Fierce Beer’s Dave Grant definitely knows a thing or two about beer, but after a hard day’s graft, what does the head of one of Scotland’s best breweries fancy in his glass?
After leaving his career in the oil and gas industry behind, Dave co-founded Fierce with his fellow Dave, David McHardy, almost 10 years ago and the Aberdeen brand has been slowly dominating beer taps and shop shelves ever since.
From humble beginnings, Fierce Beer now has bars in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and even Manchester.
But despite their rapid rise, Dave Grant hasn’t lost his love for the craft, and you can often find him enjoying new releases or old classics on nights out around Aberdeen’s many great bars.
I asked Dave for his top three favourite Scottish beers of all time, and after much soul-searching, I’ve listed his picks below.
He said: “It’s so hard to choose as there’s so many great breweries in Scotland producing world-class IPAs, Sours, no to low alcohol beers and of course, lagers too.”
In 3rd place: Jarl, from Fyne Ales
- 3.8%
- £2.60 a bottle at the Fyne Ales website, but you can also purchase in most supermarkets, with a 500ml bottle costing £2.60 at Sainsbury’s
- Fyne Ales, Argyll
- Style: Session blonde ale
Dave hails this beer as a “proper Scottish classic”.
He says it’s a “great session blonde ale that is 100% American citra hops, and a beer he loves in “all formats — can, bottle or keg”.
But he said his favourite way of enjoying a pint of Jarl is on cask.
You can often spot Fyne Ales brews on cask in Aberdeen bars like Ma Cameron’s, Under The Hammer and the Prince of Wales.
“It never disappoints. Great beer. I could drink a pint right now,” added the Fierce Beer boss.
In 2nd place: All The Leaves Are Brown, from Tempest Brewing Co
- 11.2%
- Currently sold out on the Tempest website, and I couldn’t find it available anywhere right now, but when it has been on sale previously, it’s gone for about £5 a 330ml can.
- Tempest Brewing Co, Galashiels
- Style: Barrel-aged imperial brown ale
It’s quite a jump in both alcohol and beer style between number three and number two on Dave’s list.
He says this brew is a “classic malty-backboned imperial brown ale, almost verging on Scotch ale, that has rested in bourbon barrels, then re-fermented with a little maple syrup”.
Sounds complex to say the least.
The Fierce co-founder says it’s “huge on flavour with caramel, vanilla, and a little maple too.
“At 11.2% abv, it’s a sipper for sure, but an amazing beer that is one of Scotland’s best.”
He’s not wrong: The beer review website RateBeer has it at #2 in Scotland… only beaten by….
1st place: Barrel-Aged Very Big Moose, by Fierce Beer
- 12.5%
- £5.95 a 330ml can on the website, and there are rye, rum, and bourbon versions
- Style: Barrel-aged imperial stout
- Fierce Beer, Aberdeen
Now, you might begrudge Dave for picking one of his own brewery’s beers as his number one selection, but he’s not alone — RateBeer users have the maple version of barrel-aged Very Big Moose as the #1 beer in Scotland.
Dave said: “I love any of its barrel-aged variants, but right now the rye-aged version is fantastic.
“Sorry, I know it is a Fierce brew, but it’s a great one.
“It is almost something we take for granted a little, but it remains a world-class ale.”
The Fierce Beer boss continued: “We still love to see people’s faces who come to the taproom to try it for the first time with huge trepidation.
“I would say that 9 out of 10 times it becomes their favourite of anything they try, and it is unusual for visitors not to head home with a wee tinny for later.”
Kieran is a former craft beer barman and publishes his beer column every Tuesday online. You can also read his column in the P&J’s Food and Drink magazine, which you can find inside your Press and Journal newspaper every Saturday.
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