Scotland now boasts more than 100 breweries; many producing world-class beers that are smashing national and international awards. But a few decades back the landscape was very different. In the Dark Ages of the late 20th century, barely a dozen breweries existed, among them the famous Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh.

Founded in 1869 as the Lorimer and Clark’s Caledonian Brewery, "the Caley" has had a turbulent history. It’s survived fires, takeovers, neglect, closure and competition, and it’s safe to say that now, amid the resurgence of good beer, it’s future looks assured.

Caledonian Brewery is most famous for its award-winning Deuchars IPA (3.8%), a beer that was welcomed enthusiastically when it first hit the bars of Scotland in the early 1990s, a refreshing change to the likes of McEwan’s Export and Tennent’s Lager. In 2002, this flagship beer was crowned Camra’s Champion Beer of Britain, and it’s remained a common presence in Scottish bars ever since, particularly in Edinburgh.

But the team at Caley - largely left to run their own affairs by parent Heineken - haven’t watched the explosion in craft beer and done nothing. Last year they invested a whopping £100,000 into a small pilot brew-kit, a scaled-down and modern version of their own historic brewery, and one most start-up microbreweries would covet.

Nicknamed Wee George (after co-founder George Lorimer) it means that the brewing team at Caledonian can develop new recipes and experiment with flavours. Even have a bit of fun. A chocolate milk stout, for example, was brilliant; a chocolate and mint stout wasn't. With the ongoing hop shortage, it also means they can brew beers they simply can’t in their normal brewery.

They’ve now developed their third beer in their “Modern Craft Beer” range (two of the beers were created on the Wee George kit), a rye beer to follow on from a lager and pale ale. With supermarket deals in the bag, it’s fair to assume we can expect a regular stream of new bottled beers coming out from the Caley as this beacon of Scotland’s brewing heritage turns its attentions to modern craft beer.

Three Great New Beers from the Caledonian Brewery

Three Hop Craft Lager (4.5%)

Despite the continental hops, you can taste the Caledonia in this beer. Sweet, soft and rounded, it’s easy to drink and is refreshing and enjoyable. There’s a strong sense of summer berries, amid a caramel fudge malt flavour, with some lemon drizzle towards the mildly bitter finish. A hint of mint lingers in the aftertaste.

Coast to Coast Pale Ale (4.6%)

A light aroma of pine resin and orange jelly, this is an easy-going pale ale with a nice clean finish. Well rounded and smooth, the fruity (citrus mostly) and toasted malt flavours are all tightly knitted together to produce an extremely balanced and accessible beer.

Rare Red Rye Ale (4.3%)

Caledonian’s newest beer has yet to be fully rolled out and is only just starting to appear in a few bars. This rye beer pours a clear vibrant amber colour and has an earthy, spicy, lightly malted aroma. A taste of understated fruits and toast made from posh seeded bread. Though tickly on the tongue, there’s a creaminess here that brings in flavours of autumnal spices, blackcurrants and a hint of bourbon before finishing dry.