OUR IPA & DARK BEER CHALLENGE RESULTS

Twice a year, we hold a Blind Tasting for Scottish beers, and you are the judge. Our IPA Challenge in Summer sees about 25 Scottish IPAs and our Dark Beer Challenge in the Winter has about 20 Scottish Stouts, Porters and Milds. All scores are from customers and the winning beer is engraved on the trophy and stays on the bar for a month.
Below are the top 10 results for previous years.

2024

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IPA Challenge

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1st Winton Brewery Mon Then! 5.6% in Keg

2nd Black Isle Spider Monkey 5.2% in Keg

3rd Cross Borders IPA 6.0% in Keg

4th 6 Degrees North Omnium 4.3% in Keg

5th Cromarty AKA IPA 6.7% in Keg

6th Loch Lomond Lost In Mosaic 4.8% in Cask

7th Pilot IPA 5.2% in Keg

8th Black Isle Yellowhammer 4.0% in Cask

9th Fyne Ales Workbench IPA 5.5% in Keg

10th Tempest Vermont Sessions 4.6% in Keg

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Last Place Moonwake IPA 5.0% in Keg

 

 

 

2023

 

IPA Challenge

 

1st Winton Brewery Mon Then! 5.6% in Keg

2nd Cromarty AKA IPA 6.7% in Keg

3rd Tempest Vermont Sessions 4.6% in Keg

4th Tempest Brave New World 7.0% in Keg

5th Windswept Tornado 6.7% in Keg

6th Otherworld Last Breath 6.2% in Keg

7th Walkie Talky It Takes Two 7.5% in Keg

8th Pilot IPA 5.2% in Keg

9th Loch Lomond Lost In Mosaic 4.8% in Keg

10th 6 Degrees North Omnium 4.3% in Keg

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Last Place Swannay Orkney 4.8% Cask

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Dark Beer Challenge

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1st Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask

2nd Walkie Talky 3rd Craic 5.5% in Keg

Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask

3rd Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.8% In Cask

4th Cromarty Ghost Town 5.8% in cask

5th Campervan Extra Black 4.5% in Keg

6th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask

7th Black Isle Porter 4.5% in Keg

8th Moonwake Milk Stout 4.5% in Keg

9th Winton Och Aye 3.6% in Keg

10th Bellfield Full Moon 6.0% in Cask

=10th Simple Fermintations Session Stout 4.0% in Cask

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Last Place - Tempest Cresta 4.2% in Cask

 

 

2022

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IPA Challenge

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1st Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg

2nd Moonwake IPA 5.0% in Keg

3rd Black Isle Spider Monkey 5.2% in Keg

4th Tempest Brave New World 7.0% in Keg

5th Drygate Gladeye 5.2% in Keg

6th Otherworld Mixed Fermentation 6.0% in Keg

7th 6 Degrees North Omnium 4.3% in Keg

8th Fyne Ales Workbench 5.5% in Keg

9th Campervan Bear Country 6.0% in Keg

10th Cross Borders IPA 6.0% in Keg

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Last Place - Stewart Brewing Pentland IPA in Cask

 

Dark Beer Challenge

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1st Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask

2nd Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask

3rd Walkie Talky 3rd Craic 5.5% in Keg

4th Donzoko Dead Good Stout 4.5% in Keg

5th Newbarns Stout 5.0% in Keg

6th Simple Fermintations Session Stout 4.0% in Cask

7th Tempest Elemental 5.1% in Cask

8th Campervan Leith Porter 5.0% in Keg

9th Pilot Mochacinno 5.5% in Keg

10th Swannay Sneeky Wee Orkney Stout 4.2% in Cask

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Last Place - Cross Borders Porter 4.8% in Cask

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2019

IPA Challenge
 

1st Fyne Ales Workbench 5.5% in Keg

2nd Pilot An IPA 6.0% in Keg

3rd Alechemy Secret Citra 5.0% in Cask

4th Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg

5th Cromarty Raptor 5.5% in Keg

6th Loch Lomond Lost in Mosaic 4.8% in Cask

7th Swannay Muckle 6.6% in Keg

8th Cromarty AKA 6.7% in Keg

9th Swannay Orkney IPA 5.2% in Cask

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Last Place - Campervan Leith Juice 4.7% in Cask

