Sulwath Brewers

Down a lane off King Street, the shopping artery of Castle Douglas — Galloway's official Food Town — the Henderson family has brewed old-school real ales since 1995: soft regional water, Maris Otter malt, whole hops, no concentrates or colourings. Sulwath, from the ancient name of the Solway estuary, names most of its beers after the surrounding hills, from Criffel IPA to Knockendoch, around Galloway Gold, Galloway's first lager. The licensed tap room, open Monday to Saturday, and tours by appointment make this artisan house an essential stop in Scotland's south-west.