Smuttynose Scotch Style Ale

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Pours dark brown with a thick lasting khaki head. The nose has rich chocate malt, plenty for berry type esters, and an underlying peat. Wonderful blend of peat and chocolate covered fruit. Full, rich body and a good dry finish. Yum.

Bottle. 25.4 oz. Pours hazy amber with a thick, creamy beige head. Aroma of vanilla, lavendar, spice, hops, grapes, and hints of chocolate. Full body, warm, smooth moutfeel. Hides the alcohol very well. Sturdy finish. Excellent scotch ale.

22oz bottle. Rating #255. Very dark, murky brown with some red around the edges, head was light brown, maybe dirty white. Very rich malty aroma, lots of ripe fruits, caramel, light toast as well. Very smooth, a little sweet, more ripe fruits and a slight roastiness as well, good scotch ale. 񡹳)

Bomber from Josh, who seems closer to joining the site. Bottle conditioned in 2008. Pours a rather dark ruby with a large fluffy beige head. Aromas of dark malt, light smoke, and significant darkish fruits. Medium body with mild creamy/frothy carbonation. Flavor is dark malt, smoke, wood, something like dates. Quite pleasant. Well balanced, but leans towards dry. Mildly astringent in the long haul. Good stuff.

Location: 22 oz bottle from State Line, 9/3/09

Aroma: Malts, roasted nuts, some smokey wood, alcohol
Appearance: Nice brown color with a slight red hue, about 1 inch of tan head, some sheeting lace
Flavor: Nice dark malts, caramel malts, earhty/smokey pete, nice balance between these flavors
Palate: Medium-full body, silky smooth, richer up-front and lightens through the finish (borderline 3/4)
Overall Impression: I thought this beer was pretty solid for sure. It worked really well, I could see offering criticisms based on it being a touch too sweet, maybe thinning too much through the palate, or perhaps less smoke then advertised, but I found that it worked well. Definitely enjoying some of these beers from the Smutty "Big Beer Series" when I get a chance to try them, and this one was no exception.

22oz bomber from Hannaford. Pours a dark copper hazy body with a good inch of khaki colored head. Smells smoky/peaty with hints of chocolate. Chocolate, coffee, burnt malt, peat/smoke, caramel... Rich full body with just enough carbonation. A bit of a sipper, but one sip definitely invites another. I wish my review were more glowing, but this honestly is the best wee-heavy I’ve ever had, and another slam-dunk for Smuttynose!

22oz. Bottle. Cellared for a little over a year and a half. Pours a deep chestnut color with a small tan head that quickly fades. Aroma of wet wood, malt, smoke and pine nuts. Huge flavor of caramel, candy sugar, peat, chocolate and toasted malts. Hops are there to keep it from being a sugar bomb, but its definitely sweeter and less smoky than expected for the style. Palate is also a little thin and lacks the chewiness associated with other big Scotch ales. Carbonation is kept to a minimum, but is persistent enough to avoid a flat taste. The finish is quick with a note of dark fruit flavored maltiness. Pretty good stuff and one of the better beers from this brewery.

Bottle. Pours a brune amber body with a tan head. Sweet malty body with a light nutty feel, chewy candied malt and a lighter fruity Candi sugar body. Nice brew but a bit sweet.