Scalloway Hotel, Scalloway, Shetland

Our northernmost Good Beer Guide entry - and a Big Tick for me! This is a cosy, traditional bar with harbour views. Comfy red fabric banquettes, chunky square wood tables, wall mounted uplighters and red carpet for a warm feel (an absolute must on a wet and windy evening!). Lerwick Azure on cask was available and a mightily well-kept pint it was too. Also Swannay and Lerwick bottles in the fridge. Friendly guv’nor and local who we got chatting to. A real treat in the ale desert of Zetland, and anyone visiting these isles absolutely must make an effort to get out here. Well done to the owners.

The Scalloway Hotel includes a bar that is open to and frequented by locals as well as hotel guests. The current owners have put a lot of work into developing the hotel and the bar has been well included in that. It is a warm and welcoming space with a great selection of beers, wines, gins and whiskys. The staff are well trained and courteous. Patrons can order bar meals from the excellent restaurant that sits adjacent to the bar. (As mentioned in another review, it is not entirely true to say that the hotel and Kiln are the only drinking options in Scalloway. There are two members clubs (The Scalloway Boating Club and Scalloway branch of the Royal British Legion) that are open to non-members.)

One of only two drinking options in Shetland’s old capital, Scalloway, this has the look of a typical hotel bar, but with locals and tourists drinking in it as well as guests, it has the atmosphere of a village pub. The lounge style bar has padded seating, low level music and two TVs, although neither was switched on. Food is served in the bar and some people were eating there despite the fact that there is a separate restaurant just across the corridor. For draught beer, there is Tennent’s lager (at £3.30 a pint), Carling lager, McEwan’s Export, Caledonia Best, Guinness and Stella Artois. Strongbow cider is also on tap. There is also a vast range of other drinks, including 17 gins, 7 rums, 4 vodkas, 9 brandies, 10 ports, 15 liqueurs and around 50 whiskies, both single malts and blends.