Scotland Food News – July 2013

This month’s food news begins with a question: have you ever looked at a nip of whisky, and thought ‘I wish that was actually a super-duper strength form of beer’? You haven’t? Well, just imagine you have, because it’s here! Hooray?!

Yes, Brewdog have made a spirit, a 35% abv, IPA-based concoction with a crazy name and cartoon sharks on the bottle. It’s called WattDickie, reminding you that while this isn’t a Brewdog product, it was made by everyone’s favourite high-concept booze-branding duo. Brewdog say WattDickie is “the shiver down the spine of the grease-slick ad-man relying on people lapping up the ‘same-old, same-old.’” We pick up a stone, nod at a nearby greenhouse, and let you complete the metaphor.

Get it? Good, because it’s time for more booze! In Glasgow! The Merchant City Festival is this month, and among all the fun and festivities is a chance for a drink or two. That’s thanks to the weekend-long Swallae Fest, which we believe is Glaswegian for ‘drinking festival.’ How charming. Anyway, Swallae Fest runs over the four days of the Festival, with tastings, demos, and various other events designed to keep you indoors and take your mind off the summer happening outside. Committee Room no.9, 18 John Street, 24-27 Jul, all day.

Now, more booze! In Glasgow again! The first Southside Beer Festival will take over the historic Langside Halls for a day of beer and chat from some of the country’s best indie brewers. Fyne Bros, Houston, Loch Lomond and WEST are among the names set to turn up and turn the big ol’ building into a craft beer version of Animal House. That is to say, a large building full of beer but without any idiots in togas. Langside Halls, 5 Langside Ave. 27 Jul, tickets limited - southsidebeerfest.org for more info.

Finally this month, yet more booze! Real booze at that, with the Scottish Real Ale Festival at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange. Everyone who’s anyone in the Scottish beer scene will be along at one of the country’s biggest beer bashes, for four days of ponderous sipping and conversations about barley. Expect plenty of variety, some lively if overly-technical discussion about ale production techniques, and your very own glass! Despite the lack of food on offer this month in this rather misleadingly-titled column, please don’t feel tempted to eat that glass. We need you in fine form for the Fringe next month - don’t let us down.