Edinburgh: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Edinburgh boasts a unique brewing heritage that’s often overshadowed by Scotland’s whiskies. This small-group tour throws the spotlight on the capital’s now-resurgent beer scene, with visits to several top pubs and beer bars. Stroll the Royal Mile and discover Old Town highlights as you learn how Edinburgh was once the world’s leading bottled beer exporter. As you go, stop for a range of tastings, and learn the stories behind each brew.
- This small-group tour offers a more personalized way to explore
- Learn about Edinburgh’s brewing heritage and thriving beer scene
- Discover the best of the Old Town on this two-in-one walking tour
- All beer tastings are included in the tour cost
What's Included
- Alcoholic Beverages6 beer tastings and a half pint of cask ale
- Local Pub Guide (Digital or Printed)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 26 St Giles' St, Edinburgh EH1 1PT, UK
Meet your host outside 26 St Giles' Street in the Old Town. This is the last door on the street next to the railings at the top of the steps. Lost? Late? Reply to the SMS you received the morning of your tour.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Edinburgh Old Town
1 minute • Admission Ticket Free
2
Canongate
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Cowgate
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
McEwan Hall (Pass By)
University of Edinburgh (Pass By)
Grassmarket (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Iain our tour guide was full of historical facts and helpful tips. We had a blast, bouncing around a few hidden gems of pubs and had a sampling of some very interesting & spectacular beers. My husband was very excited to sample quite a few cask beers, which he was in pursuit of and having difficulty finding in London- he was so glad to find them in Scotland!!
Reviews
4.9
based on 313 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
29 reviews
Select a theme to learn more
Travelers appreciate the wide variety and quality of beers offered, valuing the chance to sample unique and rare brews. Guides receive consistent praise for their extensive knowledge of Edinburgh’s history and beer culture, providing engaging, informative, and humorous commentary. Their friendly and enthusiastic approach enhances the cultural experience, making the tour both educational and enjoyable.
Was this helpful?
Traveler reviews summarised by AI
Sort by: Most insightful
Loads of information about Edinburgh. It’s history and the difference between Bar and Pubs. Iain cratered to tour to us and what we were interested in. Real cast beer, very informative and fun. I would highly recommend to everyone. When booking, ask for Iain.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you, KayDee_H, for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled you enjoyed the informative and fun tour tailored to your interests. Your kind words about Iain are deeply appreciated, and we're delighted you had a great experience.
Great walking tour with history and tasty beers! All of the pubs we visited were friendly and our guide, Mhairi, was fun and easy to talk to.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Leeann! We're thrilled you had an enjoyable time on the tour and appreciated Mhairi's guidance and the delicious beers. We hope to see you again for another great adventure!
Iain was a fantastic guide with great knowledge. We were disappointed in the pub selections...I guess we were hoping for more of the older pubs.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi James - glad you enjoyed your time with James and sorry to hear we didn't meet your expectations with pub choices. Our tour shares the story of brewing and pubs in Edinburgh - past and present - including the craft beer and independent craft beer bars.
Small group. Great tour leader with knowledge and experience. The stories and history were fun. Interesting and unique assortment of beers. At each pub you got to taste a preselected variety, pick the one you liked most, and get about a half pint to savor, which was plenty. I nice experience that I would recommend.
We enjoyed this tour with Iain. He was very informed about Scottish history and the beers we were tasting, and he took us to some great pubs. We enjoyed it so much that our entire group, including Iain, went pub hopping together after the tour was done.
Tom was a very knowledgeable and engaging guide. He had great information to share about the history of Edinburgh, beer brewed there and quirky facts. We were very lucky to have a small group. Overall would highly recommend Tom as a guide.
Our tour guide, Tom, was extremely knowledgeable about the city and especially about beer. I’m not an avid beer drinker but I learned a lot and Tom’s passion for the process made me even more interested! Would definitely recommend for those who like beer or are at least open to trying some new flavors and spots off the beaten path!
