Gritty McDuffs Scottish Ale

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

12oz bottle via trade with porterhouse! - Thanks Kevin! - Pours amber with a creamy offhwhite head that stayed pretty well and laced some. Aromas of caramel, yeast, and a touch of smoke. Flavor is earthy, caramel, yeast, malty. Palate is light and airy but enough body to satisfy. Drinkable brew but nothing too outstanding.

Bottle from Julio’s. Best enjoyed before 10/06. Ok nose, sweet. Caramel, pumpkin, wheat bread, little sourdough yeastiness. Good head that faded to minor ring. Clean brownish orange color. Bittersweet flavor, like aroma, but earthier. Medium body, oily creamy mouthfeel, lite fruity bitter finish. I don’t know, just didn’t leave me wanting more.

Any first impressions?
-A thick, airy foam slowly dissipates on the fiery, yet sombre scarlet.
-Mineral effusions mar the nose’s first appeal.
-Earthy hops healthily contribute to the baccate caramel maltiness.
-The mouthfeel is appropriately carbonated in order to convey the desire for a rich session.

What if you dig deeper?
-The resinous hop bitterness is subtle at first, but builds up as the sips stack up.
-The fruity, earthy maltiness is somewhat simple, but it suits the beer’s needs perfectly.
-Grassy hops and toasted malt sweetness finally pierce the aroma once the mineral unpleasantness has evaporated.
-A very capable scottish ale which won’t turn many heads, but will satisfy most of those looking for a dance of many liters with the style.

Bottle; best before December ’06.

Pours copper with a white head. Smells malty with some tea elements. Taste is tarte and malty with some weird molasses like notes.

Bottle. Brown appearance, medium head with quick dispersion. Aroma is malty , very caramel. Flavor is sweet and similar to aroma, but a little saccharin. Malty finish.

(Bottle, best before 12/06) Pours a deep coppery amber with a thick soft biscuit head. Great presentation. Nose fairly muted, but some sweet honeyish malt aroma. Nice lacing, thinnish. Mouthfeel is light, but also full and smooth at the same time. Good malty flavor, moderately sweet and honeyish. Nice hop bitterness in finish. Very good.

22oz bomber from my local Shaw’s. Dark amber/red translucent body with a half an inch of off-white head. Aroma is weak, but hints at roasted malt and hop. Roastiness dominates the flavor, not like a porter, but a roasted malt nonetheless. Medium-bodied. Flavor and mouthfeel are not overwealming, thus this is a really drinkable brew for the style. While not the best Scottish ale I’ve had, it’s a good one from one of my favorite breweries. I’ll be having this one again, sure.

(12oz bottle, best by 10/06) Small beige head atop a clear nut brown body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, peach syrup, some molasses. Taste is medium sweet, caramel, peach, melon, some earthy, orange, butterscotch, faint peat. Medium body with a bit of stickiness, nicely drinkable. Malts may be the primary flavors, but the hops definitely make themselves known.