★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ade Bro
Great choice of beers and wine. My favorite beer shop ever!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Alexandre Coates
Great local shop, very friendly staff and delicious drinks. Great selection of non-alcoholic beers as well
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Andrea Pecorelli
I had a great experience at this beer shop. My girlfriend and I came in looking for three beers as a gift for her fat...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Andrew Maudsley
Great selection and prices
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
bala
Great bottle shop with just the nicest person at the shop! Very attentive and helpful. Definitely recommend checking ...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
David pereira
Best bottle shop in Edinburgh, great selection of beers and super helpful staff. My go to for sour beer.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Emily Paul
A phenomenal selection of products that is perhaps only surpassed by how phenomenal their staff is - I went in lookin...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Gezuz Kryst
Great selection with friendly staff.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Giblet Gravy
Absolutely superb selection and even better service. I was given great recommendations that suited my needs, and the ...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Glenn Kent
Dear owner my friend and his wife were there on holiday and found me a bottle of Blantons Gold I have been wanting a ...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
joshua brimdyr
Finest and greatest depth of beers for sale in Edinburgh. The owner is super knowledgeable and helpful. There was a c...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kenny McCartney
Can't believe I've failed to give a good review of this place before. I've been frequenting this place fo...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Laura Gutiérrez
Una selección muy buena de cerveza. Nos atendió un chico muy amable detallandonos muy bien el producto a pesar de ser...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Lauren
Popped in a few nights ago for some gifts. Great customer experience, they listened to what I was looking for and cam...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Lee Traversari
Spotted on my drive to my last customer, so glad I spotted it. By far one of the best bottle shops I've had the p...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Mark Muir
The Beerhive is simply the best,very friendly knowledgeable staff,always have an extensive range of beers.🍻
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Michael Zenkl
Excellent selection, very kind and knowledgeable co-owner! Thank you, I walked out with 8 exceptional bottles of wine!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
New Fads
Great guys, amazing selection and super knowledgeable! The best.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Owen Frost
Our local bottle shop!Absolutely top service everytime we go in! Team are always so friendly and knowledgeable.Always...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Rachel Wade
Always a pleasure to visit, a real asset to the community, we would be lost without Team Beerhive! Helpful, friendly ...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ross Cooper
Great little beer and wine place
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ross Fraser
Huge selection of quality beers and an execllent local delivery service. I ordered on Thursday night and had the beer...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ryan Collman
Been buying beer from Peter and Richard for nearly 8 years now. Definitely the best beer shop in town.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Seoridh Fraser
Excellent selection across a broad range of price points and styles and thats just the wine. The Beerhive has been ah...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Sian Buchan
excellent wee shop with great staff and wonderful selection - lots of stuff that isn't beer too, picked up a few ...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Steven Halkett
Awesome bottle shop. Totally out of my way but I will return many times
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Stig E
Meget godt utvalg i ØL
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Tara M
Great selection and service with a smile! I was really pleased with their delivery options and frequency. I am cancel...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Tom Hutchinson
An obviously great passion project bottle shop which I'm embarrassed it took me so long to visit. Great selection...
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Zera Esham
Great place for exciting craft beers with an excellent wine selection as well. The staff are knowledgeable and friend...

Collection: Stouts and Porters

For years, people have argued about where porter ends and stout begins. Most breweries don't worry too much about the answer, and neither do we. If it's dark and well made, it belongs here.

Stouts and porters are among the most historic and influential styles in brewing, built around roasted malt, dark grain character and layered complexity. Originating in Britain before evolving through Irish brewing and modern craft beer culture, these dark beer styles now cover everything from crisp dry stout and smooth porter to barrel-aged imperial stout and heavily adjunct-driven modern releases.

Porter emerged in London during the 18th century as one of the world’s first mass-produced beer styles, while stout originally developed as a stronger version of porter before eventually becoming a distinct category in its own right. Today the line between the two styles is often blurred, with breweries using both names across a wide range of dark beer interpretations.

Our stouts and porters range focuses on flavour-forward breweries producing everything from traditional dry stout and robust porter to pastry stout, Baltic porter and imperial stout from the UK, Europe and the US. Alongside classic examples, the collection also includes barrel-aged releases, coffee stout, oatmeal stout and modern dark beer brewed with cacao, vanilla and other adjuncts.

Expect flavours of espresso, dark chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, smoke and dried fruit alongside beers that range from smooth and sessionable to rich, warming and highly complex. Whether you prefer classic pub-style stout, silky porter or bold imperial stout designed for slow drinking and cellaring, stouts and porters remain some of the most rewarding styles in modern beer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are stouts and porters?

Stouts and porters are dark styles of beer known for roasted malt flavours, often featuring notes of chocolate, coffee, caramel and toasted bread.

What is the difference between a stout and a porter?

Stouts are typically more roasted, bolder and often slightly more bitter, while porters are usually smoother, softer and more chocolate and caramel-forward in flavour.

Which came first, stout or porter?

Porter came first, originating in London in the 1700s, and stout developed later as a stronger version of porter.

Why are stouts and porters dark?

They are brewed using darker, heavily roasted malts (and sometimes roasted barley), which give them their deep colour and rich flavour.

What does a stout taste like?

Stouts often taste rich and roasty with flavours of espresso, dark chocolate, cocoa and sometimes a slightly bitter finish.

What does a porter taste like?

Porters tend to be smoother and slightly sweeter than stouts, with flavours of milk chocolate, toffee, caramel and light roast.

Are stouts always stronger than porters?

Not always. Strength varies by brewery and style, although some stouts (like imperial stouts) are significantly stronger than most porters.

Are stouts and porters bitter?

They can be, but bitterness is usually balanced by malt sweetness. Stouts tend to have more roasted bitterness, while porters are generally softer.