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Where is Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner brewed?

By Mark Porter Last checked 9 September 2026 How we check

British, brewed in Britain

Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner is brewed in Britain, at Dunbar, East Lothian, and sold as British.

Every beer on the shelf by strength · How the units are worked out

Brewed for the UK in
Dunbar, East Lothian (Belhaven Brewery)
Brewed in Britain
Sold as a beer from
United Kingdom
Craft-styled British branding created by Heineken UK
Brewed in (country)
United Kingdom
Brand owner
Heineken N.V.
HQ: Amsterdam, Netherlands
UK strength
4.6%
2.6 units a pint
What the UK label says
We have not yet read the wording on a UK pack or listing.
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
UK rights held by
Heineken UK Limited (owned)
Style
IPA / pilsner
Brand created
2017, United Kingdom
Brewed at home in
None: UK brand

What we have not confirmed

The launch, the original brewery and the 2022 move to Belhaven are confirmed by the trade press and Heineken UK's own release. Maltsmiths is still made, under Greene King, at 4.6%, according to its portfolio page and trade order list, but neither names the brewery and we have not found it in a supermarket. We show Dunbar, from the 2022 move, as the brewery.

If you have a can or bottle to hand, the producer's name and address in the small print would settle it.

In short

Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner is a British beer brewed in Britain, at Dunbar, East Lothian, and the packaging does not pretend otherwise. The brand belongs to Heineken N.V., which also owns Amstel and Heineken in the UK. It is 4.6%.

Who has brewed it here

YearsBrewerSiteSource
2017 to 2022Heineken UKCaledonian Brewery, Edinburghmorningadvertiser.co.uk
2022 to nowBelhaven Brewery (Greene King) under contract for Heineken UKDunbar, Scotlandheineken.co.uk

Questions people ask

Where is Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner brewed?

The beer sold in the UK is brewed at Dunbar, East Lothian.

Is Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner brewed in the UK?

Yes. It is brewed at Dunbar, East Lothian.

Who owns Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner?

Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner is owned by Heineken N.V., headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the UK the brand is handled by Heineken UK Limited.

What strength is Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner in the UK?

Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner is 4.6% ABV in the UK. A UK pint is 2.6 units.

Which beers are similar to Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner?

Beers with a similar story include Banks's Amber Bitter, Bass and Boddingtons Draught Bitter.

See also

Banks's Amber Bitter
Burton upon Trent · 3.4% · sold as British
Bass
Burton upon Trent · 3.4% · sold as British
Honest British
Boddingtons Draught Bitter
Samlesbury · 3.4% · sold as British
Honest British
Carling Original Lager
Burton upon Trent · 4.0% · sold as British
Honest British
Carling Black Label Premium Lager
Burton upon Trent · 4.7% · sold as British
Honest British
Fuller's Frontier
Chiswick · 4.5% · sold as British
Honest British

Every beer sold as United Kingdom · Every brand owned by Heineken N.V.

Last checked 9 September 2026. How we check.

Sources

  1. Morning Advertiser (morningadvertiser.co.uk), 23 February 2017: Maltsmiths launched 27 March 2017 with a Bavarian-style pilsner and an American-style IPA, both 4.6% ABV, brewed at Heineken's Caledonian brewery
  2. Heineken UK (heineken.co.uk), 25 May 2022: Caledonian closure announced 25 May 2022; Deuchars, Coast to Coast and Maltsmiths IPA and Lager to be produced at Belhaven brewery in Dunbar
  3. Greene King (greeneking.co.uk), 9 September 2026: Greene King's beer portfolio page lists Maltsmiths Pilsner Style Lager, 'Alcohol by Volume 4.6%', and a Maltsmiths IPA at 4.6%.
  4. Greene King trade ordering (greenekingorders.co.uk), 9 September 2026: Maltsmiths Pilsner Style Lager 4.6%, 30L keg, on the 2026 trade order list.

Spotted an error?Tell us what the pack says and we will check it. mark@pretendpint.com