Big River Grille Scottish Ale

Brewed by Big River Grille & Brewing Works Chattanooga (Gordon Biersch)
Style: Scottish Ale
Chattanooga, Tennessee USA

Date: 01/25/2003
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

Dark amber, big tan head, toasted malt aroma, lots of sweet toasted malt flavor, touch of sweetness, more of a big viennia than a scottish ale
-------- /> Date: 02/06/2007
Mode: draft
Source: brewpub
Score: 3.3 to 3.4

sweet caramel aroma with a yeasty bread character, still lots of the toasted malt aroma and flavor from before, picking up much more caramel sweetness than before, nice biscuit in the final sip, this place makes lots of drinkable viennia ales with many names,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

A dark copper color with a light head. Looking at Boto’s comment it seems they have improved on it over the years. The palate is a little thin but not terribly so. A very malty and vinegar type flavor but somehow it works. Loads of caramel and molasses in the flavor. A slightly bitter aftertaste. Nothing great but not too bad either.

Draft at brewpub. Poured clear brown pour with a moderate off-white fizzy head that lasted and had good lacing. Solid toasted malt aroma. Medium body. Good toasted malt flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Good drinkable brew.

Seasonal with a nice orange-red color, smells indiscreet and average. It tastes about the same. This is definitely a scottish style but just by the barest stretch of the imagination. It really didn’t have any smoky flavors or peatiness to it nor was it very strong. I would be sad with a pint of this. Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 02-11-2009 04:29:54 --

Draught in Chattanooga: Very light in flavor and body for a Scottish Ale. Faint smoky aroma, thin malt taste. Hardly any hops. I asked the bartender if she had heard anyone else "inquire" about the lightness of this. She agreed that many others had thought that it was a little thin, but she also said that the first batch of a new beer often turns out that way. Hopefully it will be more substantial later. Re-rate: Still a little on the lighter side, but much improved. An easy drinker.

Draught. Pours a light red hue. The aroma is certainly akin to a Scottish ale, though rather generic. Notes of peat, caramel, pipe smoke are detected though mostly a sweet malty aroma dominates. The body is almost sticky with a fairly smoky, nutty finish like toasted almonds perhaps. Mild notes of rose and peat turn up in the sweet flavor. Pretty average, sweet, malty beer. Drinkable.

A dark copper pour with little or no head. A mediciny bite with a raisin kicker not a lot of maltiness nor hops but a good flavor overall. Good carbonation and a prety good mouthfeel make it a solid palate.. Not bad for a brew chain Scottish Ale.

I was told this was the best brew that Big River produced. Medium brown color, average tan head. Some malt in the aroma, but no rich maltyness or smoky notes anywhere. The flavor was middle of the road sweet, with no real assertiveness. Drinkable but very tame.