Closet Ode to Aphrodite

Closet Brewing Project is one of the most genuinely joyful little breweries in the UK right now. Edinburgh-based, queer-owned and proudly independent, the brewery started in 2018 with what they describe as “a cupboard, a bucket and a dream”, which honestly already sounds like the setup to either an excellent brewery or a deeply concerning science experiment. Thankfully it turned out to be the first one.

Run by two queer women with a strong focus on vegan beer, community and collaboration, Closet Brewing has built a reputation around playful modern styles packed with personality. Expect juicy pales, hazy IPAs, pastry chaos, sharp sours and all sorts of experimental releases that somehow manage to stay genuinely drinkable rather than just becoming gimmicks in colourful cans.

What makes Closet especially likeable is the warmth running through the whole project. The brewery feels community-driven in a real way rather than the painfully corporate “we’re all family here” version some brands attempt while selling £9 lager.

The beers themselves usually lean bright, modern and flavour-forward, but there’s enough balance underneath to stop things spiralling fully into sugar-and-hops madness. You can tell the brewing side is taken seriously even when the artwork and naming gets wonderfully chaotic.

There’s also something very refreshing about breweries openly building inclusive spaces while still remembering the important bit is making really good beer.

Which, thankfully, they absolutely do.