The Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven is absolutely the highlight of my calendar as a lover of Scottish beer, and for 2024, the hugely successful event will have a new Belgian twist.
Now in its 13th year, the annual gathering of brewers and beer fans from all across Scotland in Stonehaven’s Baird Park generates tens of thousands annually for local good causes, with £67,000 raised last year by thirsty supporters.
As well as the usual offering of more than 100 beers from all across Scotland, for this summer’s event drinkers will be able to sample some of the newest and finest brews from Belgium.
Thanks to the Midsummer Beer Happening’s twinning partnership with the International Streekbierenfestival in Flanders, three up-and-coming breweries from Belgium will be making their way all the way to Stonehaven to pour out pints and serve up schooners.
Who are the new breweries going to Stonehaven’s Midsummer Beer Happening?
The organisers of the Midsummer Beer Happening have lined up two breweries from Belgium who will be selling their beer in Stonehaven this June.
The first of the newcomers traveling to Baird Park will be De Circus Brouwerij, a modern microbrewery located just north of the French border in the town of Zwevegem.
As their name implies, they’ve got a circus theme, and the staff will apparently come wearing full-on colourful circus costumes to match their beers.
And the second of the new Belgian breweries making their way to Aberdeenshire willl be Alvinne, a specialist in making sours and fruit beers, which is always a popular style of tipple at the Midsummer Beer Happening.
Robert Lindsay, the organiser of the Stonehaven festival, says he’s excited to welcome the two breweries to Scotland — and it will be De Circus’ first time in the UK.
He said: “We can’t wait to welcome De Circus Brouwerij this June, because they are going to being a real theatrical flair to proceedings.
“And we think they will be quite at home in our marquee, which is pretty close to their Big Top origins.”
Plans are brewing to get a third Belgian beermaker to the festival, but these are yet to be confirmed.
Robert says the idea behind the twinning project is to promote the “way people are brought together by beer, community, and good times”, and that the team are “delighted to be taking the next step by bringing Belgian breweries to the north-east of Scotland for the Happening.”
The details for this year’s Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven
The event will run from Thursday June 13 to Saturday June 15.
There will be 120 beers pouring from all across Scotland as well as the Belgian guests of honour.
Plus, the usual mix of street food from local businesses, and live music throughout the three days of fun.
You can buy tickets now by visiting msbh.co.uk.
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