Atlantic MacFoochies 7+ Scottish Ale

Brewed by Atlantic Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Bar Harbor, Maine USA

Clear molasses red/brown pour. A tall frothy tan head sticks around for a short while. Lacing left behind is sinewy and coarse. Aroma is very timid, slowly letting off nuances of flowers, honey, heather, herbal notes, caramel, toffee and dried fruits. Very contemplative, very subtle and really well blended, soft. In addition to this, as the libation warms, a great and majestic smoke washes over my senses. Seems niether too sweet nor too dry, with a modest but all encompassing and abundant malt profile. Flavor brings a zippy mouthfeel, with added notes of spicy (Relleno) peppery esters. Bitter chocolate and tinges of roasted malts coat my tongue. Mouthfeel is bready and grainy, the malt is pushed to the brink of destruction by a near disastrous spice level, just too much at times. Alcohol isn’t really apparent. Finishes with notes of acrid smoke and fruit components that in this blend taste like Life-Savers. Overall pretty good. Strange. I don’t count on Atlantic Brewing to amaze me, nor do I even think it could happen at this point, but I do think that I can count on Atlantic to make a solid product.

22oz. bottle. Deep ruby color with a small creamy light brown head. Plummy alefruit, caramel, and an earthen floral spiciness in the aroma. Tinge of cocoa powder followed by a chewy caramel character and dark alefruit. Slight smokiness in the finish with a ruddy, earthy malt tone. Mouthfeel is a heavy medium, somewhat chewy with a slow drying effect.

Poured a clear golden chestnut color with a thin off-white head. The aroma was moderately smokey with dark fruity and peaty notes. The flavor was malty and peaty with a hint of smoke. Dry bitter finish and light to medium bodied.

22oz bottle pours dark brown with ruby highlights and a short tan head that stays briefly. Aromas of toffee, caramel, light smoke and some raisin. Flavor is toffee, caramel, smoke, raisin, and even a little coffee. Finish is where you can find that heather that this is hopped with. Palate is smooth and buttery with soft carbonation and a good creamy mouthfeel. I enjoyed this one..

22 ounce bottle from Table and Vine in Northampton, MA (January 2007) sampled around cellar temperature from a Dieu du Ciel! tulip. A huge, lasting creamy, bubbly tan head fills half the glass and leaves lasting fishnet lacing as it subsides over the dark translucent ruby-walnut body....nose is predominantly herbal, yes I can smell that British heather, with light notes of toffee/caramel and a bit of dry, cobwebby yeast....the body offers more sweetness than the nose indicates might be available, some chewy caramels and a bit of bittersweet chocolate, very faint vinous qualities a growing earthy/peaty dryness as it warms and as the mouthfull descends into the throat....somewhat bitter, coffeeish, dry finish....light, smooth and soft body with very gentle carbonation, creamy and easy to drink. I would say this is more "Scotch" than "Scottish"; it’s a fairly subtle libation in any case that takes a bit of time to impress and interest you, but eventually it works a little ways at least into your heart and you can say, good job, Atlantic.

Savannah, Ga. - Habersham Beverage Warehouse - 22 oz bottle. Dark, ruby red to black pour with an ever present mocha colored head. Chocolate and strong dark coffee in the aroma - not as strong as expected. Full-bodied smoky flavor with hints of raisins, toffee and some coffee. Thickish, chewy mouthfeel. Overall, a decent winter belly warmer.

Bottle. Light smokey malt flavor. Dark brown color with small head. Peat smoke malt and heather flavor with hint of dried cherries. Long lasting smoky aftertaste. Well blended with no overpowering flavors. Very nice.

Pours dark reddish brown with a fully receding tan head. Aroma of toffee malt, cherries, heather, and peat. Taste is lightly sweet with notes of dark bread, brown malt, smoke, and cherries. Mouthfeel is full bodied with soft carbonation. My first ’Scottish Ale’, very interesting, I need another bottle for further analysis...