ALVA’s Harviestoun brewery produces the best bottled beers in Scotland, according to the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).
Harviestoun’s Bitter & Twisted was named the best bottled beer in Scotland in the organisation’s 2011 Scottish beer competition.
As well as taking the top spot, Harviestoun took the silver medal in the bottled beers category for its Old Engine Oil.
The brewery also scooped gold trophies in the bottled gold beers category, again for Bitter & Twisted; the bottled speciality beers category for whisky cask-matured ale Ola Dubh; and the bottled porters, milds, old ales & stouts category for Old Engine Oil.
Other winners in the bottled beer categories included Inveralmond Brewery, which scooped the bottled bitters (over 5% ABV) gold trophy for Blackfriar, and Fyne Ales, which was awarded the gold trophy in the bottled bitter (up to 4.9% ABV) category for Highlander.
Meanwhile, SIBA has passed a significant milestone by signing the 100th pub to its local membership scheme.
The initiative, which launched last summer, encourages pubs to champion local beers. Licensees who join the scheme receive a brass plaque, posters and tasting notes, as well as invitations to take part in the judging of various SIBA beer competitions.
“For licensees, it’s a way to promote their ‘local beer hero’ credentials and attract the growing number of customers who now expect to see locally-brewed beers on the bar in the same way they expect to see locally-sourced food on the menu,” said SIBA chief executive Julian Grocock.