Great way to experience some beers in Scotland and compare them to where I’m from (Canada!). Both tour guides were very knowledgeable and engaging.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Thomas, for your kind words! We're delighted that you enjoyed the tour and appreciated Iain's guidance. It's wonderful to hear you could compare Scottish beers to those in Canada!
This was a great pub tour with a light version of Scottish history mixed in. Tom was a great story teller and also did a great job of expand9ng everyone's beer horizons. I think this tour is great even in addition to any other historical tour you might take!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Maria, for sharing your wonderful experience! We're delighted that Tom's storytelling and beer knowledge made the tour extra special for you. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on future adventures!
Tom was great! He’s very friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. The walk wasn’t strenuous at all and Tom really tried to find something that everyone in the group would like. I ended up liking a few beer even though I’m not a big drinker (went on the tour for my partner). Would definitely recommend the tour & especially Tom. He also gave us some great recs for food, pubs, and things to do in Edinburgh (and around Scotland).
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Ngoc, for sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and Tom’s guidance. Your recommendation means a lot, and we’re thrilled you discovered new favourites. We hope to welcome you again soon!
Tom is an excellent guide through the pubs and has a great way of explaining the intricate history of Edinburgh while keeping his talks interesting and humorous. You can tell he loves his city. I enjoyed my pub night out very much.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Jeff, for your kind words! We're thrilled that you enjoyed your pub night out with Tom and found his guidance both entertaining and informative. It's fantastic to hear about your positive experience exploring Edinburgh with us.
I had a lovely time walking with Ian and the small group. Ian shared some of the history of Edinburgh and international beer making in an interesting way. The three pubs we went to were off the beaten path a bit and Ian picked different, interesting beers for us to try. I especially enjoyed trying the cask beers which are more rare where I’m from.
Great way to spend an evening, and worth the ticket cost.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Morgan, for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed the tour with Ian, exploring Edinburgh's history and unique beers. It’s wonderful to hear you appreciated the cask selections and the curated pub choices.
Small group was nice but very limited tasting of too many ciders and not enough beer. The history was interesting but it seemed that the pubs we went to were not the oldest or had anything significant historically. It seems like the pubs were chose for some other reason and were nothing special. Lots of walking, which was fine, but we passed older more impressive pubs to get to some off the normal routes. Samples were tiny. Literally a shot or two of beer in flights.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Jean. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. The tour shares the story of Edinburgh through brewing, distilling and pubs from the medieval period right up to today. Pubs visited are traditional (your first pub), historic (your second pub on the site of an old brewery and third pub which has been operating since the 1600s). I'll check in with your host so the historic significance of the pubs is more clearly shared. We adjust tastings to suit preferences in the group and typically include one cask cider. The focus of the tour is trying lots of different styles in the first two pubs with a drink of your choice in the final pub. We find most guests enjoy the variety. I'll check with your host that the option to have larger pours of fewer beers is being offered at the start of the tour. Our tour isn't a pub crawl so isn't the right fit for those looking to drink lots.
You visit some pubs and on the way from pub to pub you learn something about the history. In every pub you can Taste 3 or 4 different Beers.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Silke, for sharing your experience! We're thrilled you enjoyed the mix of history and beer tastings during the pub visits. It’s fantastic to hear you found the experience memorable and enriching.
Incredible afternoon with Iain checking out beers and learning some history about the area and legacy of brewing
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Edward! We're thrilled you had an incredible afternoon with Iain exploring beers and discovering the brewing history. Your experience truly captures the essence of what we aim to provide.
Guide was informative and fun. I learned a lot about the towns history and about beer. The beer we tasted was good.
Response from Host, May 2026
We're glad you enjoyed the informative guide and the historical and beer-tasting experience. Your feedback highlights what we strive to offer!
