Smuttynose Scotch Style Ale

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

Bottle. Poured a deep caramel-brown color with a moderate off-white head that faded to a layer and left some decent, soft lacing. Relatively bland aroma with only light caramel, brown sugar,. and some light smoke. Smooth, lightly sweet entry with some caramel, brown sugar, and a hint of smoky peat that finishes with some light undertones of fruit. Low carbonation, smooth on the palate but a bit thin. Average beer, but a let down compared to what Smuttynose is capable of.

22oz bottle. Nice ruby/amber pour with a tan ring of little bubbles. Carmelly sweet malty aroma. Taste has the standard sweetness of carmel/toffee and malt, but accented with some raisin and a bit of apple. More lively in the mouth than it appears like it would be, yet sticky enough to represent the style well. Nearly no bitterness. Brown sugar nicely melts away nicely. Drinkability is good and improves at it warms. Another solid performer from Smuttynose.

On tap at the Publick House in Brookline. Body is a dark murky brown with a thin off white head that disapates quickly. It smells sweet and tangy with notes of toffee, burnt butter and some sea kelp. Pallate is smooth and rich and has some double bock yeasty characteristics going on. Flavor or mild and sweet with soft toasted malty notes dominating. There are hints of dry bread and wet fall leaves, although I am not sure how I know what those taste like. All in all it was mediocre and better in a bottle, IMO.

Bomber. Poured clear coppery-orange with a short cap of off-white head. The aroma was very peaty with a smoky impression over aged caramel and bready notes.. cool impression of a lighter Islay whiskey. The flavor was also full of peaty smoke over a caramel base.. some peppery spicage around the edges.. picked up more bitterness toward the finish that didn’t entirely go with the flow.. overall tasty and fairly well balanced. Medium-bodied with adequate carbonation on the palate.. left a watered-down whiskey impression on the finish. I’d gladly drink this again.

Dark brown-mahogany colored ale with a flimsy, wispy light tan head. Nose dominated by smoke & caramel tinged malts, with a touch of apple. Flavor lacks malt depth, has a poor, thin mouth feel. Only a light hint of smoke, with a touch of caramel. A major disappointment.

Pours a cloudy redish brown with a thin head that fades quick as it was dumped into a trappist glass. The nose is very earthy and nutty with some floral hops. There is also an aroma of candi sugar. The flavor os nice and robust with tos of malt and a bitter finish. The booze is well hidden and there is so much going on in the flavor i never want the beer to end. Overall it is a great beer with a good balance of malt and hops with the right amount of carbonation.

22. Thanks, SuzyGreenberg! Pours a slightly hazy dark amber with bright garnet highlights. Mild sweet brown bread and soft fruit nose. Creamy soft medium body with subdued carb. Brown bread and overripe fruit on the mid-palate. Mild finish. Way too restrained to really be enjoyable; surprisingly little power, depth, or complexity for 7.8%.

22 ounce bottle split in pint glass. Dark reddish amber with nice lasting head and lace. Toasted brown sugar and ripe cherry raisin aroma with mild peatiness. Fruity caramelized brown sugar with very mild peat and smooth clean finish. Manages to avoid the sugary cough syrup flavor that plagues so many American Scotch ales. I like a little more peat smokey Scotch, but this is pretty good. Medium-full body and medium low carbo makes for a nice creamy mouthfeel. Very good.