Grumpy Troll Curly Scotch Ale

This was my second selection and i thought it was great. Not as overwhelmingly smoky as some scotch ales i have tried but the flavor was definitely there. The apprerance was nice with a thick head and full mouth feel. A good example of the style, even more enjoyable that some because the brewer does not go overboard on the peat.

On tap at the brewpub 7/31/09: Pours a transparent bright copper amber with a thin, wispy lacing white head. Aroma of sweet toasty caramel malt with some light piny hop character. Starts with good fullness and sweet caramely maltiness before a slightly drier bittersweet and crisp finish. An enjoyable Scotch ale, but could use a little more peaty character.

Lightly hazed dark copper color with a modest off-white head. Aromas of dark caramel, dark toasted to roasted malt and some earthy hops. Flavors of dark caramel, earthy toasted malt and just a hint of peat. I could use a bit more rich and smokey malt in mine.

Sample at the brewery. Dark amber/brown. Slight toasted caramel aroma. Flavor has a slight dark fruit, sweet aroma. This is a good scotch ale.

11/16/2007: Grumpy Troll Curly Scotch Ale has a somewhat hazy amber color. The aroma contains European malt, raosted malts, and faint chocolate and coffee. This beer is malty and fruity with chocolate and coffee complexities along with a slight peat smokiness. It goes down smoothly and is slightly warming.

Sample (draught) at the Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant and Pizzeria in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Rating #15 for this beer.

On tap at the brewpub, pours a clear, dark dark red. Smokey in the nose, kind of a burnt malt taste, earthy hops, not such a smokey taste but earthy. The bartendress said it was one of her favorites, largely due to the smokey characteristics. I didn’t think they were that pronounced, but it was ok for the style. Not their best selection, but decent.

This is the first time I’ve been disappointed by a Grumpy Troll beer. It’s caramel-colored, but too pale for a Scotch ale. The nose has a healthy dose of something resembling paint thinner. Caramel-toffee flavors. Can hardly find any peatiness underneath the candy-like caramel and that lingering chemical smell. Possibly a bad batch, but that’s the chance you take.

22oz bottle. Poured a medium and lightly hszy amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, butterscotch, lightly earthy, roast, and toffee. Tastes of caramel, roast, some chocolate, and lightly earthy.