Arcadia Scotch Ale

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

interesting. not much aroma to speak of, some light chocolate and carmel. the flavor is intriguing though, with some bubblegum in the mix. the gum, chocolate, carmel, roasted malt, bourbon, and some hints of banana, this comes off as more of a thick strong dark wheat beer than a scotch in my opinion. then again, i got it in the mix-a-six aisle, so who knows how old it is?

Robust aroma of malt, roasted malt, chocolate, plums. Poured a nice red-brown with nice foamy off-white-tan head that lasted long, when it finally receded became a nice foamy cap, left very nice lacing. Very nice blend and balance of roasted malt, chocolate, plum, toffee, a taste of scotch whisky,a flavor of bourbon, raisins. Very good! Full body, creamy thick, slightly sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Great flavor all the way that finishes with medium scotch, then slightly bourbon high alchohol finish. Comes in with lots of nice beer flavor and goes down with a whiskey finish. Because of this one would always be enough for me. I really like the many flavors blended into this beer. I like scotch too, but I am not a big bourbon fan. Drinking a shot of bourbon is one thing, but tasting it in a beer as many times as it takes to down a pint (unless you want to chug) is a bit much for me. I would buy again though. If you like whiskey with your beer definitely give this one a try. As for me, I’ll probably go more for the Founder’s Dirty Bastard if I want a Scotch Ale. Served in a Pint.

Thanks to hopdog for passing this one onto me. Pours a deep ruby amber almost brown with a large bubbly/foamy tan head that left some lacing. This one was a bit of a gusher when I opened it. Aroma of caramel, toffee, nuts, scotch and some vanilla. Flavors of vanilla, some scotch and bourbon (a little boozy actually), nuts, toasted malts, toffee and some dark fruits.

Chocolate brown with good head / Nose of candied peet / Medium body / Mellow, balanced flavors of chocolate, coca cola, tobacco, and a dash of smoked peet / Light on the finish with perky carbonation.

12oz bottle from Oct/2006. Wow, what a really nice nose... chocolate covered plums, sweet pipe tobacco, some dates and bread crust ala dark Belgian ale yeast, and a really nice crackly juniper and chocolately pine note, rounded out by a smoked pepper fruit, maple syrup, caramelized apples and warm winter apple cider spiced with cinnamon. Overall the nose is surprisingly complex. Can’t believe this is 50th percentile for scotch ales, based solely on the aroma. The look is quite good as well, a dark brown and slight burgundy body with a textured, speckled brown head. Soft and creamy up front, thick too, first thought could be a Belgian strong ale, it has a texture similar to Rochefort 6, only with a more sharp maple syrup/alcohol bite. Still, it’s creamy and rich and full up front. Mmmm... absolutely delicious... dates, lightly charred bread crust, tobacco and chocolate coat the mouth.... a resiny, sticky coating of smoked pine sap and chocolate infused berries drenched in maple and scotch coats the mouth. Texture seems to turn more towards a bit bubbly/fizzy and thin on the back, though, I’m not exactly sure why, but it’s a bit different a few drinks in vs. first impressions - and not because of temperature, it essentially remained the same. Still, quite good.

dark brown pour, little carbonation. smokey taste with vinous fruit, nuts, toffee. alcohol taste more prominent than i would have liked. decent overall.

(Bottle) Pours a murky reddish-brown body with a spare beige head. Aroma of mustiness, fruit, and toasted malt. Flavor of toffee, chocolate, raisins, and vinous.

very dark brown pour, minimal head. Aroma is mild roast,malt and hints of earth. Flavor is basically a subdued version of aroma with a bit of wood. The fact that the malt/peat thing is not there disappoints. ABV is well hidden. Not bad but not stellar.