Scotland’s biggest celebration of independent brewing is back in September, pouring pride into every pint — and not a faux-craft label in sight.
No Multinationals, No Pretenders — Just Independent Scottish Beer
The smell of hops, the sound of clinking glasses, and the unmistakable buzz of beer nerds and casual pint-lovers alike — Indie Beer Scotland is back.
Set to take over the Clyde Rooms at Edmiston House in Glasgow on the 5th and 6th of September, the festival is promising exactly what its name suggests: 100% indie beer, 100% Scottish.
And that’s not just a marketing gimmick.
The event is run by Scottish brewers from the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), the same not-for-profit group that fired shots last year at multinational-owned “craft” beer with its Indie Beer campaign. The mission? Keep the indie in independent. And put the focus squarely on the real-deal brewers — the ones who actually mash, ferment, and package their own beer in their own facilities, not in billion-pound beverage factories.
Scotland’s Biggest All-Scottish Beer Showcase
This isn’t some half-hearted tap takeover. Indie Beer Scotland is the country’s largest platform for showcasing independent Scottish breweries — and it’s not even close.
Ian McGrath, co-founder of Beath Brewing and one of the festival’s organisers, made that crystal clear.
“This is where it all started,” McGrath said. “We’re not just a Scottish beer festival. We’re the flagship event for indie beer across the UK.”
You’ll find no multinational logos here. No crafty branding hiding corporate roots. Just taps pouring pints from breweries scattered across every corner of Scotland.
And prices? Still frozen at 2024 levels.
£4 Pints, Premium Sips, and Pushing the Boundaries
It’s not just about quantity. It’s about value — and flavour.
Organisers have kept pints priced at pre-inflation levels, with session beers available from just £4. For a major event in 2025, that’s almost unheard of.
Even better? The variety. Think light lagers and crisp pale ales, perfect for sipping across an afternoon. Then flip the script and you’re staring down a 10% barrel-aged imperial stout or a syrupy Scotch ale with a boozy bite.
One brewer told us: “You’ll come for the IPA. But you’ll stay for the 11% smoked peat monster we’ve hidden in the corner tap.”
There’s something wild and wonderful about that.
What Makes Indie Beer… Indie?
There’s more to this than marketing. The Indie Beer label actually means something — and organisers are sticking to it.
To qualify, breweries must meet a few core criteria:
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Be independently owned (no big corporate parent company).
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Brew their own beer using their own equipment.
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Operate from physical premises based in Scotland.
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Not be subject to majority ownership by a global conglomerate.
This keeps the focus on real local producers — from city microbreweries to rural taprooms hidden behind farm gates.
And that’s what makes it such a hit with fans. It’s not just beer — it’s beer with roots, with stories, with actual humans behind the bar.
A Look Back — And Ahead
This isn’t Indie Beer Scotland’s first rodeo. The festival launched in 2022, and it’s grown steadily each year.
It’s not just the pints that have been flowing — so has the praise.
In fact, 2024’s edition saw a record number of attendees, and this year’s is expected to top it. Organisers say the momentum is real — and they’ve got even bigger plans brewing.
“We’ve got big plans for 2026,” said McGrath. “There’ll be Indie Beer events popping up all across the UK. But Glasgow will always be home. This is the one that started it all.”
Here’s a quick look at the festival’s timeline:
| Year | Venue | Notable Stats |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Glasgow (launch) | 20 breweries, 500 attendees |
| 2023 | Expanded space | 30 breweries, 1,100 attendees |
| 2024 | Clyde Rooms | 40+ breweries, 2,000+ attendees |
| 2025 | Bigger again | 50+ breweries expected, £4 pints |
That kind of growth is rare. Especially in a market where festivals are increasingly dominated by big sponsors and non-local brands.
More Than Beer: A Scene, A Statement
There’s something quietly rebellious about Indie Beer Scotland.
It’s not just a festival. It’s a middle finger to the corporatization of craft beer. A reminder that brewing can still be personal, experimental, and community-driven.
You’ll find breweries here you’ve never heard of — pouring beers you won’t find in supermarkets. The kind of stuff that’s brewed in batches of 300 litres or less. Often by two people and a dog.
There’s music. Food trucks. Merch. And yes, probably more beards than you can count.
But at the core? It’s about connection — to place, to taste, to people who actually care what’s in your glass.
