Rad moon rising

Looking across Moonwake’s portfolio today, you’ll see a lot of lagers and pale ales (notably its phenomenal XPA, my own go-to session beer) all very accessible, and precious few clocking in at more than 5% ABV. It’s an approach that Finlay confides was part of the brewery’s original business plan, but which has arguably driven the brewing a lot more in the past 18 months or so, as Vinny and his brewing team really hit their stride.

“We'd obviously love to make a beer that blew up on Untappd, but the styles we brew just aren’t intended to achieve that, because they've quite often been done before,” Finlay continues. “We try to produce beers in style categories that people are going to enjoy drinking by the pint; if you’re just out to have a good time with friends and the beer becomes the talking point – if it's too challenging or you’re having to analyse it – then you’re probably not drinking the right beer, right?”

Although it’s a smaller corner of the market, you can still see this philosophy stamped all over Moonwake’s more recent move into sours. It’s a tricky area for an avowedly easy-drinking brewery to tackle, and Vinny’s apparent long-standing hesitance is understandable. So when they did finally make the jump, it was with all the thoughtfulness and precision that has come to characterise Moonwake’s recipe development.

“Going straight out with a hibiscus sour and a yuzu sour is not something we would have done two years ago,” says Finlay. “But we decided that if we wanted to go down that avenue, we had to create something real, using raw materials to try and create those fresh flavours, rather than purees and extracts. That makes it difficult, because they're very delicate flavours, so we’ve had to develop a process to make it work. And certainly the reception for the hibiscus and the yuzu have been beyond what we could have hoped. It’s given the brewers a real boost, and we’re talking about where we can take that side of the brewing in the future.”

Geared so clearly toward those in search of good times, the social and community aspect of brewing was always going to be an important part of Moonwake’s approach. The real headline project on this front has been its annual Summer Lunapalooza festival, which brings together live music, DJs, local food producers and (of course) rivers of beer, in and around the brewery’s atmospheric taproom. What started as a joyous celebration of the end of lockdown has become more ambitious each year, and Finlay’s goal is to eventually move the whole thing into the nearby Leith Links public park.

“Part of the reason for Lunapalooza was to bring in a different crowd,” says Finlay. “There were a lot of people who either didn't know who we were – which is always surprising to us, in our little beer bubble – or had never tried our beer before. They're coming to see a band that they like, or just want a fun day out; they come in, they drink our beer, see the brewery, have a good time. And then the next time they’re in a pub or a restaurant, they see our beer on the bar and remember that great time they had. So, yeah, the beer we serve at these things has to be the very best we can do, but it’s also about building that association between the brewery and a great wider experience.”

Add in the taproom itself (always buzzing and, Finlay admits, partly there so the brewery staff can hang out with customers and each other) as well as summer markets for local producers, and the picture emerges of a brewery that wants to be at the heart of its community and at the heart of the fun.

Community is also important to Moonwake from an industry point of view, and Finlay is clearly passionate about working with his peers locally and across Scotland. 

“Edinburgh in general is definitely becoming more collaborative,” he says. “People are looking to help each other. There's contract brewing going on, and we’ve started using EKegs, which is a Close Brothers system. It works out really well if you've got a keg washer, but not at all if you don’t. So we’re working with other Edinburgh breweries to clean the kegs for a small fee and they take them away, so they can get onto the system without investing in a washer. So, it’s far cheaper and more efficient for them, and better for the environment and all that kind of stuff. Everyone wins.”

He also says one of the biggest challenges facing the industry north of the border has been the at-times combative stance taken by the Scottish Government when it comes to brewing and the licensed trade, most notably the hugely controversial (and now indefinitely shelved) Deposit Return Scheme. “It was great to see the whole industry, from the smallest businesses to the largest, present a well-coordinated, united front to fight the DRS, which would have really damaged the industry,” he says.

“So I think, as a whole, the Scottish industry is in a very good place. We’re all producing much better beer than ever, and I think a lot of that comes from competition. Everybody's striving to make the best products and trying to stand out in a very saturated market. And it just makes everybody better, I think. At the same time though, we’re pulling together in areas of shared interest, and flying the flag for Scotland’s brewing reputation. It’s really a good time to be a brewer and a beer lover here.”