4 of the best Scottish craft beers

in association with

Queen of Puddings £1.49 for 330ml at Lidl

After May’s successful review of Lidl’s whiskies, here’s an independent look at that retailer’s new beers. Deceptively full despite its light colour, this candidate delivers soft fruit, pear drop and cereal flavours with a gentle bitter finish neatly supported by suggestions of vanilla and lemon puff biscuits.

Forward Control £1.99 for 440ml at Lidl

This IPA from a Dundee brewery does an amazing job of producing a 7.1 per cent beer that feels neither heavy nor overly alcoholic. With clear traces of its lager fermentation processes, this has crisp and refreshing orange and grapefruit flavours with unmistakable but shrewdly balanced (largely American) aromatic hop influences.

Wolf Moon £1.79 for 440ml at Lidll

Balance, depth and complexity is what puts this example narrowly ahead of its peers which all offer well-crafted and great value options. Here, just the right amount of pithy citrus bitterness counterbalances the beer’s interesting cocktail of cocoa, mandarin peel and green herb flavours and associated gentle balsamic hints.

Chocca Lola £1.79 for 440ml at Lidl

This milk stout is one of 20 beers in the Craft Beer Festival range that Lidl launched last Thursday. Its firm head and mild sweetness lead invitingly into “end of meal” chocolate, espresso and cherry flavours, all wrapped in a texture that is embellished with date and walnut hints.

Lidl’s craft beer festival is in stores now

★ Brian Elliott is a wine judge and blogger and a widely read wine writer throughout Scotland who reminds us that promotions can change at short notice. Although prices are verified as the magazine goes to press, shoppers should enquire in store.