Beer Tasting Session in Edinburgh’s Underground Vaults | 1 hour

The best thing about this experience is the setting: you leave Edinburgh’s busy Old Town streets and sit in The Lost Close, a stone-vaulted space with a genuinely unusual past. Over about an hour, you taste four local beers while your host explains what makes one beer dark, another bitter, and another easier drinking.

I like the small group limit of eight, which gives the session a personal feel, and I like the mix of beer and local storytelling. Hosts including Sarah, Nikki, Mark, Padge, and Terry have been praised for making the evening relaxed and social. The main drawback is that the session can feel brief or low-key, especially with only two or three people present.

Key points

• Four local beers: Taste a range of styles from Edinburgh breweries, with background on each beer and its makers.
• The Lost Close setting: Drink in an atmospheric underground stone space in the centre of Old Town.
• One-hour format: A useful evening activity that takes less time than a full brewery visit.
• Small group size: The maximum is eight people, allowing plenty of room for questions and conversation.
• Adult-only experience: The tasting is built around alcoholic drinks, so it is intended for adults.
• Central meeting point: Start at John’s Coffee House & Tavern in Parliament Square at 7pm, then return there afterward.

Drinking beer beneath Edinburgh’s Old Town

Edinburgh is full of grand streets, castle views, and polished visitor attractions. This tasting offers something less formal. You begin at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, at 1a Parliament Square, then head below street level to The Lost Close.

The underground venue is the main reason to book. You are not simply seated in an ordinary bar with four drinks lined up in front of you. The stone cellar gives the evening a sense of place, and the old building is closely tied to Edinburgh’s past. It is a setting that makes even a short tasting feel distinct from a standard pub stop.

I especially like the way the experience joins two subjects that belong together. Edinburgh’s brewing traditions and its old buildings both reward curiosity. You get a taste of local beer, but you also hear about the place where you are drinking it.

The atmosphere is informal rather than grand or theatrical. That suits the event. Hosts have been described as friendly, quirky, enthusiastic, and good at putting people at ease. Sarah has received particular praise for her energy and clear explanations, while Nikki, Mark, Padge, Terry, and others have also been singled out for their hosting.

Meeting at John’s Coffee House & Tavern

The practical start is simple, but you should pay attention to it. The meeting point is John’s Coffee House & Tavern, 1a Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF, with a 7pm start.

The activity ends back at the same meeting point. That makes it easy to fit into an evening in Old Town. You can have dinner before or after, and you do not need to spend half a day travelling to a brewery outside the centre.

Arrive with enough time to identify the host and make yourself known. One person had trouble at the start after waiting at the bar and not realising the group had already gone underground. The provider acknowledged that communication should have been clearer. This appears to have been an isolated problem, but it is useful advice: arrive early, tell the staff or host that you are there, and confirm where the group is gathering.

The venue is near public transport, and service animals are allowed. The booking includes a mobile ticket, and confirmation is sent at the time of booking.

Four beers, four different lessons

The central part of the session is a tasting of four beers from local breweries. The exact beers can vary, so you should think of the selection as a local sample rather than a fixed menu.

Your host explains the background of each brewery and talks through the flavour in the glass. You learn why some beers taste more bitter, why some are darker, and how different brewing choices affect the result. This is aimed at curious drinkers, not only serious beer fans.

That makes the session approachable if you are new to formal tasting. You do not need a trained palate or a working knowledge of brewing terms. The structure gives you a useful way to compare the beers instead of simply drinking four unrelated samples.

The selection has also included five samples during some sessions, despite the current description referring to four beers. Treat four as the reliable expectation, with the possibility that the number may vary. The important feature is variety. Past tastings have included beers with noticeably different flavours and styles, giving you a better sense of Edinburgh’s current brewing scene.

The serving sizes are described as generous in the feedback, though no exact measure is provided. Since the event lasts about an hour and includes several alcoholic samples, plan your evening sensibly and avoid treating it as a quick drink before driving.

The Lost Close and its old Edinburgh stories

The historic setting is more than decoration. The Lost Close gives the host a place to talk about Edinburgh beneath the familiar streets and squares.

You hear stories connected with the building and the city’s past while sitting in the underground space. Several hosts have also linked the venue to brewing history, so the information is not limited to tasting notes. This combination is a strong part of the experience for anyone who enjoys old buildings, local stories, and the less polished side of a city.

The amount of historical content can vary with the host and the group. Some sessions have included memorable stories about the location and Edinburgh, while one attendee felt the event focused more on drinking in a room than expected. That is an important distinction. You should book this as a beer tasting in a historic place, not as a full architectural tour of The Lost Close.

If your main goal is detailed archaeology or a long guided account of Edinburgh’s underground spaces, this one-hour format may feel too light. If you want a drink, some local context, and an atmospheric room, the balance is more convincing.

