About Vault City Brewing
Who we are
Born in Edinburgh in 2018, Vault City Brewing is Scotland's largest sour beer producer and the first commercial brewery in the UK to adopt a four-day work week. Co-founder Steven Smith-Hay and the team brew heavily fruited, modern sour beers from the new brewery in Portobello — just off the beach in Edinburgh — combining house culture and mixed fermentation with real fruit to push the boundaries of what people typically expect from beer.
The brewery operates as VAULT CITY BREWING LTD. (Companies House SC585380) and today employs around 30 people across production, office, and taproom operations.
What we do
Vault City specialises in modern, fruit-forward sour beers — from accessible everyday sours to boundary-pushing fruit combinations. The brewery is recognised within the UK craft-beer industry for technical innovation in mixed-culture fermentation and for converting sceptical drinkers to the sour style. Beer styles tell stories of craftsmanship and innovation, anchored in Scottish brewing tradition.
How we work — the four-day week
Vault City became "a full 4-day-working-week brewery" in January 2022, following a phased trial during 2021 (Q2 2021 introduced one Friday off per month, escalating through every other Friday by Q3-Q4 2021). Operations Manager Andy Wilkie led production planning around the new schedule, working through the realities of mixed-culture fermentation timing — what Andy described as the challenge that "beer doesn't like being told what to do."
The careers page describes the schedule as "4 day work week, which is typically Monday to Thursday but this can vary depending on the role" — recognising that production cycles and taproom operations require flexibility.
Edinburgh Living Wage and a values-led approach
In August 2024, Vault City committed to the Edinburgh Living Wage of £13.15/hour — £1.15 above the UK Real Living Wage. As co-founder Steven Smith-Hay explained, "The cost of living in Edinburgh has continued to increase over the last few years, and that this is a critical factor in our team's wellbeing." He added that the brewery has "always strived to set a high standard within and out with our industry, promoting fair wages and fair working policies."
Employee Benefits
- 4-day work week, typically Monday to Thursday (in place since January 2022)
- Edinburgh Living Wage Employer — minimum £13.15/hour, £1.15 above UK Real Living Wage
- Private healthcare and private dental coverage after probation period
- Cycle-to-work scheme for sustainable commuting
- Around £600/year of free beer through monthly staff vouchers, usable at web shop or taproom
- Annual salary reviews with minimum-inflation increases
- On-site collaborative team at our modern Portobello brewery
- Relocation assistance possible for the right candidate
- Ongoing professional development as we grow as Scotland's largest sour-beer producer