Virtual Craft Beer Tasting Club » Discussions

Scotch Ale Tasting September 9-11 2011

• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  September 9, 2011

  The Scotch Ale Tasting runs from September 9th - September 11th. Please post your reviews below. Feel free to drink whatever you have on hand or can find locally. Any of the types of Scotch Ale may be tasted: Scottish Light, Scottish Heavy , Scottish Export & Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy). Some choices might include; Traquair House Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, McEwan's Scotch Ale, Founders Dirty Bastard, MacAndrew's Scotch Ale, AleSmith Wee Heavy, Orkney Skull Splitter, Inveralmond Black Friar, Broughton Old Jock, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale and Dragonmead Under the Kilt.

  The Scotch Ale Tasting runs from September 9th - September 11th. Please post your reviews below. Feel free to drink whatever you have on hand or can find locally. Any of the types of Scotch Ale may be tasted: Scottish Light, Scottish Heavy , Scottish Export & Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy). Some choices might include; Traquair House Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, McEwan's Scotch Ale, Founders Dirty Bastard, MacAndrew's Scotch Ale, AleSmith Wee Heavy, Orkney Skull Splitter, Inveralmond Black Friar, Broughton Old Jock, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale and Dragonmead Under the Kilt.
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  September 10, 2011

  Old Chub Scottish Stytle Ale $8.99/6-pack 12 ounce cans
  Oskar Blues Brewery, Lyons, Colorado
  8.0% ABV | Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy)
  
  The Old Chub Scottish Ale from Oskar Blues Brewery pours out coca-cola, blackish brown in color with good clarity and is topped with a one finger, light tan head that dissipates fairly quickly. On the nose this has a little sweetness to it with aromas of brown sugar, molasses, malt, some earthiness and a little dried, dark fruit. Maybe even a little peaty. In the mouth you first get a sweet, rich maltiness with some chocolate and coffee which is followed by a slight bitterness. Full side of medium bodied. Spotty lacing. Moderate carbonation. Nice cream to the mouthfeel. The finish is long and on the sweeter side but is packed with lingering flavor. This is a very good beer and one of the better Scotch Style Ales made in the USA.

  Old Chub Scottish Stytle Ale $8.99/6-pack 12 ounce cans Oskar Blues Brewery, Lyons, Colorado 8.0% ABV | Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) The Old Chub Scottish Ale from Oskar Blues Brewery pours out coca-cola, blackish brown in color with good clarity and is topped with a one finger, light tan head that dissipates fairly quickly. On the nose this has a little sweetness to it with aromas of brown sugar, molasses, malt, some earthiness and a little dried, dark fruit. Maybe even a little peaty. In the mouth you first get a sweet, rich maltiness with some chocolate and coffee which is followed by a slight bitterness. Full side of medium bodied. Spotty lacing. Moderate carbonation. Nice cream to the mouthfeel. The finish is long and on the sweeter side but is packed with lingering flavor. This is a very good beer and one of the better Scotch Style Ales made in the USA.
• KajII

  

  Member
   

  September 13, 2011

  This tasting was quite interesting tasted 2 Scotch Ales with two totally different characteristics. Here is one for now, I will post the other later or tomorrow.
  
  Founders "Dirty Bastard"
  Founders Brewing Co.
  Scotch Ale (ABV 8.5%)
  
  [Best served in a Snifter]
  
  Rating: 4.0/5.0
  
  Aroma: 8/10
  Appearance: 4/5
  Taste: 8/10
  Palate: 4/5
  Overall: 16/20
  
  The pour was a murky medium brown with a copper hue and had an average sized (1-2 finger) light brown rocky head that dissipated quickly but left a thin layer of foam that created some fair lacing.
  
  The aroma was a bit on the sweet side with roasted bread malts, an herbal hop and a sweet doughy yeast with notes of raisons, molasses and a mild alcohol scent.
  
  The taste was sweet and malty with a hint of molasses in the beginning and finished a bit bitter, with a touch of raisons and a mild alcohol tinge at the end that left the flavor to linger for a nice long while.
  
  Mouthfeel was somewhere between medium and full in body and was rather dry in texture with a soft carbonation.
  
  Overall an extremely tasty brew with the alcohol flavor kept to a minimum, yet still allowing for a nice warming sensation after the swallow.
  

