PRIMARY FLAVOURS

• Oat Biscuits
• Honey
• Malt
• Lemon Zest

Story

Hidden in the buzzing, creative heart of Leith, Edinburgh, Pilot Brewery stands tall as one of Scotland’s most playful, daring, and downright irreverent craft beer makers.

Born in 2013 thanks to two beer-obsessed former scientists, Matt Johnson and Patrick Jones, Pilot sprang from a simple but noble mission: brew exceptional, flavour-crammed beer without the pomp, pretence, or needless waffle. These lads swapped lab coats for brew kettles and never looked back, marrying scientific precision with gleeful experimentation that fizzes through every pint they produce. From their modest-but-mighty brewhouse, they’ve cultivated a cult following with bold, creative, and cheekily offbeat brews that refuse to be boring.

Pilot’s range is a joyful jumble of styles, from crisp, refreshing lagers to lactose-laden curveballs, all brewed unfined, vegan-friendly, and unapologetically fun. Their small-batch releases are legendary for pushing boundaries (Peach Melba Sour, anyone? Or maybe a Mochaccino Stout?), while their trusty core favourites keep thirsty fans loyally coming back for more.

And while Pilot don’t run a taproom of their own, you’ll spot them pouring pints at some of Scotland’s finest craft beer hangouts, and often beyond. Expect collaborations, takeovers, and mischievous limited-edition drops appearing like hops in spring, each one designed to surprise, delight, and raise a grin as big as the head on your pint.

For this month, we are showcasing a very limited release which ties very aptly into the annual beer celebration of all things German! Their 'Festbier' is a truly outstanding lager which also packs a hell of a punch! Utilising Scottish and German malts with European noble hops, this brew is golden, full-bodied, super crisp and utterly delicious. Prost!

Specs

PAIRING GUIDE

The brewing team at Pilot certainly know their way around a classic Helles beer, and this limited release Oktoberfest creation is right up there with their best. It packs in plenty of that classic Munich character we know and love so well, and it’s a real winner when it comes to food pairing with timeless beer snacks and all kinds of tasty treats. You could keep things traditional with bratwurst sausages (or a currywurst, if you want to really dial things up!) and pretzels, but we reckon this one is best with creamy pasta dishes, smoked pork recipes and ripe cheeses like camembert and brie.

RECIPE MATCHES

• Creamy Corn Farfalle