Arcadia Scotch Ale

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

Tap at Barcade. Dark brown beer, thin tan head. Malty aroma , sweet toast, and a bit of brown sugar and dried fruit. A bit of treacle or molasses adding to the malt character. Flavour is quite sweet but isn’t sugary. Toasted malt, dark malts and a bit of chocolate and light smoke that I didn’t get at HDG. Light yeastiness as well which accentuates the sweet bready notes in this beer. Better than I gave it credit for the first time around. Tap at HDG. Dark brown beer, thin off-white head. Light malty aroma, some dark toast, a hint of plums and raisin as well. Flavour is malty and toasty. Not a great depth of maltiness as there should be. Seems a bit industrial to me. A touch of licorice toward the finish. 5 3 5 3 11

Nice hoppy molasses, coffee malted chocolate sundae aroma. deep brown, mahogany with a short off white head. delicious semisweet chocolate roasted flavor. very smooth, lasting, roast-hop finish. Very pleasant, perhaps a little underrated, well worth a session or two.

Dark reddish brown beer - with a fast fading head - no bubbles left at all after 5 minutes. Very smokey, dry - earthy aroma. These qualities can also be found in the flavor. The higher alcohol in this beer is a little too evident in its burn for my taste in a Scotch Ale. Slightly sweet, but mostly very herbal and malty. Strong woodiness and vanilla.

[re-rate - originally a 3.7 - after having another bottle, this beer’s flaws are much more apparent - cloying sweetness - sticky, vanilla extract flavors - long, overly sweet finish - that smoke/peat quality never breaks through enough to temper the sweetness]Deep amber with a purple tint - aroma of plum, fig, peat and caramel - slight peat/scotch hints in the flavor - plum, chocolate, caramel, and a light roasted nut flavor - some alcohol presence, but nothing overpowering - finishes with slight floral notes - a decent scotch ale, and quite underrated.

An amber beer with dissapaiting tan head. Rounded flavor. Maltyness, with a hint of a fruity background, subtle spicyness and an alcohol flavor.

CASK CONDITIONED (draught) version sampled at the "Arcadia Brewing Big Beer Special Release Party" at the Dilly Deli on 10/25/2006... Very dark and opaque brown color. No visible carbonation. Large, creamy tan head. Caramel and toffee malt aroma. Very light scotch nuances, but not as much as I would have liked. The flavor is mostly malty with very subdued hits of dark fruit and earthiness. The finish has some yeast and fruit flavor in it. Medium to full body. Smooth, creamy, and mellow overall. 10 oz glass (plastic), $4.00 at the Dilly Deli.

12 oz bottle from the Winking Lizard Tavern (Crosswoods) in Columbus, Ohio on 1/23/2007... Mostly like the draught version, but the color is more clear, the flavor is less complex, and body and palate are lighter and less smooth. No change to original rating of 7 3 7 4 14 = 3.5.

19.10.06 12oz bottle. Hazy cola brown with small tan head that lingers. Aroma is richly malty with lush earthiness, raisin, some hints of must or cellar, peat, and distant sulfur. Body is medium-full and creamy with fine eff throughout, finishing with a leafy bitterness and a quick, late touch of sourness. Some nice vinous notes and something that reminds me somehow of rootbeer or sasafras emerge with temp but it’s mostly dry, earthy, and relatively spartan. Good stuff, from an underrated brewery.

Bottle. Yeasty nose. Rich, malty flavor. A little on the sweet side. Somewhat bitter finish. I guess this is the style. Not a fan, but I see how others could enjoy this very much. Thanks Thaichile