BridgePort Highland Ambush Scotch Ale

Brewed by BridgePort Brewing (Gambrinus Company)
Style: Scotch Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

Serve in Thistle

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Smells of caramel and spices and a fairly strong bourbon back. Appearance is a cloudy and dark brown/orange; very little head and not much lacing. Flavor is very sweet and there is a strong hops flavor, surprisingly contrary to the aroma there is very little whiskey in the overall taste. The consistency is also quite thick and a little creamy, definitely very tasty. However, I would suggest that you get this from draft if you have the opportunity because I think there’s something wrong with Bridgeport’s bottling process. The drafts from their brewpubs are far more satisfying than the bottled version.

Nose of toffee, dark fruity malts, some bourbon and wood, vanilla, and earth. Pours brown amber with little head. Flavors are sweet and malty upfront with toffee, caramel, and some darker fruit. Bourbon flavors come through - vanilla and wood. Earthy notes in the finish, perhaps a little peat and roast. Body was a little thin. Medium carbonation. Lingering soft barrel flavors. Nice.

Rating #600. Nice offering overall; the aroma and flavor deliver a fairly standard Scotch-aley candied sugary fruity sweetness. Deep semi-opaque amber color. Foam head layer well-retained.

Received a 22-oz bottle via Mystery Swap trade with scrizzz. Pours a semi-clear dark copper amber colored brew with a thin off-white head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring and minimal lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel/maple syrup, a hint of vanilla and some smoked peat. Taste is medium to full bodied, soft carbonation, with flavors of caramel malt, some vanilla, floral hops, and a hint of toffee. Finish is semi-sweet, a hint of metallic texture with aftertaste of vanilla and caramel malt. Very little bitterness.

Bottle:   Deep caramel, large frothy light beige head, nice lacing.   Strong sweet biscuity nose, slight band-aid and peat.   Malty tongue, sweet, but also medicinal.   Has a minor astringency on the backside thats tough to ignore.   Not cloying, but the body need to be heftier if its going to have this astringency.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate.   Yeah, has a medicinal/metallic twinge that is hard to overlook.   Compared to all the other good ones I have had throughout the years, this one is lacking.   Decent malt base, mild sweetness, but this medicinal/metallic twang just kills this beer.   Damnit...

Good caramel and toasted sugar notes, though a little turned down. I get some of the vanilla, and almost miss out on the barrel character. Dark ruby/peach color, small white head. Waxy, reminded me of crayons straight away. And suntan lotion. Is it my glass? No, tastes just as strange out of the bottle. Holiday candles. Only sipping now for more descriptors. OK, not as offensive as before, more earthy. Oak is sharp and dry, bourbon is wet, young, and too prevalent in the midpalate. Kind of messy overall.

22oz bottle from M&V. Dark amber brown with a slight gray tint and a small but tight head. The nose is pretty robust with sweet caramel peated cola, vanilla from the bourbon I am assuming, and a slight toasted nuttiness. Thankfully the barrel is nice and subdued, giving me hope for this one. Tight creamy carbonation with medium to medium light body making for an enjoyable mouthfeel. Moderately sweet from the caramel cola malt, the peat is light, as are the bourbon barrel characteristics. Really solid beer and pretty complex on the nose and taste at 6.8%. I would say with a touch more body, it would really be a hit for me. As it is, this is solid and I will pick up another bottle or two.

Bottle (shared with Angeloregon)... Poured amber with a moderate head. As the beer warmed it really opened up with a rich, whiskey-like aroma. Smooth, full bodied and very drinkable. Flavors of malts, caramel, vanilla, oak, and that definitive bourbon aged finish. Can’t believe it’s only 6.8%. Tasted way burlier. Could this be the Winter Warmer Session we’ve been waiting for? Kudos to Bridgeport, this "Big Brew" is heading them in the right direction.