John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room, John O'Groats

Brewery, off licence and cafe.

A team of three friends, Allan, Simon and John joined forces with the owner of Seaview Hotel, Andrew, to produce a core range of four beers, occasional seasonal and 'specials', supplying local outlets with both cask and bottled beers.

John O'Groats brewery started with a four barrel kit in the old JoG fire station, opposite the Seaview Hotel in 2015, relocating to "The Last House", near the harbour in 2019 opening in May 2021, post lockdown, as a brewery, cafe/shop and visitor center.

The brewery is a "shiny new" three barrel kit and self-guided tours are available.

The shop has shelves stocked with bottled beers, including cider.

The Pentland Firth, between the mainland and Orkney, has some of the strongest tidal flows around the UK, creating standing waves, whirlpools which some of the beers are named after, including Swelkie.

Next to the entrance to the visitors centre is a (hard to miss) fog horn and an archway of the North end of the 'John O'Groats trail', a long distance (146 mile / 235 km) route which forms an element of Scotland's Long Distance Walking Routes, ending in Inverness.

To the East, the short drive to the lighthouse at Duncansby and easy walk to the iconic sea stacks is a must.

[Update 10th July 2023: In addition to the usual John O'Groats Brewery stalwarts - yesterday Liddle Eddy and Swelkie - and the guest real cider there is now also a lager tap and an Orkney guest beer, usually either Raven or Red McGregor.]