Ballast Point Piper Down Scottish Ale

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Scottish Ale
San Diego, California USA

On tap @ the Linda Vista location, chalkboard lists @ 5.6%Clear copper with a small beige head, fair retention. More roast than I would’ve expected. Nuts and toffee otherwise are the strongest with a little bit of English fruity yeast. No peat. Flavor is much the same but does tone back on the roast a bit. Grainy finish, bitterness @ a 2. Moderate carbonation with a light body. Meh--drinkable beer, but not a good version of a Scotch/Scottish/whatever the hell you want to call it.

Sampled at brewery. Pours a dark amber to light brown color with beige head. Aroma of earthy malts and caramel. Flavor is more earthy toasted malts which turns into nice mellow and tangy caramel sweetness. There is a light hop bitterness in the finish. Seems light and not very complex for the style.

Served cold from tap at brewery. My girlfriend thought it was “quite hoppy,” but the flavor was a bit more on the malty side with some good caramel and nutty notes.

(Draught) Pours a deep amber body with a medium beige head. Aroma of caramel, grass, grain, peat, and dark fruits. Flavor of nuts, caramel malt, fruit, light smoke, and grain.

On ta at Beachwood BBQ. Dark brown with foamy beige head. Malty aroma, with astringent bitter hops. Flavor is dark malts, almost meaty, with a nice crispness.

On tap at Beachwood BBQ. Pours with a huge, rocky tan head with a ruby brown body beneath. Aroma of smoke, chocolate, dark fruits, butterscotch and tobacco. Taste is creamy caramel, light butterscotch, tobacco, some esters, bitterness and burnt brown sugar. Syrupy mouthfeel and light bubbles.

Draft at the brewery. An amber beer with a thin white head. The aroma has notes of malt, caramel, and lemon. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, citrus, and alcohol. A mixture of Scotland and San Diego.

On tap from the Linda Vista location: Poured in a full 4oz serving with a thin foamy head and a caramel brown color. Aroma was reminiscent of their Navigator doppelbock with a caramel malt or toffee based scent. The flavor was refined and smooth with a thick malt backbone and nice toasted flavor that really impresses me compared to the other American made Scottish ales I have tasted in the last few years.