<b>Date:</b> 04/28/1999<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Draft<br /> <b>Source:</b> Brewpub<br /> <br /> 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<br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 5/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 5/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 5/10; <b>Palate:</b> 5/10; <b>Overall:</b> 10/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 2.6/5.0<br /><b>Score:</b> *4<br /> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <i>The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.</i><br />

&#40;12oz bottle, best by 10/06&#41; 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.

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.

<i>Any first impressions?</i><br /> -A thick, airy foam slowly dissipates on the fiery, yet sombre scarlet.<br /> -Mineral effusions mar the nose’s first appeal.<br /> -Earthy hops healthily contribute to the baccate caramel maltiness.<br /> -The mouthfeel is appropriately carbonated in order to convey the desire for a rich session.<br /> <br /> <i>What if you dig deeper?</i><br /> -The resinous hop bitterness is subtle at first, but builds up as the sips stack up.<br /> -The fruity, earthy maltiness is somewhat simple, but it suits the beer’s needs perfectly.<br /> -Grassy hops and toasted malt sweetness finally pierce the aroma once the mineral unpleasantness has evaporated.<br /> -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.<br /> <br /> <b>Bottle; best before December ’06.</b>

22 oz bottle shared with the Master of Disaster, ClarkVV at his parents’ palatial chalet in Belfast Maine. Hazy dark amber with a tiny ring of foam...creme brulee dominant in nose with some nice earthyness and a touch of wet hops for balance...thick molasses in the body, bit of orangy fruitiness and acidity, very full, dry hoppy quite long finish. A surprise, honestly, I wasn’t expecting much.