Today’s Beer of the Week is a wee bit different, instead honouring a handful of the country’s best craft beer pubs, those establishments on the frontline of the craft beer revolution.

Last week’s Scottish Bar and Pub Awards recognised the best of Scotland’s licensed premises, with gongs ranging from Cocktail Bar of the Year to Best Social Media.

Edinburgh’s Montpeliers won the coveted Craft Beer Bar of the Year prize. From a shortlist of 10 bars, the bar impressed judges with both its beers but also its staff’s ability to talk knowledgeably about beer styles and taste profiles, while their ability to pair food and beer won them extra Brownie points.

You’ll find Montpeliers (159-161 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh) in the heart of Edinburgh’s upmarket Bruntsfield area. It’s a slick, bustling bar; popular locally and as well known for its food as it its beers. Beers include the likes of Francisan Wells of Cork, Williams Brothers, Doom Bar, Shoreditch and Camden. Food-wise, you really can’t go wrong the two mains for £10.

FIVE OTHER GREAT CRAFT BEER PUBS

Inn Deep

445 Great Western Rd,

Kelvinbridge, Glasgow

Tucked away off Great Western Road, the bar looks across the River Kelvin, with the outdoor seating becoming very crowded on sunny evenings. Alongside the likes of Beavertown, Alechemy, Wild Beer, you can also expect to find the full Williams stable – it’s owned by Williams Brothers who also own the superb Valhalla’s Goat off-license up stairs. Williams also have a hand in the craft beer haven Drygate in the east end. Although Inn Deep does have a decent food menu, it’s conveniently next door to the brilliant Philadelphia fish and chip shop.

West

Templeton Building

Glasgow Green, Glasgow

As sites go, West have one of the best. The beautiful Templeton building on the edge of Glasgow Green was once a renowned carpet factory; nowadays, the world-famous building is home to a number of businesses, including the country’s first German brewery. Child friendly, and with a big focus on German food, at West you’ll find the full range of German beers, from St Mungo lager, to the German-style stout West Black, a German Pale Ale and a fruity hefeweizen, all brewed according to the reinheitsgebot purity laws. It’s also worth checking out West on the Corner, the brewery’s new venture on Woodlands Road in the west.

The Hanging Bat Beer Cafe

133-135 Lothian Road, Edinburgh

Although only a few years old, for many beer lovers in Edinburgh the Hanging Bat is where they hang their craft beer hats and call home. Host to a busy calendar of beer launches and tap takeovers, they’ve a revolving range of cask ales and a broad selection of bottles. They have their own brewkit so alongside their own beers you’ll find the cream of Scottish brewing, as well as such as Thornbridge, Buxton, Redchurch.

Six° North

6 Littlejohn Street, Aberdeen

In a few short years, Aberdeen brewery Six° North have built up a reputation for their Belgian style beers, and they now also run two well-respected bars. The Aberdeen pub is stripped back, while the beer menu is anything but – more than 300 beers on tap and in bottle are on offer, including their own range of Belgian beers, and the likes of Likes of Wild Beer Co, Eden Mill St Andrews and Tiny Rebel Co. In nearby Stonehaven, where the brewery is based, the Marine Hotel has Six North beers behind the bar.

BrewDog,

Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow

It’s impossible to talk about craft beer pubs without mentioning the BrewDog chain of bars. The ubiquitous Punk IPA may be the Ellon brewery’s bestseller, but it’s in their bars that you’ll be able to try BrewDog’s new beers. Expect big, hop-forward beers, with imports from breweries such as Stone, Mikkeller and Siren.