Yikes Brew Co

Before brewing beer, the people behind Yikes were making soda. That turns out to explain quite a lot.

Based near Edinburgh, the brewery grew out of Roots Soda Co and quickly developed a reputation for heavily fruited sours, modern IPAs and beers that borrow ideas from soft drinks without feeling gimmicky. The original plan was apparently to bring soda-inspired flavours into brewing, which sounds slightly risky until you actually taste the results.

Fruit remains a major part of the brewery’s identity. Orange soda sours, bright berry-heavy releases and juicy modern styles appear regularly throughout the range. Alongside the playful side there is a noticeable understanding of balance. The beers generally avoid becoming overly sweet or chaotic, which is not always guaranteed once large quantities of fruit enter the brewery.

Hop-forward beers also play an important role, particularly hazy IPAs built around citrus, tropical fruit and soft texture. Across the board there is a sense that flavour comes first and style guidelines arrive considerably later.

Modern craft beer occasionally benefits from breweries willing to have a bit of fun. Yikes manages that without forgetting to make very good beer.