EIBF – Weird Beards and Beavers

Edinburgh certainly is looking its best at the moment, with the increasingly un-Scottish heatwave melting pavements and populace alike. Inevitably, the chill will return – accompanied as ever by the annoyingly smug stating “Well, Summer’s over then, hohoho”. But, until then, bemused locals and lucky tourists alike get to enjoy the heat and light of the current hot spell. Is that good news or bad for the current swath of beer festivals in the city? It helps get people out, but also probably keeps people out, doing other things; hording the municipal tennis courts pretending to be Sir Andy Murray, or lying slumped in public parks, pretending to be sober.

Last night, day two of the Independents’ Festival doubled up events at the Holyrood9A and the Stockbridge Tap, accompanied by blistering, continental-style warmth. With apologies to the Holyrood, as the Tap is my local, it was there I ended up; their EIBF event revolved around two up-and-coming London breweries (so, two of the forty-five or so), Beavertown and Weird Beard. Beers had arrived from both for the festival, the former on keg and the latter cask (sadly, Beavertown’s Apricot Pale had not made it, though). The Tap’s Executive Chef in residence, Sam, had also been busy grinding various animals into the astonishing burgers they serve there, each incorporating one of the evening’s guest beers.

The Tap, freshly coated in a new lick of paint, was humming away as ever, sweltering in the unseasonal heat (I think I’ve mentioned that enough, now). It’s always a pity that Edinburgh can’t, won’t, or is not allowed to embrace the London drinking habit of piling outside, standing in the warmth underneath hanging baskets, people spilling onto the pavement like the pub fire alarm has gone off. I once counted over 50 drinkers outside the Market Porter in Borough, for instance, with merely a handful inside. Of all the EIBF pubs, only one has a beer garden (the Hanging Bat’s, put together the other week), and the Red Squirrel a few tables on Lothian Road. Such is Edinburgh drinking. And you can’t legislate for the weather.

Still, the beers for EIBF are supplied through New Wave, a company backboned by modern, keg-forward beers – if ever there was a time to convert the fizz-curious cask ale fan to the wonders of colder serve, it is right now. At the Tap, beer of the day by some distance was the sublime Beavertown Bloody ‘Ell – a 7.4% blood orange IPA – which didn’t pour dark ruby, but absolutely won the day otherwise. It tasted like an orange sherbet DibDab poured into a glass of pink champagne – the balance of flavours was incredible. Also on form were Beavertown’s Gamma Ray and Weird Beard’s Little Things That Kill, a session IPA with maybe a touch too much Mosaic for the abv, but good nonetheless.

As ever at the Tap, the beers (and burgers) were in perfect condition – no mean feat given the weather (which I will stop mentioning, honestly). Archie and the team were fair working up a sweat getting everything in place – even Adam was looking pinker of cheek than usual – but not, of course, deviating from his Best Shandy. I wonder what he would make of Blood Orange IPA, or Mint and Cucumber Saison? Anyway, the general opinion was that the Bloody ‘Ell was the pick of the beers on offer – although a small sample I had of Weird Beard’s Black Perle was very nice indeed. However, it’s hard-going drinking a coffee milk stout when it’s the high-twenties outside. Still, summer will soon be over, hohoho…

The Edinburgh Independents’ Beer Festival continues today (Wednesday the 10th) with the Caley Sample Room hosting a Meet the Brewer event with Harbour at 7pm. Also, today sees the Brodies’ cross-town haggisbasher, as a huge range of their beers is on offer at BrewDog Edinburgh, the Hanging Bat, and the Cask & Barrel Southside. Also, outside the EIBF, at 7pm the new Natural Selection Brewing beer (Origin) launches at Bannerman’s, accompanied by live music. For more information on what’s happening when this week, check out the latest Edinburgh Beer Weekly.