Allagash Musette

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Portland, Maine USA

750ml – bottled May 2006: Pours a clear amber with orange highlights, lots of foamy off-white & tan bubbles, effervescent, sweet, vinous and caramel aromas, has oak and yeast fragrances, sour fruit apple and pear fragrances, there is a gentle spiciness and citrus sour scents that remind me of Belgian and Saison ales, dry on the palate, lots of carbonation makes this bubbly on the tongue, caramel and citrus fruit flavors, alcohol warmth in the background gives hints of stronger liquors such as Cognac and Brandy, this is an Scotch Ale? I thought I was drinking a Belgian Winter Warmer, must be the Belgian yeast. This resembled a Belgian Ale not a Scotch Ale which is disappointing, I wanted a Scotch Ale, I gave this drink a 3.5 rating because it is an ok Belgian ale.

Corked bottle
Wonderful amber color, generous head. Aroma of Belgian Ale, malty, mature, with a touch of oak. Full body, good malt, strong caramel flavor, to which the oak adds complex elements, and elegant vanilla. The final has a lot of caramel (good malt choice and mash), a touch of vanilla, warming alcohol feeling. Excellent.

Bottle at Københavnske øldage 07. Orange/ brown colour with a beige head. Aroma is alcohol, yeast, caramel, spices. Flavour is alcohol, spices, yeast, caramel, wheat. Nice beer.

Mahogoney brown with loyal significant white head. Masterful Scotch ale, with an impressive sourness not necessarily too much bourbon taste, and significant pleasant woodiness. Altogether mastery as they all work together for a successful replacement at dinner of a more expensive, wine.

Bottled at Københavnske Øldage. Orange, a bit unclear, with a small, white head. Spiced aroma with alcohol and sweetness. Spice, alcohol, sugar, wheat notes and a little smoked note in the flavor. Full body. Sweet and lightly spiced finish. Like it. (070511)

Sampled at Capones on Allagash night with Stegosaurus. Clear orange/brown pour. Hints of caramel in aroma with some fruit. Strong alcohol appearence in taste. Not bad.

Poured an effervescent amber with a large fizzy/frothy off-white head. Sweet aroma of vinous fruits, cinnamon, coriander, a bit of tart oakiness. Flavor is lightly sweet and citrusy with notes of orange, toffee, perhaps a bit of wood, a bit of biscuity toffee. Alcohol is warming and gives the beer a yeasty dry finish. Overall, I’m not quite sure exactly why this is called a scotch ale, even though the brewery says so. Without being told, I would probably have called this a Belgian Strong. Really doesn’t have any (as far as I’m concerned) "scotch ale" characteristics, as it seems too pale, too alcoholic, and more spicy and dry than sweet and smokey. But it’s still a tasty Belgian, and so I still enjoyed it.

Brown/orange pour with small foamy beige head. Fruity / wet wood aroma. Has a strong barrel taste that puckers the back of my mouth, like the taste of tongue depressor. Lots of spice overpowers the malt. Body is somewhat syrupy but it is well carbonated (lots of tiny bubbles). Good beer... if just a little strange.