Scottish beer festival to boost some old favourites

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) hopes its forthcoming Scottish Real Ale festival will give a boost to some old favourites that are unique to Scotland.

The festival, which takes place this week in Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms, will offer visitors what CAMRA is calling a 'Shilling Experience', in conjunction with Belhaven Brewery.

A range of 'shilling ales' - so named in the 19th century because of the amount of duty they attracted per barrel - will be available for visitors to try, including Belhaven 60/-, 70/-, 80/- & 90/- and Caledonian 80/-.

There will also be a selection of newer interpretations from the smaller new breweries, including Exciseman's 80/- from Broughton, Stewarts 80/- and Traditional Scottish Ales City of Stirling 80/-.

Sixty shilling was a light ale; the darker 70/- was - and still is - known as 'heavy', while 80/- was export strength and 90/- was labelled 'strong wee heavy'.

Ian Brocklebank, chair of CAMRA's Light and Dark Supporters Group, said: "The Shilling Experience is a fantastic showcase for real ale from small and regional producers, which reflect the best of natural ingredients and the demands of local drinkers."

Brocklebank said the shilling theme was very topical following Alastair Darling's recent duty rise on beer.

"We now pay the highest beer duty in Europe - 34p a pint on average strength beers and 42.5p on beers that are five per cent abv. On top of this, the government takes in excess of 40p for each pint sold in a pub through VAT!

"If Mr Darling is near Edinburgh at the end of this week then we would encourage him to visit the festival and come and speak to the Scottish brewers and pub-goers.

"These people will tell him how these tax increases on beer are tearing the pub and brewing trade apart," he concluded.

CAMRA's Scottish festival runs from tomorrow (Thursday) to Saturday. Admission is £4.