Brau Brothers Scotch Ale

Brewed by Brau Brothers Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Lucan, Minnesota USA

Date: 12/22/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

hazy dark red, huge frothy cream head, light dry caramel malt aroma with earthy hops, sweet caramel malt flavor, touch of growing lactic tartness, nice smoky character, earthy hops for balance, light bitter finish,

Aroma: 3/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 3/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 5/20
Rating: 1.7/5.0
Drinkability: 2/10
Score: 4

Pours a transparent copper orange with a small-bubbled frothy cream-colored head. Aroma of soft doughy yeast and pale malts with a touch of smoky peat. Body starts semi-sweet but has an unexpected light fruity tartness along with a mild smoky peat finish. This could very well be infected, but otherwise would be a decent Scotch ale.

I want to like this, if only to go against the grain. However, the vegetable notes in the aroma really put me off. Taste-wise, not bad- actually pretty decent. Decent caramel malt notes, lingers well. Not the greatest taste, but not bad. I didn’t think it was thin, but I did think that it lacked the peat-smoked malt that it advertises. Actually, as the beer warms up I actually do start to pick up some peated malt and more pleasant flavors- however, the beer definitely has vegetable-esque flavors that are very off-putting.

Bottle. Handsome russet color with medium foam. Aroma is of sweet caramel with maybe a hint of peat; close to cloying. Mild hops in the mouth dissolving to a strange sweet bitterness similar to the aroma. Tasted vaguely of medicine; maybe a cough syrup? Agree with other reviewers that palate is a touch thin. Didn’t work for me. Didn’t get any smoke notes.

Amber with smallish off-white head. Aroma is caramel with a little bit of smoke. Not too sweet with the syrupy feel on the pallete. Inoffensive.

Thanks to tytoanderso for the bottle. Cloudy orange/copper with a small head. Aroma seems negligible, all I get is a little sweet dark malt. Taste is smoky with brown sugar. A bit more that a hint of smoke, despite what it says in the commercial description. A bit thin. But a nice peat smoked flavor.

On tap at rivercity restaurant in Chaska. Clear brown/amber with very little head. Lots of caremel, not too sweet with the syrupy feel on the pallete. Finishes quickly and dry with little aftertaste.

(bottle) Pours amber with a small cream head. Aroma is fruity with mandarin oranges and banana. Taste is malty sweet with caramel and a smoky finish. An alright beer.