Granite City McKs Scottish Ale

Brewed by Granite City Food & Brewery
Style: Scottish Ale
St. Louis Park, Minnesota USA

Draft at the Cedar Rapids, IA location. Poured a clear dark brown-orange color. Head was one finger high and reduced quickly to a thin khaki film with a yellow tint. Aroma was of chocolate, toffee, and subdued coffee grounds. There was delicate malty sweetness with a decidedly malt dominated flavor profile. I detected some chocolate, coffee, and raisin, but alas, no smoke. Pretty good beer, but was hoping for some peated malt flavor.

On tap at the Orland Park,IL, brewpub. It poured a deep browjn body with some red around the edges and a short head that disappeared pretty quickly. The aroma was faint - roasted malt, chocolate, and some dark caramel. The chocolate dominated the flavor with a light nuttiness, not exactly bitter, coming in near the finish. Not bad.

Large draft (in an oversized shaker) at the Olathe, Kansas location. Pour is ruby brown, clear and absolutely freezing cold. Glass is iced too, I am quite surprised this wasn’t slushy. There is a decent 1 one inch off white head that leaves nice lacing. Aroma is malty, earthy, a bit smoky. Taste is sweet sugary malt, with the earthy peat very much in the background. This becomes smokier as it warms, and the sweetness settles a bit, which is nice. Palate is thin, a bit watery. Palate gained a bit of body as it warmed. Clean beer, just a bit light on taste for me.

On draught during the Winterfest 2008 in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Pours a clear brownish amber brew with a thin off-white head that quickly dissipates to a fine film. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, some toffee and a light roasted nut character. Taste is well-carbonated, medium bodied with some flavors of light caramel malt, toffee and a light raisin. Finish is slightly dry and metallic with some aftertaste flavors of light caramel malt and some roasted nuts.

Draft at GCF&B, Fort Wayne, IN. Small tan head with good retention, opaque, no visible carbonation, good lacing, and a brown hue. The aroma was nutty, roasty, burnt, and brown malts, and a hint of sweetness. The flavor was roasty, burnt, brown malts, nutty, some fuggle hops, and had a sharp taste to it. Fairly smooth mouthfeel and medium in body. This beer has a very prominent aroma and flavor to it, lingering roasty aftertaste, fairly easy to drink, but was missing the true characteristics of a Scottish Ale.

draft at Fort Wayne location. This beer pours dark brown with a medium sized fizzy head. It smells mainly of toasted caramel malt. The flavor is more of the toasted malt along with some mild hops presence that adds to the roast finish. It is simple and okay though reminded me more of a brown ale than a Scottish ale.

At the St. Louis Park location. Pours rich brown with amber highlights. Almost looks still (fortunately, it’s not). Mild but inoffensive aroma of bittersweet chocolate, nutty malt with a touch of earthiness. I expected more on the palate based on the nose. Light bodied, watery with notes of bittersweet chocolate, nuts and grassy hops.

Finally, A granite city seasonal. Sad having to go to a festival to get it when there’s a brewpub a mile from home. Brown body with faint head. Caramel aroma and malty body.