One of the first mentions of a public brewery in Scotland dates from 1488. It states that James IV called at Blackford in Perthshire on his way back from his Coronation at Scone Palace to purchase a barrel of ale. The barrel cost him twelve Scots shillings.

A century later, though domestic brewing still dominated the scene, Scottish public breweries had arrived with a definite business structure and a number of regional societies set up to exercise standard control and co-ordination of supplies.

Public breweries at this point existed mainly in the larger towns and industrial centres, where a growing workforce - unable to make beer for themselves - provided a constant demand.

Beer city
By 1700 Glasgow supported 14 established breweries. And by 1800 it was estimated that there was one Inn for every 130 people!

In fact, by the late 18th century, there were so many pubs in the city, that hanging signs had to be removed because they were darkening the streets!

With the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s and the urban population explosion that followed, public breweries in Scotland found a firm foothold. Particularly as without proper sewers, many cities did not have water supplies that were fit to drink.

Many of Scotland's most famous public brewing firms emerged at this time:

1710 - Archibald Campbell, Edinburgh
1740 - Hugh and Robert Tennent, Glasgow
1749 - William Younger, Edinburgh
1762 - George Younger, Alloa

By the middle of the 19th Century smaller towns found themselves able to support more substantial breweries. These 'Country Breweries' served local markets with distinctive beers that suited particular regional tastes. By 1841, 1,085 Brewers and 498 Maltsters were officially registered in Scotland!

There is no doubt that technical and scientific improvements had a phenomenal effect on large scale brewing in Scotland, particularly in the latter half of the 1800s. With the introduction of measuring devices such as thermometers, hydrometers and saccharometers, massive quantities of beer could be produced to consistent quality. Old wooden containers were replaced by cast-iron mash tuns and new mixing devices were incorporated, paving the way for the golden age of Scottish brewing.