Benleva Hotel, Inverness

This secluded hotel is surrounded by trees on the edge of a housing estate but is signposted from the A82 and quite easy to find. The bar is in an extension round the back of the older building that forms the hotel. What was presumably the original bar is retained as a lounge, with the main public bar in the bigger room added on. A total of seven hand pumps were dispensing five ales and a cider at the time of my visit. Three of the ales are from the Loch Ness brewery, which is based here at the hotel. It uses a two barrel plant but is due to move to a larger facility with the capacity for eight barrels and a bottling plant. Bats holding three one-third pint glasses are available for the same price as a pint (£2.80) for those who want to experiment. The three Loch Ness beers on were Loch Ness itself, an 80/-, plus Hoppy Ness and Dark Ness. The latter was a very tasty stout. Guests were from Fyne and Isle of Skye. During conversation with one of the brewers I was offered tasters of all the other beers on the bar and a lively conversation ensued. The beer festival due to take place between 21st and 29th September will feature 60 or more ales and ciders; what a pity I'll be 400 miles away.