I highly recommend this experience to everyone. Iain was an excellent guide. As we walked between the pubs, he constantly shared fascinating insights about Scotland’s history and the beer-making process, which made the tour both enjoyable and informative. We visited three different bars and had three beer tastings at each stop, and the atmosphere in every place was warm and welcoming. Since I don’t drink beer, Iain was incredibly thoughtful and kindly offered me cider instead, which I really appreciated. His friendliness, knowledge, and enthusiasm made the whole experience even more memorable, and it was a fantastic way to explore the local culture.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Zylfije, for highlighting your enjoyable experience with us! We're delighted to hear Ian made the tour informative, accommodating, and memorable. Exploring local culture in such depth is our goal, and we're glad you had fun!
Wonderful educational and enjoyable Edinburgh pub tour experience spent with terrific guide Christy. Toured 3 wonderful pubs, tasted excellent, varied beers while learning about the amazing history of beer in Edinburgh and how it fits into the rich history of fascinating Edinburgh
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Susan, for sharing your experience! We're thrilled that you enjoyed exploring Edinburgh's pubs and learning about the city's rich history. Christy surely knows how to make it memorable. We hope to welcome you back soon!
Ian was a great guide! He was kind & knowledgeable and showed us some of the best beers Scotland has to offer.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Leslie! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience and Ian's guidance during your beer tour. We hope to see you again for another amazing excursion!
Excellent tour with guide who knows beer , local historical pubs
Got a run down on history of beer making in England and Scotland from 1700 s upto now - pub selection was on point - answered all qs
She’s about to graduate from university and we wish her good luck !!
Must go for all travellers visiting Edinburgh
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you, Sourabh, for highlighting the expertise and charm of the tour guide. We're thrilled you enjoyed exploring the historic pubs and the captivating beer history. Wishing you many more memorable journeys ahead!
Ian was great. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Prepare to not just enjoy the selection of beers but will also learn interesting facts about the history of Edinburgh.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you, Omar! We're thrilled you enjoyed learning about Edinburgh's history alongside the beer selection. We'll share your kind words with Iain!
Wag was an exceptional guide with an incredible wealth of knowledge about beer making and its history. Could not recommend more!!
We visited 3 bars, 3+3+1 beer tasting, from a variety of old and new styles. Our guide Wag was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The bar selections were good. I felt engaged.
Christy was our tour guide for the Edinburgh beer tour which was very enjoyable. She had a vast knowledge of beer and made the experience wonderful
Fun beer and history tour! Tilly was our guide and she really knew her stuff. What a fun way to spend a few hours in Edinburgh!
Kristy is a fantastic guide and knows her stuff about beer and how it’s been processed through the years. Very personable and engaged with all in the group really well. Loved the side stories of history of Edinburgh she shared as we walked from pub to pub.
Iain our tour guide was full of historical facts and helpful tips. We had a blast, bouncing around a few hidden gems of pubs and had a sampling of some very interesting & spectacular beers. My husband was very excited to sample quite a few cask beers, which he was in pursuit of and having difficulty finding in London- he was so glad to find them in Scotland!!
Christy was a great guide. Very interesting and a great storyteller! The tour was enjoyable and we visited 3 pubs which were within easy walking distance of each other.
Our guide Ian did an amazing tour. He was clever, knowledgeable and we really got a wonderful sampling of cask ale. This tour is winner.
Nice easy stroll and beer tasting. Learned about local history. Friendly guide. Would recommend. Gets chilly at night so dress warm.
Member Pricing
From
$57.65
per personWas $60.68(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Member Pricing
Edinburgh: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting
313
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$60.68
$57.65
5% savings
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland
- National Museum of Scotland Tours & Tickets
- St. Andrews Castle Tours & Tickets
- Blackness Castle Tours & Tickets
- Iona Abbey Tours & Tickets
- Linlithgow Palace Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Chapel Tours & Tickets
- Leith Tours & Tickets
- Isle of Islay Tours & Tickets
- Forth Bridge Tours & Tickets
- Princes Street Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Castle (Roslin Castle) Tours & Tickets
- Falkland Tours & Tickets
- Edinburgh Cruise Port at Leith Tours & Tickets
- Georgian House Tours & Tickets
- St. Giles’ Cathedral Tours & Tickets
- Stirling Castle Tours & Tickets