Scotland Golf & Ale Trail

T&L Golf, Mar/Apr 2006

On the Scottish Ale Trail
From the Southern Borders up through the Highlands, follow this route to the country's historic breweries. Bring a thirst, and your clubs.

FROM T&L GOLF MAR 2006
by Tom Bedell

I have nothing against whisky, but more than enough ink has been spilled about the pleasures of sipping a wee dram after a round of golf in Scotland. Besides, Scotland's brewing history actually predates its distilling history by thousands of years, so there's no need to hide its fine ales under a bushel of barley. Archaeological evidence shows that the northern people known as the Picts were brewing a fermented heather-based ale centuries before the birth of Christ. Scottish whisky (basically distilled ale) didn't come into its own until the late eighteenth century.

This means that the fateful first shepherd to whack a stone with his crook up and down the linksland slaked his thirst not with whisky but with ale. Why do differently today? Especially with the noble traditions of Scottish brewing on the rebound after dipping to a low point in 1970, when a mere eleven breweries remained, down from a high of 280 in 1840. At last count, the number had more than tripled, to thirty-five, largely because of enterprising new microbreweries.

Because hops were next to impossible to grow in Scotland's northern climate and costly to import from England, Scottish ales tended to be brewed with a minimal amount, making them less bitter than typical English varieties. Traditional "Scotch" ale, also called Wee Heavy, is a particular style of strong Scottish ale, customarily drunk in a short-stemmed thistle-shaped glass. Scotch ales undergo a long boil in the kettle, which caramelizes the wort (the liquid drained from the barley mash), producing a malty flavor and a deep color ranging from copper to brown. They also pack a stronger punch than their English counterparts, with alcohol levels generally between 6 and 10 percent.

Or, put another way: "The beer was a lot stronger in Scotland because life was harder," says Ken Duncan, head brewer at the Inveralmond Brewery in Perth.

If Scottish breweries are hidden gems of the British Isles, so, too, are many of the golf courses situated near them— timeless layouts that might otherwise slip beneath the radar of the visiting golfer. It's possible to make marvelous golf and ale pairings on a journey that could last a week. All but one of the following breweries will gladly conduct tours and tastings; just don't expect anything too formal. As Jane Morrison of Atlas Brewery in Kinlochleven, a small village 100 miles north of Glasgow, puts it: "We ask people to phone in front"—ahead of time—"to give us a bit of warning."

Armchair travelers can at least enjoy the liquid part of this experience: With the exceptions of Atlas and Caledonian, each of the breweries listed here distributes in some volume to the United States.

BROUGHTON ALES
Broughton, Peeblesshire; 011-44/1899-830-345, www.broughtonales.co.uk
Nestled in a hill-country valley and housed in a former sheep abattoir, this pioneering microbrewery has an impressive portfolio of traditional Scottish ales. The list includes Greenmantle, Merlin's Ale, Black Douglas and Ghillie. Evening tours can be arranged for groups of ten to fifteen people—you might even wind up in the office of the brewery's managing director, enjoying a sampling of ales and a spot of Scottish meat pie.

On Tap: Try the Old Jock Ale. Named after the fighting soldiers of the Highland and Lowland regiments of the Royal Army, this is a strong brew (6.7 percent alcohol) that's bracingly sweet and deep brown in color.

On the Tee: Peebles Golf Club (www.peeblesgolfclub.co.uk), a nearby 1934 Harry Colt design, is the obvious first choice. Also try the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club (www.cardrona-hotel.co.uk), designed by Dave Thomas, the architect of the Belfry, a four-time Ryder Cup site.

TRAQUAIR HOUSE BREWERY
Innerleithen, Selkirkshire; 011-44/1896-830-323, www.traquair.co.uk
The most scenic of all the brewery stops, Traquair claims to be the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland, dating back to a.d. 950. The brewing process is so traditional here, the batches are still fermented in oak rather than the more common stainless steel. There's a small museum and brewery shop on hand, and devotees can book rooms as well. The house and gardens are reason enough to visit in peak season (Easter through late October).

On Tap: A Wee Heavy here can weigh in at 7 percent alcohol or higher. The Traquair House Ale (7.2 percent) is a definitive example—tawny, with an inviting white collar of head, a fruity nose and rich malty sweetness. A fine version of a Scotch Ale.

On the Tee: Warm up at the nine-hole Innerleithen Golf Club (011-44/1896-830-951). Then take a slight jaunt east to Kelso for a night at the Duke of Roxburghe's elegant twenty-two-room country hotel and a round at Roxburghe Golf Course (www.roxburghe.net), another Dave Thomas design.

