Craft Beer is having a bit of a moment all over the world, but in Glasgow, it’s having a bit of a minute. The appetite for refined brews with great flavour is bigger than ever in Glasgow, and every new bar that opens in town makes room for some niche beers on the menu. And craft beer isn’t just a brew with a heart, but it also gives you a clear head the next morning too. Today marks the start of Glasgow Beer Week, kicking off lots of great crafty events around town and so for the week that’s in it, I figured I’d bring you my top 5 DesignMyNight picks for the best craft beer bars in Glasgow.
West Brewery
You can’t even begin to talk about craft beer in Glasgow without mentioning the city’s most stunning microbrewery. West Brewery create their beers to strict German Purity Laws, ensuring a superior flavour and a headache free hangover. While you can enjoy West beers in bars all over Glasgow, it’s worth heading east to their Glasgow Green brewery bar. Located in the beautiful and historical Templeton Carpet Factory, this place should be on everyone’s Glasgow bar bucket list.
Clockwork Beer Company
Another one a little out of town, Clockwork Beer Company is a bar and microbrewery that brews real ales on site. The bar, which is part of Maclay Inns (along with Munro’s, Dram and new bar, The Hope, where you can also get craft beer if you don’t fancy a venture to the Southside) offers not just its own lager and IPA, but it also makes for a fun hangout with tasty eats, lively quiz nights and one of the best beer gardens in the area. Definitely worth a check out if you’re a beer fan.
BrewDog
Of course we can’t have a conversation about craft beer in Scotland without mentioning one of the UK’s biggest success stories, Aberdeenshire brewery, BrewDog. BrewDog’s Glasgow offering is a bar in a rather pretty setting just across from Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. Not only are their own brews a’flowing, but that welcoming lot regularly bring in guest brewers to flaunt their ales and meet the punters. With lots of great events, and chilled out vibes, this is one of the hippest joints in Glasgow to drink beer.
Beer Café
By name, by nature. So you might enjoy a nice local craft, but what about sampling the offerings of a Lithuanian brewery or a Johannesburg hop store? Beer Café is a Merchant Square bar (and pie shop!) with one ma-hoo-sive selection of beers from every corner of the world. And while there’s a few big hitters in there, there are plenty of niche brands on the menu too, for the craft connoisseur. Drink your way through the list (at a responsible pace, ya hear?) and for every 25 you try, you get a free t-shirt. Well if ever there was an incentive to have another…
Inn Deep
Inn Deep is a very cool beer bar on the banks of the River Kelvin. Along with one of the coolest beer gardens in Glasgow, some decent fare and a laid back bunch, this one is a bit of an all-rounder. As for the beer, this bar is run by the folks behind the Williams Brothers’ Brewing Company, so it has a never-ending stock of cask ales, as well as a whole heap of guest craft bottles and drafts. Definitely one to check out for a few specials and surprises, if you’re tired of the usual offering in Glasgow pubs.
Aw man, have I hit five already? I was barely even getting started. There are a whole heap more awesome beer bars in Glasgow, so for an even longer guide to crafty bars in Glasgow, check out our dedicated page on the site for some thirsty reading. Happy Beer Week folks, and have a great weekend!
Claire is Editorial Content Assistant at DesignMyNight Glasgow. You can follow her on twitter at @claireshares.
beer cafe’s brilliant. amazing choice of beers!!
BrewDog is fantastic, had a pumpkin beer there last night which was INCREDIBLE!