick, the most northerly and remote brewery in the British Isles.

The Beer

They have a great range of beers coming from Lerwick Brewery. There is something for every type of beer lover from the Lerwick IPA that takes a traditional style of beer brewed with modern techniques to produce an IPA packed with fruity flavours to the Tushkar Oatmeal Stout, a smooth and sweet stour with notes of chocolate and coffee. I personally love their 60° North Golden Pilsener Style lager if you fancy something not as packed with flavour.

Interesting fact A lot of people from this part of Scotland see themselves as just as much Nordic as they do Scottish. Scots words like bairn (child), midden (dump), muckle (large) and even kilt (from the verb kjalta, meaning “to fold”) are derived from Old Norse. Places like Dingwall, Wick, Lerwick and Tinwald can all trace their etymology back to the same source.

Why Visit?

The brewery here is fully set up for visitors which will give you a great insight into their ethos and production methods. The brewery is opened Monday to Friday and most weekends for visitors but I would call ahead to book a space because, for most of us, it’s a long way to come to be told they are full. They offer a standard tour for £15 which lasts about an hour and a more in-depth A Deep Dive into Beer for £25. On the tour you will learn about brewing history. Their experienced brewers will take you through the ingredients, equipment and processes required to make ales and lagers in a craft brewery before being taken through their process. Like every great tour you will finish in the bar where you will sample their award-winning beers.