Allagash Musette

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

Poured from bottle at brewery. A nice mix of traditional scottish and belgian flavors - though without a ton of definition, still flavorful and smooth, toward the belgian tradition. Good notes of vanilla, malt, and the aroma of a good spiced belgian. The barrel process added a hint of oak, the alcohol was certainly present but not overbearing.

Pours super carbonated red and active with a lively head. Light oak aroma with tart cherry, vanilla and caramel. Quite understated in flavor but elegant. Soft sweetness, mild earthiness with a bit of spiciness and some warming alcohol. Finishes smooth with a note of smoke and just a hint of astringency. Really nice. I wish I had a case to lay down.

750 ml bottle shared with several Quebecois and one other drunk American at tiggmtl’s going away party in Montreal, from a New Belgium glass. Thick yeasty chestnut with a bit of lasting head, faint lacing....smoky, malty whisky-vanilla and caramel nose, touches of cherries and almonds, about what I would expect but quite pleasant regardless....body fairly light and fluffy for the style, but it works with the grapy, peaty-smoky character that emerges at the finish after the smooth creme brulee of the early part of the palate....certainly a Scotch Ale, but the Belgian yeast and faint tartness throughout imparts some nice original notes; very nice and I look forward to imbibing a whole one myself soon.

Slightly hazy, autumnal red and brown and a thin, tan head that quickly diminishes. The aroma is pretty interesting with sweet, malty aromas of red apples, cherry, brown sugar, maple, oak, vanilla, cinnamon, lightly toasted malt and light, minty alcohol. The body is relatively full and chewy in the beginning and all but drops out at the finish. The flavor highlights the malt and shows more depth. More toasted malt elements with sweet toffee and maple, vanilla and light spice join in from the barrel and the yeast. The alcohol is fairly well hidden, considering the strength. I suppose this is in the Belgian Scotch ale style, but it is a little more elegant than I remember the style to be. Still not my favorite Belgian style, but this is pretty tasty.

750 ml bottle. Pours to a deep amber to chestnut color, with a thick, creamy, white head, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose on this beer is outstanding with lots of really good sweet malt/caramel/toffee aromas, paired with some earthy yeast, with hints of vanilla, and alcohol. The palate is fat and slick on the tongue, with lots of good sweet malt, caramel, toffee, and hints of vanilla. This beer finishes with more excellent malt and toffee flavors, then ends with some spicy/earty yeast flavor to take the cloying edge off. A nice warming burn follows and lingers. A really excellent after dinner or desert beer, and a wonderful beer to enjoy as a night cap. I’m not sure that the barrel aging had a huge impact on the over all character of this beer, but clearly this beer has gained some character from a portion of the brew being barrel aged. Unique and delicious version of a Belgian inspired Scotch Ale. Well worth trying.

FIRST REVIEW (on-tap) 10-9-06: Had at Great Lost Bear in Portland... fairly murky reddish-brown body with no head. Smells malty, fruity and alcoholic, but not overly so. Tastes fruity and alcoholic. Almost no carbonation. Somewhat syrupy. Although high in alcohol, it does not taste that way. Tasty, but not that strong. Good, but I’ve had better from Allagash.

SECOND REVIEW (caged and corked bottle): Dark Brown/red body with ruby-red highlights. Head is around an inch thick and dissipates slowly. Smells citrusy and peaty. Malty sweet, roasty, hints of citrus in the flavor. Some earthy element to it too. Medium bodied. Not like any other Scotch Ale I’ve had - cleary "Belgian Insipired" as the brewery says. Not as owerwealmingly malty or heavy as some Scotch ale can be. A nice balance, and a really good interpretation of the style. I’m rather certain though that this is not the beer I tried at the Great Lost Bear - less alcohol warming, more carbonation, different scent... But who knows.

750 ml, May 2006 vintage, Cases bottled 690. Deep dark copper color with off white head. Oak and bourben taste and aroma also with an alcohol taste.

Dark red brown color...no lasting foam...nadda on the aroma except for the expected oak and bourbon....."looks like iced tea"-M...well disguised high alcohol....."just ain’t doin it for me" -J.Funk