Up Front Brewing

Up Front Brewing started life as a one-man nomadic brewery in Glasgow before eventually settling into its own production space in Strathaven. Founded by brewer Jake Griffin, the project quickly built a reputation for doing things slightly differently, which is often a good sign in modern brewing.

The range has always felt broader than the standard pale ale production line many small breweries drift towards. Hop-forward beers appear regularly, but so do stronger stouts, experimental projects and occasional collaborations that lean into unusual ingredients and longer ageing. Releases like Volodymyr showed a willingness to explore rich, barrel-aged territory without losing sight of balance.

There is a slightly independent-minded quality running through the brewery. Even as the operation has grown, the beers still feel driven by curiosity rather than trends. Nothing seems especially interested in following whatever style happens to be dominating social media that month.

Scotland has no shortage of excellent modern breweries, but Up Front has carved out a space that feels distinctly its own. Thoughtful brewing, strong local roots and enough variety to keep things interesting.