  This tasting was quite interesting tasted 2 Scotch Ales with two totally different characteristics. Here is one for now, I will post the other later or tomorrow. Founders "Dirty Bastard" Founders Brewing Co. Scotch Ale (ABV 8.5%) [Best served in a Snifter] Rating: 4.0/5.0 Aroma: 8/10 Appearance: 4/5 Taste: 8/10 Palate: 4/5 Overall: 16/20 The pour was a murky medium brown with a copper hue and had an average sized (1-2 finger) light brown rocky head that dissipated quickly but left a thin layer of foam that created some fair lacing. The aroma was a bit on the sweet side with roasted bread malts, an herbal hop and a sweet doughy yeast with notes of raisons, molasses and a mild alcohol scent. The taste was sweet and malty with a hint of molasses in the beginning and finished a bit bitter, with a touch of raisons and a mild alcohol tinge at the end that left the flavor to linger for a nice long while. Mouthfeel was somewhere between medium and full in body and was rather dry in texture with a soft carbonation. Overall an extremely tasty brew with the alcohol flavor kept to a minimum, yet still allowing for a nice warming sensation after the swallow.
• KajII

  

  Member
   

  September 15, 2011

  Ok here it is the other Scotch Ale I tasted. This one was no where near as tasty as the Founders was but it was still good.
  
  Moylans "Kilt Lifter"
  Moylans Brewery
  Scotch Ale (ABV 8%)
  
  [Best served in a Snifter]
  
  Rating: 3.3/5.0
  
  Aroma: 8/10
  Appearance: 3/5
  Taste: 7/10
  Palate: 3/5
  Overall: 12/20
  
  The pour was a murky medium brown with a small (less than 1 finger) light brown frothy head that did not have the greatest retention but was able to produce a somewhat fair lacing.
  
  The aroma was very malty of a dark roasted bread malt and a sweet leathery yeast with a hint of caramel, plums and a moderate alcohol odor.
  
  The taste was sweet and malty with a hint of caramel and toffee from the onset and then had a slight medicine flavor with a strong plum wine presence that was quite boozy at the end. The flavor lasted an average time on the palate but left you with a strong alcohol warming feel that lasted a bit longer.
  
  Mouthfeel was medium in body with a watery texture that was slightly dry at the finish, with a nice soft carbonation.
  
  Overall a sweet enticing brew, with a strong alcohol flavor that will most definitely rock your world if you drink too much.
  

  Ok here it is the other Scotch Ale I tasted. This one was no where near as tasty as the Founders was but it was still good. Moylans "Kilt Lifter" Moylans Brewery Scotch Ale (ABV 8%) [Best served in a Snifter] Rating: 3.3/5.0 Aroma: 8/10 Appearance: 3/5 Taste: 7/10 Palate: 3/5 Overall: 12/20 The pour was a murky medium brown with a small (less than 1 finger) light brown frothy head that did not have the greatest retention but was able to produce a somewhat fair lacing. The aroma was very malty of a dark roasted bread malt and a sweet leathery yeast with a hint of caramel, plums and a moderate alcohol odor. The taste was sweet and malty with a hint of caramel and toffee from the onset and then had a slight medicine flavor with a strong plum wine presence that was quite boozy at the end. The flavor lasted an average time on the palate but left you with a strong alcohol warming feel that lasted a bit longer. Mouthfeel was medium in body with a watery texture that was slightly dry at the finish, with a nice soft carbonation. Overall a sweet enticing brew, with a strong alcohol flavor that will most definitely rock your world if you drink too much.
• ironarrow42

  

  Member
   

  October 10, 2011

  Old Engine Oil Black Ale
  Harviestoun Brewery, Alva, Clackmannanshire Scotland
  6.0% ABV
  
  And now for my egregiously late Scottish ale review!
  
  Solid black appearance with a finger's width of dense, tan foam. Roasty aroma with notes of coffee over dark malt. Appetizing.
  
  Good body and a smooth, velvety texture with fine carbonation. Plenty of roast character and coffee, with dark cocoa underneath. Balancing bitterness and no notable hop flavor. Lingering cocoa aftertaste with some roast. Late bitterness appears.
  
  Tasty brew that leaves nice foam rings behind on the glass and a pleasant taste in the mouth.

  Old Engine Oil Black Ale Harviestoun Brewery, Alva, Clackmannanshire Scotland 6.0% ABV And now for my egregiously late Scottish ale review! Solid black appearance with a finger's width of dense, tan foam. Roasty aroma with notes of coffee over dark malt. Appetizing. Good body and a smooth, velvety texture with fine carbonation. Plenty of roast character and coffee, with dark cocoa underneath. Balancing bitterness and no notable hop flavor. Lingering cocoa aftertaste with some roast. Late bitterness appears. Tasty brew that leaves nice foam rings behind on the glass and a pleasant taste in the mouth.
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  October 10, 2011

  You went all the way to Scotland for that one! :)

  You went all the way to Scotland for that one! :)