Vault City Brewing
Vault City Brewing comes from Edinburgh and makes modern sour beers with real fruit. Steven Smith-Hay started in 2018 as a homebrewer in his own kitchen. The brewery is known for heavily fruited sours on a mixed-fermentation base, a constant stream of new releases and a few hefty stouts.
- LocationEdinburgh
- Founded2018
- TypeMicrobrewery
- Untappd 3.94 · 1.2M ratings
- At Hoptimaal4 in stock · 13 in total
In stock now 4
Previously at Hoptimaal 9
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From kitchen table to Portobello
Vault City Brewing was founded in 2018 by Steven Smith-Hay, a former IT consultant and homebrewer from Edinburgh. He started in his own kitchen and soon moved to a space of his own in Portobello, right by the sea. The name refers to the underground vaults of the city.
In the beginning he brewed batches of around 400 litres. According to the source, the brewery now produces more than a million litres a year. By its own account, it was also the first British brewery with a four-day working week without loss of pay, and it pays at least the London Living Wage.
Modern sours with real fruit
With his homebrews, Steven found a niche: heavily fruited sour beers, popular with beer fans and with people who don't normally drink beer. That style is still at the centre. The slogan is Modern Sour Beer. The base is a beer with mixed fermentation, combined with real fruit.
He describes it himself as big, fruity, approachable beers with a sweet-sour balance and the occasional ridiculous idea. The brewery releases at least six new flavours every month, alongside a core range that includes Strawberry Sundae, Cloudy Lemonade and Triple Fruited Mango. Many releases are small batches, one-offs or seasonal. Besides sours, they also make stouts.
Vault City Brewing at Hoptimaal
With us you'll mainly find sour beers from Vault City Brewing, along with a few stouts. Most come in 44 cl, a few in 33 cl. The strength ranges from 3.3 to 11 percent. Highly rated on Untappd are Stoopid Spaceshake, PUNCH: Mandarin, Mango & Pineapple, Bake-Off: Cranachan and Bake-Off: NY Cheesecake, among others. The range changes, so have a look at what's in stock right now.
Drink the fruity sours fresh and well chilled, so the fruit stays at its sharpest. According to the brewery, lighter sours work well as an aperitif, while darker, stronger beers suit a closing glass better. With the heavier stouts, take a bit more time and don't serve them ice cold.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Vault City Brewing come from?
Vault City Brewing comes from Edinburgh in Scotland. Steven Smith-Hay founded the brewery in 2018, started in his kitchen and then moved to a space of his own in Portobello.
What kind of beer does Vault City Brewing make?
Mainly modern sour beers on a mixed-fermentation base with real fruit, with a sweet-sour balance. They also make stouts.
What is the best way to drink Vault City Brewing's sour beers?
Fresh and cool, so the fruit comes through well. According to the brewery, lighter sours suit an aperitif and darker, stronger beers suit the end of the evening.
