Barley Island 60 Shilling Scotch Ale

Brewed by Barley Island Brewing
Style: Scotch Ale
Noblesville, Indiana USA

Growler courtesy of hopscotch. The pour is brown with copper edges and tan head. The aroma is modestly sweet and earthy creating a pleasing aromatic sensation. The taste has a nice malty goodness to start with a wedge of tin plated earthiness. It becomes somewhat caramel like midway while a note of malt roastiness joins in and takes this toward the finish. It ends with lingering malty sweetness and smooth earthiness.

Growler… Clear, copper ale with a mid-sized, fat-bubbled, off-white head. Good retention. Malty, buttery aroma – also notes of vanilla and very light milk chocolate. Full-bodied and lightly creamy with mild carbonation. Sugary, but not cloyingly so. Caramel, vanilla and toffee sweetness; mineral bitterness. Lengthy, moderately sweet finish. Thanks to StFun for shipping the growler to me!

draft at the brewpub - Pours light amber with a small, lingering head. It has a very mild malt aroma. The flavor is sweet with lots of caramel. I noticed butterscotch too though I read the menu where it’s mentioned, so no wonder I picked it up. It has a light to medium body and a trace of alcohol in the finish.

Draft at brewery. Red-brown color with virtually no head. Caramel and toasted, nutty aroma. Starts off quite malty and finishes with a very pleasant lingering caramel sweetness. Softly carbonated and a little thin compared to some other scotch ales but this is very drinkable.

Light brown with little head. Very strong caramel flavor. Smooth and sweet. While I am not a big fan of sweet beers, this was a favorite.

On draught during my Great Lakes area brew tour. Mahogany pour with a mild white head. Malty aroma of oak, caramel, grapes. More vanilla sweetness is prevelant than a dense caramel which may be commonly found in this style. There are oak, cola, and sarsaparilla flavors here as well. No hop character to speak of. This finishes moderately sticky with a hint of cherries. I think this is a mild Scottish ale.

tap at brewery - Aroma is mild and bland. Toffee, carmel, and a bit of nuttiness. Pours dark brown with little head or lacing. Flavor is thankfully stronger than aroma. Carmel, toffee, hops, and toasted malts. Palate is sticky and sweet. More like an amber than a Scotch ale. A little too mellow for my tastes, maybe they should call it 20 Shilling.

Draft sampler at Barley island. Light brown color with a small head that diminished quickly. Light sweet caramel aroma. Medium body. Moderate sweet malty flavor with a medium finish. Soft sample of this style.