BELHAVEN BREWERY
Dunbar, East Lothian; 011-44/1368-862-734, www.belhaven.co.uk
The name of the in-house bar, Monks Retreat, refers to Belhaven's monastic beginnings. The more "modern" brewery is modern in the way the New Course at St. Andrews is new—it dates back to 1719, making this coastal classic the oldest operating independent brewery in Scotland. It's also one of the best, although not surprisingly given its age, the quarters are a bit cramped. Visitors may find themselves stepping over hoses while the brewing goes sweetly on.

On Tap: Our favorite is the St. Andrews Ale. This 4.6 percent–alcohol brew has a nutty, fruity palate. Bottles of it are available at the Links Clubhouse bar near the second tee of the Old Course, and rightfully so: The R&A clubhouse and Swilken Bridge are proudly depicted on the label.

On the Tee: With the much-in-demand links of Muirfield, Gullane and North Berwick all within striking distance of East Lothian, perhaps it's best to try the not-so-hidden gem right in town, the Dunbar East Links (www.dunbar-golfclub.co.uk). First laid out in 1850 by Old Tom Morris, it has served as a qualifying course for the Open Championship.

CALEDONIAN BREWERY
Edinburgh; 011-44/1313-371-286, www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk
Until a microbrewery opened recently, Caledonian was the last ale maker in a once-proud Edinburgh tradition. It remains Scotland's leading producer of cask ales, still firing up all of its open kettles by direct flame and thereby pumping out a seductively potent malt perfume. However, Caledonian has been a victim of its own recent success: It's so busy producing beer that tours of the brewery were recently suspended, although this policy will be reviewed this summer. For a good whiff and a taste, the nearby Athletic Arms (known locally as Diggers, due to its proximity to a graveyard) will serve nicely.

On Tap: The Caledonian 80/- is superb. Named for the beer's former tax rate—eighty shillings, based on alcohol content—this is a smooth amber beauty with a fruity nose and malty flavor. It's also mild in alcohol (4.1 percent).

On the Tee: Edinburgh abounds with golf, but go to the course the brewery favors for its outings, Craigmillar Park (www.craigmillarpark.co.uk), a 1927 James Braid layout that, naturally, has the 80/- on tap in the bar.

INVERALMOND BREWERY
Perth, Perthshire; 011-44/1738-449-448, www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk
The brewery's warehouse setting isn't much to look at from the outside, but Inveralmond is putting some fine ales in the glass. "Our motto is: 'We drink what we can and sell the rest,'" says Ken Duncan, the head brewer. "But we actually take our mission seriously, brewing great beers for a great people, trying to give them a taste of tradition." A visitors lounge may open as early as this summer. In the meantime, Duncan says, "people are welcome to call in and have a look around. We're good for a few pints."

On Tap: Go for the Lia Fail. A dark, traditional Scottish ale (4.7 percent alcohol), this brew is satisfyingly robust. It's fittingly named after the Stone of Destiny—the coronation stone of the Kings of the Scots, taken to England in 1296 and returned seven hundred years later.

On the Tee: Only a traditional course will do, so try King James VI Golf Course, named for the last king of Scotland, who is said to have played golf in these parts. Tee times have to be carefully planned, however, because the parkland course sits on Moncrieffe Island, surrounded by two arms of the tidal River Tay.

ATLAS BREWERY
Kinlochleven, Argyllshire; 011-44/1855-831-111, www.atlasbrewery.com
Though seven hours apart, the Atlas and Orkney breweries recently merged into the Highlands & Islands company. Both breweries are quite small—the Orkney facility is run out of a former schoolhouse, while Atlas operates in a Victorian building that was once part of Kinlochleven's aluminum-smelting industry. "Our office is quite pungent at times, but I love the smell of the mash in the morning," says Jane Morrison, the customer manager at Atlas. Visitors, she says, sometimes get a chance to help with a brew cycle, "although you'd probably not want to come on a day they're just washing kegs."

On Tap: Order a round of Three Sisters Scottish Ale. At 4.2 percent alcohol, this is an excellent "session" ale, meaning that unlike more alcoholic beers it can be drunk in a rather large quantity (over conversation, say) for an extended period of time. It's ruby in color, toasty and typically malty.

On the Tee: Little-known Traigh Golf Course (www.traighgolf.co.uk), a classic seaside nine-holer, is sixty miles away in Arisaig but worth the drive. Named after the Gaelic word for beach (and pronounced "try"), the course offers views of the Inner Hebrides, including the mountains of Skye.

ORKNEY BREWERY
Quoyloo, Orkney; 011-44/1855-831-111, www.orkneybrewery.co.uk

On Tap: The Skullsplitter is a must. Named for the seventh Viking Earl of Orkney, Thorfinn Hausakluif, or Skullsplitter, who ruled in the mid-900s, this assertive ale is aptly named—it carries an alcohol content of 8.5 percent.

On the Tee: The stark beauty of the Orkney Islands lends itself to spectacularly scenic golf. Play either the Kirkwall or the Stromness course (www.golforkney.co.uk) and breathe in a lungful of the pure coastal air.