How the small group changes the evening

The maximum group size is eight. That is a real advantage for a tasting because you can ask questions without speaking over a large crowd.

A small group also lets the host adjust the pace. If people are new to beer, the explanation can stay basic. If the group is more interested in breweries or flavour, there is room for more discussion. Some hosts have adapted their approach to the people in the room, helping first-time tasters feel comfortable.

There is one trade-off. A group of eight can feel lively, with people from different places comparing reactions and talking over the beers. A group of two may feel more like a private lesson, but it can also feel less dynamic. One session lasted about 45 minutes rather than a full hour, partly because the group was very small.

You should allow roughly an hour, but do not expect a tightly timed production. The mood depends partly on the people who book that evening and partly on the host.

The hosts make a real difference

The event depends heavily on the person leading it. That is not unusual for a tasting, but it matters here because the session is short and conversational.

Sarah has been praised for combining enthusiasm with useful information about local beer and Edinburgh. Nikki has been described as an informative host, while Mark has been noted for his strong understanding of the beers and the venue. Padge brought an easygoing style to one session and continued chatting with the group afterward in the bar.

Terry and George have also been praised for making the tasting social and accessible. One first-time beer taster, who was not especially keen on beer beforehand, found the explanations helped reveal differences between the samples.

The hosts do not all appear to follow exactly the same script. Some focus more on brewery background, some on the beer itself, and some bring more historical material into the session. That variety can be a strength, though it means you should not expect identical content every night.

Is $31.76 good value?

At $31.76 per person, this is reasonably priced for a central Edinburgh activity that includes several local beer samples and a guided session in a distinctive venue.

The value comes from the combination rather than the drink alone. Four beers in a normal bar may cost less, but they would not include the explanations, brewery context, or access to The Lost Close. A full brewery tour could provide more detail about production, but it would likely take longer and involve more travel.

This is a good purchase if you want an activity that fills part of an evening without taking over your day. It is also useful for a mixed group. A committed beer fan can compare styles and breweries, while a less experienced drinker can learn how to taste without signing up for a lengthy technical course.

The value is less clear if you want a large quantity of beer or a full meal. This is a guided tasting, not a pub crawl, dinner, or long brewery visit. The experience earns its price through atmosphere and instruction.

The activity is often booked around 23 days ahead, so it is sensible to reserve before your trip if your dates are fixed. That is especially true for an evening session with only eight places.

Who should book this tasting?

I would recommend it to several kinds of visitors:

• You enjoy local beer but do not want a full-day brewery excursion.
• You like old buildings and city stories as much as you like drinks.
• You are new to beer tasting and want clear, friendly guidance.
• You are travelling as a couple or small group and prefer a quieter activity.
• You want a central evening plan in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
• You would enjoy meeting other people over a shared tasting.

It can also work well for someone who is not a big beer drinker. The range of styles gives you a fair chance of finding one you prefer, and the explanations help you notice differences rather than judging beer as one broad category.

I would hesitate if you dislike underground spaces, want a detailed tour of the building, or expect a long, highly structured class. The session is casual. Its strength is the setting, local focus, and personality of the host, not a large amount of formal instruction.

Useful booking details before you go

The experience is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket. It is for adults because alcohol is part of the activity.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The activity also needs a minimum number of bookings. If that minimum is not reached and the session is cancelled, you will be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

The provider is The Lost Close, Events & Experiences. The published rating is 4.7 from 66 ratings, with 94 percent of people recommending it. Those numbers fit the overall picture: the setting and hosts are the strongest parts, while the main risks are a short session, uneven historical detail, and occasional confusion at the meeting point.

Should you book the Lost Close beer tasting?

Book it if you want four local beers, an atmospheric underground room, and a friendly hour of Edinburgh stories. It is a compact experience with a strong sense of place, and the price is fair for a central activity that combines drinks with interpretation.

Go in expecting a relaxed tasting, not a full brewery course or an extended tour of the vaults. Arrive early at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, confirm that the host knows you are present, and keep your expectations focused on beer, conversation, and atmosphere. For that kind of evening, this is a smart addition to an Edinburgh itinerary.

FAQ

Where does the beer tasting begin?

The experience begins at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, 1a Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF.

What time does the session start?

The start time is 7pm.

How long does the beer tasting last?

The advertised duration is approximately one hour. Some sessions have lasted closer to 45 minutes, depending partly on the group.

How many beers are included?

The experience is described as a tasting of four local beers. Some sessions have included five samples, so the number may vary.

Where does the tasting take place?

The tasting takes place in The Lost Close, an underground historic space in Edinburgh’s Old Town. The activity finishes back at the meeting point.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is eight people.

Is the activity suitable for children?

No. The tasting includes alcohol and is intended for adults.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded or accepted.