Best Scottish craft beers to enjoy this summer

Here is our pick of the best Scottish craft beers to enjoy this summer alongside sunshine (we're optimistic), good company and great food.

Published 8th May 2017
Updated 9 th Aug 2023

It's nearly summer, and the barbecues will soon be paraded out up and down the country, and all that al fresco cooking (and eating) is going to be thirsty work.

So why not cool off with one of these stunning Scottish craft beers?

Fallen Brewing Sleeper Pils

(Fallen Brewery, Stirlingshire, abv: 5.2%)

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Picture: Fallen

What could be more perfect for summer than a refreshing Pilsner?

How about one that's dry-hopped with with US hops for extra flavour?

Fallen have been a stunning run of form of late and this beer is no exception.

Crisp, zesty and filled with citrus notes it's the perfect beer for chilling on the patio with on a nice warm day.

Fyne Ales Ich Bin Ein BerryLiner

(Fyne Ales, Cairndowm, Argyll, abv: 3.8%)

Picture: Fyne Ales

It would be absurd not to a Berliner Weisse in this list and with Fyne Ales Ich Bin Ein BerryLiner you not only get that punchy sourness you'd expect, you also get a burst of fruity flavour that's not overpowering.

Perfectly balanced and refreshing, it's the ideal dessert beer to accompany the copious amounts of ice cream you'll no doubt end up eating.

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Cross Border brewing Porter

(Cross Border brewing, Dalkeith, abv: 4.2%)

Picture: Cross Borders

A porter in summer? That's what we though too but when Isla Mercer of Diary of a Beer Girl pointed it out it got us thinking.

So, in our usual spirit of "why the hell not", we've decided to include one.

Cross Border Brewing is one of the current crop of new up and coming Scottish brewers and their Porter is a cracker - its big flavours make it more than a match for even the most charred slabs of barbecued meat.

Out of Town Brewing IPA

(Out of Town Brewing, Cumbernauld, Glasgow, abv: 6.8%)

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Big, bold and brash, Out of Town's IPA is a hoppy fruit bomb that's perfectly at home being enjoyed in the comfort of your own home as it is by the side of a campfire.

Dangerously drinkable, it's extra strength means you might have to restrict yourself to a few less than you'd normally enjoy so keep this one for when you only have time for one or two.

Cromarty Man Overboard

(Cromarty Brewing, Davidston, Cromarty, abv: 8.8%)

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Speaking of beers best kept for a special occasion Cromarty's new Double IPA is a stoater and at 8.8%, it comes with all the hoppy flavour you'd expect from a proper IPA.

Oranges, vanilla, apricots... you'll struggle to pin just one flavour down in this rich beast of a beer.

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Driven by a passion for all things drinks-related, Sean writes for The Scotsman extensively on the subject. He can also sometimes be found behind the bar at the world famous Potstill bar in Glasgow where he continues to enhance his whisky knowledge built up over 10 years advising customers from all over the world on the wonders of our national drink. Recently, his first book was published. Dubbed Gin Galore, it explores Scotland's best gins and the stories behind those that make them.
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