Traquair Bear Ale

Brewed by Traquair
Style: Old Ale
Innerleithen, Borders, Scotland

Serve in English pint, Snifter

Amber colour with small beige head. Malty aroma with a slight sweetness. Malty and fruity flavor with a dry bitter finish. Not as spicy and fruity as other Traquair beers.

Hoppy aroma, spices and some smoke. Dark amber body, with a small beige head. Sweet and fruity flavor, ends on a bitter note.

Bottled: Reddish coloured. Light beige head. Berries and spices in the aroma. Flavour is sweet and fruity with some hops and malt notes. Is quite thin and watery. Ends on a light bitter note.

This was delivered by accident to me 2 years ago by the Rare Beer Store. I forgot I had it. Pours dark mber color with a beige head. The taste is slightly sweet with spicy notes. I guess it’s balanced, but certainly doesn’t seem to be very complex. I’m glad I didn’t pay for it. To be fair this just isn’t my style. Light hoppy bitter palate. Fairly pleasant. I guess the House Ale was better, but Traquairs efforts don’t quite do it for me.

UPDATED: MAR 7, 2005 [At Jyske Øldage 2004, Kolding] A brown beer with a medium amber head. The aroma is sweet malty and the flavor is sweet and quite dry. A boring beer considering that it is a Traquair production.

Bottle from Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum. Dark brown colour, medium rocky brown/white head. Aroma of malt/chocolate. Tasted after a quite smoky Isle of Skye beer, I couldn’t detect any smokiness. Creamy mouthfeel, relatively sweet malty taste, some fruity hop to finish. Nice.

Dark amber colour. Nice refreshing hoppy aroma on a malty base. Initial flavour is malty ending in a light dry finish. Some hints of oak.

Bottle from Wycombe Wines, High Wycombe. Malty, strong flavoured, sickly and even slightly sweet. Not so good really.