Burnside

The result was Right to Roam, a 0.5% IPA that became something of a quiet sensation. Brewed with a specialist yeast strain rather than having alcohol stripped out afterwards, it keeps the full character of an IPA intact. Notes of caramel, orange marmalade and earthy pine give it genuine depth. The beer collected a Great Taste Award in 2023 and took Gold at the World Alcohol Free Awards in 2025, beating major international brands in blind judging.

Burnside sits between the Cairngorm mountains and the North Sea, and they make good use of their location. Scottish malt and mountain water form the backbone of every brew. Their approach is notably hands-off: beers are clarified using only time and temperature, with no additives or filtering agents. Everything comes out naturally vegan.

The alcohol-free range now includes Wayfinder, a lager that joined Right to Roam in the lineup. Both are stocked in Scotmid stores across Scotland. The demand has been significant enough that non-alcoholic production now accounts for the majority of their output at the new purpose-built brewery, which expanded capacity from 100,000 to 500,000 litres annually.

Burnside still makes full-strength beers too. Wild Rhino blonde, Mount Keen IPA and a barrel-aged stout matured in Fettercairn whisky casks all feature in the range. But the alcohol-free offerings have become the flagship products, driven by genuine quality rather than marketing spend.

For Scottish craft beer fans going alcohol-free, Burnside represents proper brewing credentials applied to the low and no category. The awards speak for themselves, but so does the taste.