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Private company

Sinclair Breweries

Logo: Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

Parent company of Orkney Brewery in Quoyloo, Stromness, Orkney, Scotland

Sinclair Breweries Limited is the parent company for Orkney and Atlas ales. Orkney Brewery was founded in March 1988 at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney, one mile from Skara Brae and was one of Scotland's first microbreweries. Atlas was formed in 2002 and merged with Orkney Brewery, where both beers are now brewed.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1988Founded1

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Orkney Brewery, Quoyloo - geograph.org.uk - 488584
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Sinclair Breweries Limited is the parent company for Orkney and Atlas ales. Orkney Brewery was founded in March 1988 at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney, one mile from Skara Brae and was one of Scotland's first microbreweries. Atlas was formed in 2002 and merged with Orkney Brewery, where both beers are now brewed. Owned and run by Orcadian, Norman Sinclair, Orkney Brewery is Orkney's oldest brewery.2

The story

The brewery is located in the former west mainland Victorian school in Quoyloo, which was founded in 1878. When Norman Sinclair took over in 2006, he made sure the school was preserved as much as possible while the brewery grew, especially since it was the school his father attended as a boy. In 2010 Norman rebuilt it into a new 30 barrel brew plant. The old school part was turned into a visitors' centre and tasting hall. The visitors' centre was awarded five-star status by the national tourism organisation VisitScotland, just weeks after opening to the public.

From Wikipedia’s article on Sinclair Breweries, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1988Founded Founded1

Sources

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