Callys Smokin Scottish Ale

Brewed by Cally’s Restaurant & Brewing Co. (formerly Calhoun’s)
Style: Scottish Ale
Harrisonburg, Virginia USA

This is a rich, delicious, malty, warming brew that is brewed with a portion of peat smoked malt adding a whiskey malt character to this beer. Smokin Scottish Ale pour to a deep caramel color with a thick and creamy tan head, and a soft carbonation. The nose is very fragrant with aromas of sweet and caramel malts, paired with a subtle hints of peat smoke. The palate is firm with lots of sweet and caramel malt flavors, that are slick on the tongue. There is also a nice underpinning of burnt peat smoke flavor, that gives this beer another dimension. Smokin Scottish Ale finishes with more caramel and sweet malty flavors up front, and a slightly warming burn. This was a delicious and hearty brew perfect for the cooler Fall and Winter months. Great sweet and smoky malt character define this beer, and it is an excellent example of American styled Scottish Ale. If you ever find yourself in the Shenandoah Valley, stop by Calhoun’s Restaurant and Brewery in Harrisonburg for a nice lunch or dinner, and some truly outstanding beers. This beer went fantastic with a lunch of a whiskey chicken sandwich, which was a chicken seared in bourbon and served with cheddar cheese and smoky bacon.

Frothy, lasting off-white head tops the medium amber shade. Restricted aromatics appear nevertheless balanced in this caramelly, cerealic, toasted bread reminiscent ale that shows more hop character in mouth, then evoking leaves and flowers. I expected more of a smoked beer, so the faint smokiness didn’t give me any satisfaction, but the underlying woodiness added some needed depth. Light bodied, thin, faintly roasty, moderately bitter for the style. More than fair.

Growler. Deep reddish brown color with decent off-white head. Subtle nose of toasty malt, caramel sweetness, and some dark fruit sweetness. Flavor is mostly toasty, rich malt, but very nicely balanced with bitter hops. Medium body. Mostly a dry beer, though as it warms a candylike sweetness emerges and leaves a sticky-sweet aftertaste that is not necessarily in line with the initial character of the beer. Though not my favorite offering from Calhoun’s, this tasting was quite enjoyable. This beer does seem to vary a good bit, which I find odd given that it’s their big medal winner; though perhaps I should revel in the fact that small-batch brewing is by nature constantly evolving.

nothing overly exciting about this one. a decent hop spice and nice amber color. some nice malt character as well.

A great beer to sample if you are in Harrisonburg, VA. Enjoy it with some of Calhouns appetizers and thank me later. This amber coloured offering has a great depth to it and a wonderful hoppy aroma to go with the deep malt flavour. Order a growler full to take home after your meal.

From the Growler at the DC gathering. The beers were coming thick and fast at this stage and this was the only Calhouns beer I managed to sample before time was up. Later in my trip, I passed by Harrisonburg, but didn’t have time to stop, thus blowing my chance to be the #1 rater of a US brewery. The beer was a pleasantly roasty, malty Scottish ale of the type that seems more widely available in the US than in Scotland these days. Very woody. A bit difficult to get perspective on this one amongst so many blockbusters, but I thought it was pretty good. Thanks to Hopscotch’s friend (a new RB convert?) for bringing it along. RE-RATE. On tap at the brewpub. Mid/deep copper colour. Less woody than my previous tasting. Rather restrained aroma. Quite full bodied with plenty of malt, a touch of chocolate and a sweetish edge. (6/4/7/4/14)

Had this at the DC/MD/VA/WV/PA gathering. Growler courtesy of ??. Amber body with light smokiness/peatiness. Nice roasted malt taste along with more peatiness and hints of fruit. Hint of thinned tobacco as well. Body was a bit on the thin side. Finishes with more smokiness/peatiness along with roasted malt, and a hint of caramel. Not too bad.

Pours amber. Aroma of slightly smokey malt and a bit of caramel sweetness. Flavor is much the same. The flavor is lighter then expected but good.