Gritty McDuffs Scottish Ale

Brewed by Gritty McDuffs
Style: Scottish Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Pours reddish amber with a medium sized head. Aroma is mostly malt and is slightly metallic. Medium bodies without a ton of carbonation. Flavor is predominantly sweet malt and bread, but there is a bit more hop flavor and bitterness than is normal for a scotch. This actually make for a more balanced beer that is very easy to drink.

Pours a transparent copper orange with a thin froth of stringy-lacing white head. Aroma of slightly doughy sweet malts and some slightly earthy notes. Body starts fairly full and malty sweet with some earthy bittering hop character toward a crisp slightly peaty finish with a hint of tartness. A pretty decent Scottish ale.

Bottle: Interesting that my label reads "Scottish Style Ale" versus the label pictured. Mine poured moderately dark amber with a nice active carbonation but little head. The aroma is a good one for fall, full of appley fruitiness. This drinks with a nice sharp bitterness in the vein of a fest beer, oldly mildly malty. As it warms, a more robust earthy caramel malt starts to materialize, but still not enough that I’d have judged this a Scottish and not a fest. Good everyday beer, though. (#3125, 10/7/2007)

Date: 04/28/1999
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

dark amber, thin head, malt aroma with a slight hint of butterscotch, sweet but well balanced malt flavor, just a touch of bitterness in the finish

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: *4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Definitely had the traits of a Scottish ale; mahogany colour on the pour with a medium head. The aroma was sweet as was the initial flavour. The essences of chocolate and caramel came through. Surprisingly, a hop bitterness made itself known at the end of the swallow. A decent representation.

Bottle: Pours a clear copper color with an off white head. Aroma, spices, some fruits, yeasty. Flavor, roasted malts, earthy, some spice and some fruits. Not bad.

(bottle - 12 oz) Amber in color with a thick tan head. Aroma is very, very light but smokey and malty with some sweet malts as well. Good amount of smoke though. Flavor begins with some caramel and malts then moves to a very hoppy middle and a finish that’s hoppy and tastes a little like burnt toast. Watery and bitter.

Nice deep amber hue with ruby tones on the edges, thick tan head, no aroma to mention. Hoppy flavor with a medium mouth feel and a malty finish. Too hoppy for the style thus the low rating.