6 of the best Autumn craft beers to welcome in the darker nights
Tired of light ales and sours? Well with autumn arriving, it's the perfect time to try something a little more robust.
(No pumpkins were hurt in the making of this article.) Black Aye PA (Brewed by Alechemy, style: Black IPA)
The darker cousin to a traditional IPA, Alechemy's Black IPA is a beast with a dark colouring that gives a clue to its rich flavour of roast and chocolate malts.
Don't be fooled by the colour its dangerously drinkable with plenty of zest and a dry finish.
• READ MORE: 12 of the best Scottish craft beers (as chosen by the experts) Harvest IPA - 2017 edition (Brewed by Tempest Brew Co., style: Belgian IPA)
The ever popular hybrid beer is back, this year, the Tempest team have brewed it using Ekuanot hops from North America which give it a tangy tropical and papaya aroma, with plenty of citrus punch to tackle and complement the earthier flavours of the Saison yeast.
It's described as being the perfect beer to transition "from the fresh, fruity flavours of Summer into darker days and colder nights in Autumn".
Careful though, at nearly 7% it packs a heavy punch in its velvet glove. Seasons - Summer (Brewed in collaboration by Tempest, Cromarty, Pilot and Fallen breweries, style: Saison)
How about one last salute to summer before we plunge head long into the journey for winter?
The perfect tender parting embrace comes from the Seasons collab from some of Scotland's top brewers, and as we wait for the autumn release, Summer, a saison made using Meadowsweet, Elderflower and Sorachi hops, is the perfect goodbye to what's been for the most part, a dreich summer. Dragonfly (Brewed by Fallen, style: Amber Ale)
It wouldn't be an autumnal beer list without at least one Amber Ale, and in Dragonfly, Fallen's red tinged regular, you have a great beer that's perfect segue between the lighter styles of summer and the darker richer styles of the later seasons.
With warm caramel flavours and hints of citrus, its perfect for enjoying on these longer, darker nights. Oktoberfest beer (Brewed by Stewart Brewing, style: Lager)
It is that time of year.
Stewart's full bodied, malty Marzen style lager has been brewed by their German brewer Johannes, and is the perfect ode to the world's most famous beer festival.
Launched at their Oktobeerfest 2017, Stewart's Oktoberfest beer has proved massively popular since its launch and apparently tastes great with Bratwurst. Rigor Portis (Brewed by Dead End Brew Machine, style: Smoked Porter)
Porters can obviously be enjoyed all year round, but there's something immensely satisfying about cracking one open on a cold night.
This 6.9% monster is made by Glasgow's up-and-coming Dead End Brew Machine and features an embarrassment of riches when it comes to flavour.
Chocolate, coffee and hits of smoke all battle it out on your tongue and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable drinking experience.