Cottonwood Lift Your Kilt Scottish Ale

Brewed by Carolina Beer Company
Style: Scottish Ale
Mooresville, North Carolina USA

Found this in bottles at Total Wine in Cary. The pour was brownish deep copper with 1-finger tan head. The aroma was of bog corn flakey malt, some toffee, nuts, figs, and a rauchy element. The taste hit me with a solid sweet rauchy malt flavor up front, then yielded to a dark chocolate, faint coffee, some brown sugar, and subdued hops. The alcohol was well hidden, and the palate was medium with decent complexity. Still, this one is rather interesting, and worth a try if you like corn flakey or rauchy beers.

8.5 % ABV bottle and served in my Unibroue tulip: Pours a deep coppery brown with a beautiful creamy off-white head that left excellent lace upon the glassware. The aroma has notes of walnut, toffee, slight bakers chocolate, juniper berry, apple, and pear esters. Additionally there is a solid earthiness and wild flower about the nose.

The taste starts with the expected heavy sweet and smoked malt overtone that is nicely supported by some twangy fruit and meaty notes. The finish has a touch of spice and grassy bitterness. The mouth feel hides the alcohol pretty well and is smooth. I like the fact this isn’t heavy and rich on the palate, much more drinkable.

This is one solid brew indeed and I am surprised by the low scores honestly. I am digging this and should another bottle ever make it’s way to me then I would be happy to put it to rest. THX Ken for the bonus bottle! - Where is your rating?

Bottle. Pours out a nice deep brown body with a light tan head. Nose is malty and sweet. Soft peat notes. Light nuttiness as well. Taste is sweet and malty with light fruit notes, soft peat note, caramel, light toffee, and light alcohol. Body is medium and has a moderate carbonation feel. Finishes with more caramel, sweet malts, light peaty flavors, dark fruits and light toffee. Not bad!

12 oz. bottle via trade with TURDFERGUSON - Pours a slightly hazy light brown color with a one finger thick light tan head. Very light spotty lacing. Aroma is esters and a doughy caramel malt. Flavor is sweet esters (apple) and light malt. Medium body. Not your typical Scottish ale. Still, very drinkable. Thanks Sam.

Pours a reddish copper color with a thick, frothy, tan head. The aroma is sweet and malty, caramel, bread, and raisins.Taste is...good. The smoked malt is subdued (a good thing), alcohol is slight, sweet malt, smooth. Satisfying. Definitely not awesome, but not deserving of a 3.2.It seems like it should be rated higher.The palate is not impressive but not a complete let down. The finish is a little warm and sweet.

I thought this was the lower ABV until I saw High Graviy 8.5% on the neck. From BleacherBum, thanks Ryan! Pours a clear brown with a minimal beige head. Aroma of caramel and toffee, brown sugar, moist tobacco, and earthy peat with a bit of smoke. Flavor has the addition of light wet paper, stronger tobacco and peat. Alcohol s apparent, but not at the forefront. Leans a lot more towards sweet, no bitterness at all. Moderate ly overcarbonated with a medium body. This kicked the hell out of Moylans Kilt Lifter--my last beer.

Thought I was cracking the lower ABV Scottish, and turned out to enjoy this pleasant brew. Big, malty, and amber, of course, but what I really like is the interplay between peat and caramel here. A bit more body could help but this is quite nice.

Bottle during my NC brew tour. I really don’t expect much from the Carolina Beer Company, but these higher alcohol offerings have really been well executed. The pour is a lush, deep ruby with a fair tan head. Aroma: slightly rough with some stray hay notes, but has some nicer scents of pineapple, caramel, tobacco. Some blackened pineapple rings, cigars, and earthiness make up the flavor, maybe even a tiny hint of port. Overall, it’s much cleaner in the mouth with great malt character. I enjoyed this pretty well.