Bellfield Fire Island IPA

Bellfield Brewery has carved out a genuinely unique place in British craft beer by proving something a lot of breweries spent years getting wrong: gluten-free beer does not need to taste disappointing. Founded in Edinburgh in 2015 by friends who both have coeliac disease, Bellfield was created out of equal parts frustration and stubbornness after years of being told gluten-free beer would probably never be “as good as proper beer.” Their response was essentially to build an entire brewery dedicated to proving otherwise. Thankfully, they turned out to be extremely good at it.

Based in the Abbeyhill area of Edinburgh, Bellfield became the UK’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery and remains fully certified by Coeliac UK, with every beer also vegan-friendly. What makes the brewery especially impressive is that the beers were never designed solely for people avoiding gluten. The goal from the beginning was simply to make genuinely excellent craft beer that absolutely everyone could enjoy, whether they were coeliac, gluten intolerant or just wanted a very good pint. That approach massively shaped the brewery’s success because the beers stand up perfectly well alongside any modern craft brewery, rather than feeling like compromise drinking for people sadly staring at everyone else’s pints.

The range covers everything from crisp pilsners and lagers to juicy IPAs, porters and seasonal specials, all brewed in small batches with a strong focus on balance and drinkability. Their Lawless Village IPA became an early flagship beer, bringing bright citrus hop character and proper bitterness without becoming overly heavy or aggressive, while Bohemian Pilsner helped show that gluten-free lager could actually have flavour and texture instead of tasting vaguely like fizzy regret.

What makes Bellfield particularly likeable is how welcoming and community-focused the whole brewery feels. The taproom and beer garden have become hugely popular in Edinburgh, partly because the atmosphere stays relaxed and inclusive rather than intimidatingly beer-nerdy. There are street food pop-ups, quizzes, live music and brewery tours, but also a very obvious sense that people are there simply to enjoy themselves. It feels more like a proper neighbourhood brewery than some ultra-curated craft beer showroom where everyone quietly rates your pint choice internally.

There is also something quietly important about what Bellfield represents more broadly. For years, gluten-free beer sat in this unfortunate category of products people bought mainly out of necessity rather than excitement. Bellfield helped completely shift that perception in the UK. Their success showed there was absolutely no reason gluten-free beer could not be flavourful, modern and properly respected within craft beer culture. Even outside the coeliac community, the brewery has built a loyal following simply because the beers are consistently good. Which honestly feels like the best possible outcome.

The brewery still carries that independent Edinburgh energy too. Relaxed, slightly rebellious, community-driven and refreshingly unpretentious. In a craft beer world occasionally disappearing into increasingly bizarre hype trends and pastry stout experiments that sound like minor kitchen accidents, Bellfield keeps things grounded in quality, inclusivity and proper drinkability.