Bottom's up! A guide to real ale pubs in Glasgow

The real ale industry in Britain has undergone a huge revival in recent years and our fair isles are now home to more than 850 independent breweries all producing their own unique beers.

Much like the locally-sourced food revolution, the culture for real ale drinking has emerged from the desire for a pint that is made by real people who put pride and passion into their work instead of being produced by a huge multinational corporation that spends millions on advertising its chemically-laden beverages.

This, along with the near-universal appreciation of a good pint, has helped spawn an almost nationwide community of beer drinkers who love discovering new ales from previously unsampled breweries.

To celebrate the fact, the national real ale organisation Camra has just published a book called 101 Beer Days Out, which acts as a travel guide for beer lovers.

"Beer travel is a new form of tourism," explains the book's author Tim Hampson. "Think about when you visit a town or region that you've not been to before, and the first thing most of us do is seek out the best pub for a drink or something to eat."

If you're staying in our Glasgow hostel and can't get your hands on a copy of the book but fancy exploring the local real ale hotspots, here is our guide to the top real ale pubs in the city.

Babbity Bowster

Babbity Bowster has become something of a Glasgow institution, with its laid-back yet lively blend of bistro, pub and continental-style cafe – all of which is housed within a beautiful 18th-century townhouse on Blackfriars Street in the heart of the city centre.

As well as its regular real ales the Babbity Bowster also has a rotating guest ale on offer, but real ale is by no means the be-all and end-all here. Great bistro food, top drawer teas and coffees and good wine and whiskies all take equal priority, while you will often find traditional Scottish music being played in the evening. What's more, you can even play French boules in the beer garden. 16-18 Blackfriars Street, Glasgow, G1 1PE. 0141 552 5055.

Blackfriars

Having won Camra's Glasgow Pub of the Year award twice, Blackfriars has a solid case for being the best real ale pub in the city centre, but the establishment has so much more to offer than great beer.

As well as its constantly changing selection of beers from a wide range of top breweries such as Inveralmond and Dark Star, it has more than 40 different bottled beers and even knocks out good quality pub grub at low prices.

Add this to its famous atmosphere as well as a reputation for hosting great gigs and club nights in the basement, and Blackfriars stands out a mile against the trendy bars and cafes that dominate the Merchant City area of Glasgow. 36 Bell Street, Glasgow, G1 1LG. 0141 552 5924.

BrewDog Glasgow

BrewDog pubs somewhat divide opinion in the real ale world, but the company's fresh approach to beer and pubs certainly marks it out from the crowd.

Selling its own range of Scottish-brewed craft beers - such as Trashy Blonde, Alice Porter and Punk IPA - as well as a wide selection of guest beers, BrewDog Glasgow is targeted towards a much younger crowd than the typical real ale boozer and this is clear to see in its stylish window friezes, bare brick walls and industrial decor. 1397 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AN. 01413 347 175.

Clockwork Beer Co

Located just a few minutes away from Scotland's national football stadium Hampton Park, the Clockwork Beer Co is the best place to go for pre or post-match drinks and food, though it is definitely worth seeking out for its own merits alone.

An on-site micro brewery produces all of the pub's ale making it as environmentally friendly as possible, and there are always four different offerings available to quench your thirst. It is also a great place to watch live sport with plenty of plasma screens, while its beer garden is perfect on sunny days. 1153-1155 Cathcart Road, Glasgow, G42 9HB. 0141 649 0184.

The Crystal Palace

One of the numerous J D Wetherspoon pubs in Glasgow, the Crystal Palace on Jamaica Street is arguably the best of the bunch, purely on the basis of the building it is housed in – a 19th-century glass and iron green house-type construction designed by John Baird as the focal point of the Great Exhibition in 1951.

Aside from the stunning building, everything else is what you would expect from the pub chain: nothing groundbreaking other than a good selection of quality ales at amazingly cheap prices. It is also a top place to watch the match with an abundance of television screens, and free Wi-Fi is also available should you need it. 36 Jamaica Street, Glasgow, G1 4QD. 0141 221 2624.

The Scotia

If a wide selection of real ales is what you're looking for then the Scotia probably isn't the place to go, but for historic significance it is definitely worth a visit as the pub has a legitimate claim to being the oldest ale house in Glasgow.

The pub on Stockwell Street was first built in 1792 and back in those days it was used to keep the sailors heading down the Clyde fed and watered. Even though it only sells one guest ale that changes regularly, it is a decent pub nonetheless with an incredible story that alone makes it worth the visit. 112-114 Stockwell Street, Glasgow, G1 4LT. 0141 552 8681.

Three Judges

The popular Three Judges in Glasgow's West End is without doubt one of the best pubs the city has to offer and there are few places in Scotland that offer a better selection of real ale and cider.

Camra recently named it Scotland's Cider Pub of the Year, and in the past the pub has also picked up its Cask Ale Pub of the Year and Pub Manager of the Year awards. Other prizes from SLTN and the Publican magazine have also helped cement the Three Judges' reputation.

Run by the successful Maclay Inns, the pub prides itself on its selection of ales and ciders which it sources from across the UK - with at least nine different varieties usually on offer. 141 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6TR. 0141 337 3055.

West

There can be few real ale pubs that boast the architecture of West, which is housed in the stunning Victorian Templeton Carpet Factory at Glasgow Green.

A micro brewery, pub and restaurant all in one, all of West's beer is produced on site and the company has set itself a lofty ambition "to brew the finest beer produced in the UK".

You can even sneak a peek of its cutting-edge ale-making equipment while enjoying one of its six different German-inspired ales, while the food it serves up follows the same ethos of taking natural ingredients and making simple yet tasty meals at an affordable price. Templeton Building, Glasgow Green, Glasgow, G40 1AW. 0141 550 0135.

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