Scots craft brew event Indie Beer Scotland coming to Glasgow in 2023 after debuting in Edinburgh last year

An event billed as Scotland’s largest craft beer festival is returning in expanded form this year, set to take place in Glasgow after debuting in Edinburgh in 2022.

Indie Beer Scotland is taking place in September at brand-new event space Clyde Rooms at Edmiston House at the Ibrox Stadium in the largest city north of the Border. Organisers say there will be double the number of beers on offer compared to 2022 (when it took place at BT Murrayfield Stadium in the Scottish capital), with more than 200 different cask and craft keg varieties of the drink (as well as other alcoholic drinks) from independent Scottish producers available to attendees.

The event is organised by Scottish brewers from not-for-profit trade association the Society of Independent Brewers, and festival organiser Fiona MacEachern from Loch Lomond Brewery – which is also expanding into spirits by launching Dalrigh Distillery in Dumbarton – says the new venue is set to take the event to the next level.

She said: “We’re really excited to be working with Edmiston House to present Scotland’s only national beer festival, featuring exclusively Scottish independent craft breweries, cider producers, and artisan spirits, again from independent producers only.

Organisers say there will be double the number of beers on offer this year compared to 2022. Picture: Barclay Imaging.

Indie Beer Scotland is also the home of the Siba Scotland Independent Beer Awards 2023, with judging taking place prior to the festival opening to the public – saying this means festival-goers will be among the first to try Scotland’s official best beers. Beers range from session strength lagers and pale ales of 4 per cent alcohol by volume, to barrel-aged imperial stouts and scotch ales at 10 per cent or more.

MacEachern added: “With both our cask and keg competition taking place at Indie Beer Scotland for the first time, there really is going to be something for everybody, from traditional cask beers in a wide variety of styles, to modern IPAs and small-batch lagers from independent producers. Whether you’re a casual beer drinker or certified beer expert there’ll be something interesting for you to enjoy.”

Indie Beer Scotland runs on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September 2023, and is sponsored by Kegstar.