The Beer Kitchen: The art and science of cooking and pairing with beer

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We invest a lot in staff training making sure the staff are friendly and knowledgeable about everything we do here." Tony’s question is particularly well-timed, because Guinness welcomes winter spices – think cloves, juniper, allspice, cinnamon. A steamed syrup pudding is, Flynn says, an excellent example: “Add Guinness and some maple or golden syrup, and it will be amazing.” As with all good relationships, it’s important to take things slowly, though. “Because of the bitterness, play around with Guinness in moderation at first,” Flynn advises. Do that, he says, and you’ll find a “worthwhile burst of flavour”. So, whether the beer lover in your life prefers ice-cold larger, quirky craft IPAs or traditional ales, there is sure to be something here they’ll adore. I quite liked it here and would not hesitate to recommend to pop in to try the breweries products when in Dundee. Innis & Gunn founder and head brewer Dougal Sharp said: "We opened our first Beer Kitchen in Edinburgh as it was our home town but we had always planned to open one in Glasgow. • READ MORE: An interview with Dougal Sharp: Innis & Gunn’s founder and master brewer

The huge brewpub/restaurant, which opened last month, has appeal to beer aficionados and novices alike. With a total capacity of 396, it spans 6,000 square feet across three floors in the former home of Ketchup and its upstairs neighbour The Research Club. The brewer is leasing the building from Stefan King’s G1 Group, but has full control over operations.From day one we wanted to open in Glasgow. It’s been worth the wait and we’re so excited to be on Ashton Lane. It’s a great location and great space,” says Managing Director of Innis & Gunn Retail, David Hall, who has spearheaded the Beer Kitchen concept alongside the company’s Founder Master Brewer, Dougal Sharp. Guinness brings sweet, savoury, malty notes with an addictive bitterness,” says chef and restaurateur Robin Gill. Just like Marmite, he says, “people who like it absolutely love it”, and it’s not hard to see why. When deployed in those cakes and stews, Guinness adds a great depth of flavour, which is why Dee Rettali, co-founder of Fortitude Bakehouse in London, includes it in her chocolate cake. “It also helps with the fermentation, because we keep the prepared batter for two days before baking,” she says. “The batter is then bubbly and stouty, which gives the cake a rich, slightly bitter, coffee taste that is beautifully offset by a sweet, creme fraiche icing.” While this area has an industrial feel, a simple colour scheme and natural materials create softness, comfort and warmth. There are seven booths in various sizes upholstered in natural tan leather which stand out against the white Osmo oiled vertical timber pallet walls, light oak tables and oak flooring. This combination is used throughout the bar and first-floor restaurant and creates a look Morgan describes as “a Scandi-Scottish hybrid.” We'll also be teaming up with our local distillery Auchentoshan to use some of their casks to age our beer and there will even be some ready for the launch."

In advance of the launch, Lynn has created several portraits of British celebrities including; Peter Capaldi, Sean Connery, Irvine Welsh and Ed Sheeran - all painted using Innis & Gunn's Kith & Kin stout. The burger topped with Innis & Gunn pulled pork looked incredibly good and the clean wooden serving boards returning to the kitchen seemed evidence that it was. Sharp says the team will also be offering plenty of advice on food pairings and that if any customer wishes to know what a particular beer tastes like before they buy, they can try a small taster for free.

The accompanying seasonal vegetables were buttery and sweet and this dish was the winner for us – ideal for when you realise you’ve been sitting in the Beer Kitchen for a couple of hours, tasting more of the ales than you had intended to and suddenly feel the need to soak up the hops. Every opening is different and it's exciting to see how the Beer Kitchen brand is evolving. There is a massive boom in craft beer just now, where people are rejecting the boring mass produced beers of the past in favour of craft beers with real flavour, and we are at the forefront of that, not just in the UK, but internationally, and it's a truly amazing thing to be part of."