Scottish Food & Drink News – September 2018

We kick off this month with a glorious celebration – it's World Samosa Day! This is one food and drink holiday we can get behind, especially if it's a chance to head down to the fantastic and community-spirited Punjabi Junction which is currently under the same development threat as the mighty Leith Depot. Come for the delicious Indian pastries, stay for the solidarity. 5 Sep, 12-10pm; 122-124 Leith Walk, Edinburgh

Staying with the solidarity theme for a second, North Sea Bridges is a new project that brings together craft breweries in Scotland and Scandinavia to brew exciting collaborative beers. Typically, the beers themselves have been somewhat hard to come by and a touch on the pricey side, but the Grunting Growler are here to help with a guided tasting through each of the six beers in the debut NSB collection. 8 Sep, 4pm; 51 Old Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow; £12.99-14.99, gruntinggrowler.com

Next up, it's whisky! In the park! Queen Street Gardens Festival is part of the Scottish Malt Whisky Society's 35th anniversary celebrations, and takes the form of an afternoon knees-up filled with samples of SMWS whiskies and those from other distilleries across Scotland. There's also the chance to try some extremely rare and interesting malts – squeeze out the last of the summer vibes while you can, while simultaneously finding yourself a new winter drink. 8 Sep, 12-5pm; 28 Queen St, Edinburgh; £20-35, smws.com

Over in Glasgow, catch the latest of VSO Henderson's Cantina Nite series of music-powered nights at The 78. Vegan tacos! Tasty cocktails! Beats from the frankly unpronounceable ΩHuussHΩ! Count us in! 11 Sep, 8pm-1am; 10-14 Kelvinhaugh St, Glasgow

Back in Edinburgh, things get extremely funky and flavourful in the latest of Innis & Gunn Beer Kitchen's 'versus' food tasting nights. This time it's Innis & Gunn Beer vs Shaws Extra-Matured Steak vs Highland Park Whisky – steaks aged for 60, 100 and 150 days and each paired with a whisky and a beer. Select your winner after you've tried all three; if that doesn't sound decadent enough for you, there will also be dessert (naturally, it also comes with two drinks). 13 Sep, 7-10pm; 81-83 Lothian Rd, Edinburgh; £42.51, tickets via EventBrite

Do you like secretive things? The Secret Brewery Party is a big ol' bash going down at an undisclosed brewery near Edinburgh, and features dozens of beers, street food from some of our favourites, DJs and general 'good vibes' as the kids say. Not a whole lot more to tell for now, but colour us intrigued. 15 Sep, from 1pm; £8-15, tickets via ResidentAdvisor

On the same day, Great Grog Beer Fair returns with nearly 100 beers to try out over the course of an afternoon in an old church hall. Chat to some brewers, discover your new favourite beer, or just maraud around the place tasting as many things as possible – the choice is yours. 15 Sep, 1-5pm; St Peter’s Church Hall, 14 Lutton Pl, Edinburgh; £10, greatgrog.co.uk

And the month draws to a close with a pair of Fests. First is the Dundee Oktoberfest, stretching its legs in its new location in Slessor Gardens just round from the V&A. Expect loads of German beer, outlandish bratwurst, live music and big marquees to hide under when it inevitably starts chucking it down. 27-29 Sep, various times; Slessor Gardens, Dundee; £12-20, dundeerotaryoktoberfest.co.uk

Then it's the return of Scot Gin Fest to Glasgow, with over 25 gins from distillers and producers from across Scotland all collected in one place for your convenience. There's also the chance to meet some of the makers behind your favourite gins, and learn a few tricks about getting your G&Ts just right. 29 Sep, 12-4pm & 5-9pm; Trades Hall, Glasgow; £16.50-24, scotginfest.co.uk