Scottish Real Ale Shop

The Scottish Real Ale Shop sits beside the Lade Inn at Kilmahog, a mile north of Callander where the A84 and A821 meet at the edge of the Trossachs. It opened in December 2006 in a converted microbrewery building next to the pub and has built a reputation as the largest stockist of bottled Scottish beer in the country.

The shelves hold well over two hundred different Scottish bottled ales drawn from more than forty microbreweries, from Shetland and Orkney down to the Borders, alongside gift packs, branded glassware and other merchandise. The range turns over with the small breweries’ seasonal output, so the selection rewards repeat visits, and the staff are used to helping visitors put together a mixed case to take home. The shop also sells the Lade Inn’s own three house ales, brewed for the pub: WayLade, a fruity blonde; LadeBack, a sweet brown ale; and LadeOut, a darker chocolate-tinged ale, all available bottle-conditioned.

The shop runs informal tastings on summer weekends and hosts an annual beer festival over a fortnight from the last weekend of August, when the Lade Inn’s bar and garden fill out for the occasion. For anyone touring the Trossachs with an interest in Scottish brewing, it is an easy and well-stocked stop. The Lade Inn, Kilmahog, Callander, FK17 8HD. Opening hours and festival dates by phone on 01877 330152 or via the Scottish Real Ales website.