Scottish Food News – August 2015

With Edinburgh overrun this month by every Tom, Dick and Harry with a 'show' to 'put on', much of this column will be spent away from the confines of the capital. However, we do have to give a quick shout out to Cloisters Bar, continuing their 20th birthday celebrations with their annual beer festival running throughout the month. Expect a host of collabs and special edition beers from brewers from across Scotland for the fest, offering an escape from all that art and theatre outside. 26 Brougham St, Edinburgh.

Over in Glasgow, Ubiquitous Chip are trying the classic route to gain attention – a big boozy fight. Not a literal fight, they’re far too nice for that, but a wine fight. The annual Fight Club! night from the Chip’s Wine Club will see the club’s chiefs battle against one another to see who can best match a wine to the grub coming out of the kitchen. It’s the kind of evening on which everyone will be a winner, but there will also be a loser with gripes to air, plus lots of wine – a win-win-win situation. 27 Aug, 7pm; Ubiquitous Chip, 12 Ashton Ln; £20, ubiquitouschip.co.uk

If that doesn’t pique your interest, perhaps we can interest you in some Edible Architecture? As part of Merchant City Festival, the Glasgow Institute of Architects have invited their members to knock together their favourite Glasgow landmark in the form of a cake, then give a brief explanation of their bake. There probably won’t be a better opportunity to see architects discuss the load-bearing capacity of buttercream icing, so if that’s your bag then this is the event for you. 28 Jul, 5pm; City Halls, Candleriggs; free, tickets from eventbrite.co.uk

Finally this month, North Hop festival breezes into Inverness with a whole host of beers from across the country and beyond. Expect brews from Drygate, Brewdog, Barney’s, and Weihenstephan – the world’s oldest brewery – as well as a raft of food pop-ups and music from Neon Waltz, Schnarff Schnarff and others. All that, plus you definitely won’t have flyers for an amateur production of The Iliad thrust in your face. You’re welcome. 21-22 Aug; Eden Court, Inverness; £15, northhop.co.uk