In 1996 Sonny Priest, along with many of his friends, was made redundant from the Unst Airport as it ceased operations. Many people had to move away from the island to find work, but Sonny was determined to keep his family on their ancestral island home. He loved beer, he loved Unst, so why not build a brewery in Unst? ​Valhalla was born! In December 1997 Valhalla Brewery officially opened its doors and the first pint of Valhalla ale, AULD ROCK, was poured.