Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in Thistle

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Having hiked my way across Scotland and spent my evenings in their pubs, I can attest to their local beers. This beer hit the mark and exceeded all of my expectations

opaque dark brown, thin tan head, creamy full body, medium but soft carbonation.

aroma: lots of sweet dark malt; hints of chocolate, damp earth, leafy hops, and minerality.

taste: lots of roasted and chocolate malt, a touch of fresh bread, and a wee bit of sweet leafy hops. some subtle ash and alcohol notes emerge as it warms.

not cloying or syrupy, which is what turns me off to most beers in this style. alcohol is very subtle, but adds to the delicate balance and complexity. perfectly hopped, to give nice balance and drinkability, but subtle, to let the wonderful malts have all the glory. one could almost mistake this for a nice baltic porter. wow, this is really good -rich and sweet, but very drinkable.

Dark copper color with thin brown head. Earthy/roasted coffee aroma. Smooth, creamy body. Sweet molasses malts, low carbonation. Nutty notes.

Bottle from Craft Ale House. Pours very deep brownish black with deep ruby edges through direct light. The head is 2-fingers of fluffy off-tan, with clingy and copious lacing. The nose is nice, a mix of roasty, toasty, smoky, peaty scotch malt, cacao, figs, and hops. Tastes rich, creamy, with hefty scotch malt, rauchy and earthy notes, cacao, hazelnuts, and a dry yet complex finish that throws a solid hop dose at you as well. This one is oputstanding, and another fine scotch (not scottish) ale. Bravo! If this one makes it big, I demand to be known as the discoverer of it!

Aroma is malts, nuts/cashews and a hint of spice. The flavor is malts, cashews, slight smokiness and a warming finish.

Pours near black, or at least extremely dark ruby. Contrasting off white head is classy. Nose is delightful with peatsmoke, a suggestion of bacon, and smoked malts. Palate offers a masculine roasty malt flavor with some of the peat from the nose mixing in, and a robust toffee/caramel middle that leads to a toffee-like finish. Medium bodied and dangerously drinkable for the alcohol. Exceptional beer.

12 oz. Bottled on Apr 23, 2010. Nearly opaque chocolate with ruby highlights and a lasting quarter inch of foam. Nose is earthy, dark chocolate and charred wood. Front tastes of soured molasses, oak, and malted milk balls slowly turn to a finish of caramel-chocolate liqueur, smoky char and prickly, tingly green herbs. Medium-heavy body is mostly smooth, sweetish, but balanced well by the char and acidity.

Pours a three finger cream head that fades slowly, leaving some lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Malty nose. Flavor is malty caramel and dark fruit. Nice scotch ale. Brewed Mar 3, 2009. $1.83 for a 12oz bottle from Manchester Wine and Liquors Manchester, CT

12/30/11 On tap at the Great Divide tasting room in Denver. Deep, sweet malty aroma. Taste is malt and sweet chocolate biscuit. Not much hops noticeable. Good beer

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown color with a slight ruby tone. Looks like root beer. The taste is where this beer really stands out. It hits like a porter and does down like a brown ale. Very very good for a Scotch ale, matter of fact this is probably the best one I’ve ever had. There are hints of roasted malt, barley, maple, molasses, and brown sugar. A pretty complex yet well balanced beer. Highly recommended.