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Dark Beer Challenge
 

1st Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask

2nd Pilot Mochaccino Milk Stout 5.5% in Keg

3rd Fallen Chew Chew 6.0% in Cask

=3rd Hybrid Magic Porridge 4.7% in Cask

4th Tempest Elemental 5.1% in Cask

5th Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.8% in Cask

6th Kelburn Pacific Porter 5.5% in Cask

7th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask

8th Swannay Voe 5.0% in Keg

9th Windswept 1806 5.0% in Cask

10th Black Isle Porter 4.6% in Cask

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Last Place - 6 Degrees North Chopper 4.1% in Cask

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2018

 

1st Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg
2nd Tempest Brave New World 7.4% in Keg
3rd Loch Lomond Lost in Mosaic 4.8% in Keg
4th Black Isle Yellowhammer 4.0% in Cask
5th Tempest Soma 6.9% in Keg
6th Cromarty Raptor 5.5% in Keg
7th Lewis Hill Muckle 6.6% in Keg
8th Cromarty AKA 6.7% in Keg
9th Fyne Ales Superior IPA 7.1% in Cask
10th Williams Bros Joker 5.0% in Keg

Last Place - Stewart's Pentland IPA 3.9% in Cask
 
Dark Beer Challenge

1st Fallen Chew Chew 6.0% in Keg
2nd Pilot Mocha Milk Stout 5.5% in Keg
3rd Drygate Orinoco Milk Stout 6.0% in Cask
4th Upfront Ahab 6.0% in Cask
5th Black Isle Porter 4.6% in Cask
6th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Keg
7th Hybrid Magic Porridge 4.7% in Cask
8th Windswept 1806 5.0% in Cask
9th Knops Black Cork 6.5% in Cask
10th Late Night Hype Dulce Stout 4.0% in Cask

Last Place - Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.3% in Cask

2017

IPA Challenge

1st Tempest Brave New World 7.4% in Keg
2nd Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg
3rd Windswept Tornado 6.7% in Keg
4th Brewdog Punk IPA 5.4% in Keg
5th Black Isle Yellowhammer 4.0% in Cask
6th Stewarts Pentland IPA 3.9% in Cask
7th Lewis Hill Muckle IPA 6.6% in Keg
8th Cromarty AKA IPA 6.7% in Keg
9th Fyne Ale Superior IPA 7.1% in Cask
10th Belhaven IPA 4.0% in Cask

Last Place - Caledonian Deauchars IPA 3.8% in Cask

Dark Beer Challenge
1st Fallen Chew Chew 6.0% in Keg
2nd Cromarty Ghost Town 5.8% in Cask
3rd Pilot Mochacinno Milk Stout 5.5% in Keg
4th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Keg
5th Stewarts Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask
6th Tryst Double Chocolate Porter 4.4% in Cask
7th Williams Bros. March of the Penguins 4.9% in Cask
8th Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.2% in Cask
9th Swannay S.W.O Stout 4.2% in Cask
10th Ferry Stout 4.9% in Cask

Last Place - Belhaven Black 4.0% in Cask

2016

IPA Challenge:
1st Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg
2nd Lewis Hill Muckle IPA 6.6% in Keg
3rd Brewdog Punk IPA 5.4% in Keg
4th Swannay Orkney IPA 4.8% in Cask
5th Tempest Brave New World 7.4% in Keg
6th Fyne Ales Superior IPA 7.1% in Cask
7th Broughton 6.2 IPA 6.2% in Cask
8th Cromarty AKA 6.7% in Keg
9th Black Isle Yellowhammer 4.0% in Cask
10th Loch Lomond Bravehop IPA 6.0% in Cask

Last Place - Belhaven IPA 4.0% in Cask

Dark Beer Challenge
1st Tryst Double Chocolate Porter 4.4% in Cask
2nd Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask
3rd Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.8% in Cask
4th Cromarty Brewed Awakening 5.7% in Cask
5th Pilot Mochaccino Milk Stout 5.5% in Keg
6th Hybrid Magic Porridge Oatmeal Stout 4.7% in Cask
7th Tempest Red Eye Flight 7.4% in Keg
8th Swannay Sneaky Wee Orkney Stout 4.2% in Cask
9th Harviestoun  Old Engine Oil 4.5% in Cask
10th Fallen Chew Chew 6.0% in Cask

Last Place - Belhaven Black 4.0% in Cask

2015

IPA Challenge
1st Fallen Platform C 6.3% in Keg
2nd Cromarty AKA 6.7% in Keg
3rd Tempest Brave New World 7.4% in Keg
4th Lewis Hill Muckle IPA 6.6% in Keg
5th Jaw Drop 4.2% in Cask
6th Brewdog Punk IPA 5.6% in Keg
7th Loch Lomond Bravehop 6.0% in Cask
8th Stewart Brewing Pentland IPA 3.9% in Cask
9th Fallen Local Motive 3.9% in Cask
10th Carbon Smith IPA 7.0% in Keg

Last Place - Belhaven IPA 4.0% in Cask

Dark Beer Challenge
1st Brewdog Jet Black Heart 4.8% in Keg
2nd Cairngorm Black Gold 4.4% in Cask
3rd Fallen Chew Chew 6.0% in Cask
4th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask
5th An Teallach The Hector 4.7% in Cask
6th Williams Brothers Black Ball 4.2% in Keg
7th Pilot Mochaccino Milk Stout 5.5% in Cask
8th Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask
9th Tempest In The Dark We Live 7.2% in Keg
10th Windswept Wolf 6.0% in Cask

Last Place - Edin Brew 85/- 4.6% in Cask

2014
IPA Challenge
1st Tempest Brave New World in Keg
2nd Brewdog Punk IPA in Keg
3rd Cromarty AKA in Keg
4th Swannay Duke IPA in Cask
5th Black Isle Yellowhammer in Keg
6th The Hanging Bat IPA in Keg
7th Williams Brothers Joker IPA in Keg
8th Brewdog Old World IPA in Keg
9th Swannay Orkney IPA in Cask
10th Innis & Gunn Toasted Oak IPA in Keg

Last Place - Belhaven IPA in Cask

Dark Beer Challenge
1st Pilot Mochaccino Milk Stout 5.5% in Cask
2nd Cromarty Brew Awakening 4.7% in Keg
3rd Windswept Wolf 6.0% in Cask
4th Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.8% in Cask
5th Tempest Elemental Porter 5.1% in Keg
6th Tryst Sherpa Porter 4.1% in Cask
7th Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask
8th Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask
9th Top Out Smoked Porter 5.6% in Cask
10th Swannay Sneeky Wee Orkney Stout 4.2% in Cask

Last Place - Speyside Dark Sky 4.5% in Cask

2013

IPA Challenge
1st Tempesy Brave New World 7.0% in Keg
2nd Brewdog Punk IPA 5.6% in Keg
3rd Cromarty AKA 6.7% in Keg
4th Williams Brothers Joker IPA 5.0% in Keg
5th Fyne Ales Superior IPA 7.5% in Cask
6th Black Isle Yellowhammer 4.0% in Cask
7th Stewart Brewing Pentland IPA 3.9% in Cask
8th Alechemy Cairnapple 4.1% in Cask
9th Tryst Raj IPA 5.5% in Cask
10th Swannay Orkney IPA 4.8% in Cask

Last Place - Caledonian Deuchars 3.8% in Cask

Dark Beer Challenge
1st Tempesy Red Eye Flight 7.4% in Keg
2nd Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5.0% in Cask
3rd Cromarty Brewed Awakening 4.7% in Keg
4th Harviestoun Old Engine Oil 6.0% in Cask
5th Williams Brothers Midnight Sun 5.6% in Cask
6th Stewart Brewing Cauld Reekie 6.2% in Cask
7th Black Isle Porter 4.2% in Keg
8th Fallen Blackhouse Porter 5.0% in Cask
9th Fyne Ales Sublime Stout 6.8% in Cask
10th Williams Brothers Black Ball Stout 4.2% in Keg

Last Place - Arran Dark 4.3% in Cask