Strathaven Ales

Strathaven Ales brews from the restored Craigmill on the banks of the River Avon, just south of the town on Sandford Road. The brewery was started in 2005 by business friends Craig and Douglas Buchanan and Allan Young, who rebuilt the 19th-century mill with support from Historic Scotland. The building keeps original features including an 18th-century stone-clad brewing kettle, and now runs a 36-barrel plant producing around six regular cask ales alongside a rotating range of seasonals. There is a visitor centre, shop and tap room where selected beers can be sampled, open to the public in the afternoon or by appointment. The brewery remains independently owned and works from this single Strathaven site, supplying pubs and beer festivals across Scotland with traditional real ales rather than kegged national brands.