Belhaven Scottish Ale / Export (Bottle & Keg)

Brewed by Belhaven (Greene King)
Style: Bitter
Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland

This is absolutely one of my favorite all-time ales. I first discovered by accident several years ago, and since then if it’s on tap, I’m drinking it. The color is a nice deep amber, the head a nice white. I do notice a bit of caramel in the taste and have always felt that the finish is smooth. I’ve had it on tap, and in cans and bottles and believe that as on tap is by far the best. I can usually find bottles here.

Bottle. Poured out a rusty copper color with a decent white head. Not much to the aroma other than a bit of malt. The flavor is sweet malt and caramel initially, and then gives way to a roasted nuttiness, with a bit of peat, smoke and bitter on the finish. It was a little fizzy for my liking and a tad too thin on the palate. I remember it being much smoother on tap, probably from the nitro. Overall a pretty solid brew.

Clear dark amber pour. White thick head that lasted. Malty sweet aroma. Roasted toffee with almost no bitterness. Smooth finish.

Bottle. Pours with a thick white head and a golden, but flat body. Sweet aroma. A bit of a smokeiness in the flavor, but finishes a lot like a cola.

Bottle. Sweet aroma. Pours a think head and sticks. Sweet hop bitter taste. Very smooth. Very drinkable. Good bitter. Cheers!

Pours rust/copper colored with a white nitro head. Nose is fruity with a caramelly sweetness hidden well beneath. Taste is still fruity, with caramel malt flavor along with brown sugar and slightest hint of peppery peat. Palate is nitro-like, creamy and soft. Very easy drinking, but not really that interesting. Would like to try it without the widget.

Copper-colored pour from a 12 oz. bottle. Malt aroma and flavor present from the start. Drank with a plate of hot wings, so admittedly some of the senses were alittle dulled, but for a low alcohol beer, this was very tasty and drinkable. Had a good finish that was still evident despite the food spices.

I was expecting something with a little more smoky taste to it. However, it should not matter much. It bursts forth with a nice creamy off-white head. It also has that distinctive butterscotch aroma which is the trademark of a well-brewed scottish ale. Drink it slowly, it is definitely worth savoring.