5 of the best craft beers to toast spring with

We asked Jehad Hatu of Glasgow's Grunting Growler to pick out five great Scottish craft beers to enjoy this spring.

Published 27th Mar 2017
Updated 9 th Aug 2023

The clocks have gone forward, daffodils are sprouting and there's even a wee bit of sunshine, it must be the changing of the seasons.

Jehad Hatu runs the Grunting Growler, one of Glasgow's best take home craft beer shop, which offers samples, tasting events, a dazzling array of bottled beers and the eponymous growlers (refillable glass jugs) for which the shop is named.

To toast the end of a long, dark winter, we asked Jehad to pick us five of the best Scottish craft beers to enjoy this spring.

Farmhouse Ale

(Tempest Brewing, Tweedbank, Galashiels)

Picture: Tempest Brewing

Jehad says: "It's not possible to have a spring beer list without a Saison. The beer is light and sessionable, and yet still very complex.

"Easy going bread malts on the palate, with a refreshing dry and peppery finish."

Style: Saison

Abv: 5.1%

Ich Bin Berryliner

(Fyne Ales, Cairndow)

Picture: Fyne Ales

Jehad says: "Sours are an absolute must once the weather starts to get warm. The beer is brewed with a natural bacteria called lactobacillus which makes it refreshingly tart and acidic.

New bar with Scotland's largest collection of rum to open in Edinburgh 

"The beer is then fermented on berries in order to counterbalance some acidity, and add a bit of depth to the beer."

Style: Raspberry Berliner Weisse

Abv: 3.8%

Ultra Violet

(Pilot Beer, Edinburgh)

Picture: Alesela

Jehad says: "It goes without saying that sunny weather is made for wheat beers, and Pilot have made an absolute banging one that has been brewed with Parma Violets.

10 facts you (probably) didn't know about Guinness

"Yeah, it totally sounds weird, but it's damn great!"

Style: Hefeweizen infused with Parma Violets

Abv: 5.3%

Black Hop Down

(Cromarty Brewing Company, Davidston, Cromarty)

Picture: Cromarty

Jehad says: "This is one for the folks that don't want to give up the dark beers just yet. A black IPA is a beer that has been brewed with a de-husked dark malt, so it gives the appearance of a dark beer, but not necessarily all of the huge roasted flavours of one.

11 of the best Glasgow pubs to watch the Six Nations

"And then it's been heavily hopped to give it the flavours we all love when it comes to India Pale Ales."

Style: black IPA

Abv: 7.2%

Blood Orange Fruit Smoothie IPA

(Out of Town Brewing/Grunting Growler collab.)

Picture: Out of Town Brewing\Grunting Growler

 

Jehad says: "A collaboration to celebrate our shop's 1st birthday. This beer is a big juicy IPA coming in at 6.3% abv, that has been brewed with the juice and zest of a whole lotta blood oranges, and then we added some lactose to give it a sweet, and silkie mouth feel.

"A limited release that is getting launched on 1 April - it's definitely not to be missed!"

Style: Blood Orange IPA

Abv: 6.3% 

Location:none
Copyright ©2024 National World Publishing Ltd
Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy
crosschevron-down linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram