Beers for Every Taste - In a world where global drinks brands play an increasingly important role, Scotland's beers and pubs retain highly individual characteristics - a combination of the country's particular drinks history and its contemporary culture.

The special qualities of Scottish water, the development of barley growing industry for beer and whisky and the distinct trading links with the countries of the empire, Northern Europe and North America all contribute to a very distinctive Scottish beer heritage.

Scottish ales, were less bitter, more malty than their English equivalents. There was also a wider range of alcoholic strengths - from relatively weak beers to slake the thirsts of Scotland's growing industrial workforce all the way through to export strength brews which proved a commercial success worldwide.

The other very distinctive style was lager or blonde beer. Scotland caught the lager bug much earlier than England. Through the modernising decades of the 1960’s and 70’s lager's influence grew among younger drinkers, especially in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. Today, every second pint sold in Scotland is lager!

Even more recently Scotland has been influenced by the ups and downs of traditional cask ale. Most Scottish ale is dispensed either by carbon dioxide or by a mix of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

However, many traditional cask ales survive and prosper doing well both north and south of the border. The ales produced by the Orkney Brewery and by Harviestoun are frequent award winners. And a growing number of Scottish mini and micro breweries and brew pubs have added interesting new beers to the Scottish mix.

Scotland's willingness to try something new and an enthusiasm for style and fashion have also seen premium packaged beers build a strong position in the Scottish market.

Beers from, the United States and Germany predominate, but other beers - from all over the world also have their niches.

With around 5m citizens, Scotland's beer market is, complex and varied. Much of this can be traced to the particular characteristics of Scottish licensed retailing. Branded managed pubs are increasing their influence in Scotland but the trade north of the border is still dominated by independents, especially outside the major city centres. Independent Hotels have also played an important part in the Scottish Licensed Retailing story by helping to encourage an increasingly international outlook. Since the changes in Scottish licensing law in the mid- 1970s, the number of licensed entertainment venues has also increased. And in the last 10 years Scotland, and especially Glasgow, has become famous for innovative nightclubs and pre-club venues. While the entire country now benefits from excellent, diverse and innovative restaurants.

Independent operators and brewers like Belhaven have been busy developing individual pubs which have defined the design style of 21st Century Scotland.

Scotland's beer suppliers have also been responding to the trends. Premium packaged lagers are among the most important sponsors of modern music events, dance culture, comedy and contemporary arts. Tennent's Lager sponsors T in the Park, one of Europe's biggest music festivals.

Beers are now available in packages designed to meet all opportunities and occasions from summer barbecues to hot nights in nightclubs. And just as the premium beer market looked like it was settling down, the producers and distributors have introduced new variants on existing brands - ice beers, light beers and more.

But, if anything, the current overall trend seems to be back towards draught beer, with a pint the best accompaniment to time spent in one of Scotland's smart new bars. And in this respect we’re probably starting the 21st century as we did the 20th.