Introducing People's Pilsner: A Glasgow Collaboration

Every whisky we make at The Clydeside Distillery begins in the same place: the mash tun. Here, malted barley is combined with water to produce wort – the sweet, fermentable liquid that forms the foundation of our whisky.

Usually, that wort continues its journey through our washbacks before being distilled into The Clydeside Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This time, however, one batch took a different route.

Working with our neighbours at Drygate Brewing Co., we set out to explore the shared roots of brewing and distilling by transforming our wort into something entirely new: People's Pilsner.

A Shared Beginning

Although whisky and beer take very different paths, they share a common starting point. Both begin with wort, making this collaboration a natural opportunity to celebrate the close relationship between Scotland's brewing and distilling traditions.

The wort travelled from The Clydeside Distillery across Glasgow to Drygate Brewing Co., where their brewing team carefully crafted it into a crisp European-style pilsner using Czech hops and German yeast.

Flavour First

Like everything we do at The Clydeside, flavour came first.

Drygate brewed People's Pilsner with the aim of preserving as much of the original character of our wort as possible. Rather than filtering the beer, it has been left unfiltered to retain more of its flavour and texture.

As a result, you may notice a naturally light haze in the finished beer. While many people associate pilsners with brilliant clarity, unfiltered examples are well established in European brewing traditions and are prized for the additional depth and character they offer.

The result is a refreshing pilsner with a crisp finish, balanced by the fuller flavour and mouthfeel that comes from remaining unfiltered.

A Tribute to Glasgow

People's Pilsner is more than a collaboration between two producers. It's a celebration of Glasgow's rich brewing and distilling heritage, bringing together two local businesses connected by a shared passion for quality, expertise and flavour.

From our mash tun to Drygate's brewhouse, this project has been an opportunity to explore where a different journey could lead—and we're delighted to finally share the results.

Available Now

People's Pilsner is available exclusively from The Clydeside Distillery and Drygate Brewing Co. while stocks last.

Whether you're joining us for a distillery tour, enjoying a dram in our bar, or simply looking to experience something a little different, we hope you'll take the opportunity to try this unique Glasgow collaboration.