Smuttynose Scotch Style Ale

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

Draft: Muddy brown, slight head and lace. Malty, peatish aroma. Smooth, flavors really open up as the brew warms, an almost vinous quality interplays with the malts, very nice.

On tap at Andy’s. Amber in color with a nice white head. Malty aroma. Sweet. Flavor is malty with some hops. Medium bodied. Smooth finish. Very nice beer. Enjoyable.

22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen. Poured out a deep copper color, with a huge tan colored head. It faded slowly back to a generous lacing on top of the beer itself. Aromas are of a typical Smuttynose beer. Ringwood yeast mostly. I hate Ringwood yeast. I wish they’d ban it’s use. Anyway, malts and some caramels in the nose. Slightly estery, not appropriate for the style. Alcohol burn in the tastes of it. Definitely higher in ABV than 6.2%. More like someone else said...7+% ABV. Medium mouthfeel, decent body. Ok, but nothing to write home about.

Pours a deep mahogany color, ruby tints, with tan head on top. Sweet malt aroma, some light hops and brown sugar. Similar flavor, a tad underwhelming. Medium bodied, very smooth and quaffable. It was pretty nice, if a bit uninspired.

A bit dissapointing. Murky coca-cola brown with a fast fading head. Some light hops and cocoa in the aroma. Body not as full as I’d like. Tootsie Roll like favor, porterish. Not the malt I’m looking for in a Scotch Ale.

Deep ambers and browns, creamy off white head. Nose is loaded with earthy caramel tones, followed with hints of light cherry, toffee, fresh bread, light smoke, and the slightest hint of well....wet dog of all things. Flavor is well balanced with caramel, light smoke, and a hint of cherry showing through on the malt side, but decent hop bitterness rounds this out nicely. Full bodied, soft carbonation, drying crisp malty finish. ABV on the 2004 batch is 7.5% (per David Y at Smuttynose). Very tasty brew from this up and coming brewery. Nice job. Maltheads should seek this out ASAP.....

Deep amber with fluffy off white head. Aroma is malty with hints of caramel and a bit of smoke. Almost tastes like it is stronger than 6.2% due to the nice strong body. Smooth finish and great aftertaste.

2004 bottle compliments of Eyedrinkale (thanks!). Pours a deep purple mixed with dark mahogany brown. Big creamy beige head. Aroma is intense and filling. Plums, elderberries, blackberries, lightly bittersweet yeast and a semi-sweet roast. Lightly fruity bitterness as well. Maybe I got a particularly good bottle, but wow is this stuff underated. Starts out with a huge rich velvety feel on the mouth, tons of fruity yeast (blackberries to the extreme) with flavorful hops and lightly sweet roasted notes all combining to produce a marvelously balanced flavor (if tending somewhat on the sweet side). I will say that I did detect the ethanol right after my first few sips, but after drinking more, I dont notice it (I seem to detect this in a number of their beers). Flavor makes its way through a big body of caramel, sticky toffee, rich maple and more hops goodness. Ends with citrus masked by yeast and sugar. Carbonation is low and provides for a rich, luxurious body. The flavor and richness of the brew are astounding, but I will admit to being disappointed by the lack of any peat-notes, smokey or otherwise, perhaps could use a bit more dryness somehow. The hops, while not to style necessarily, provide great flavor.