Mc Chouffe

Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat)
Style: Scotch Ale
Achouffe, Belgium

Pours muddy brown with a thin head that dissappears quickly. A masterpiece in smell with tones of cinnamon, anis, oranges and fruity tones from the yeast. It is medium to full-bodied. The tasting only enhances the aromatic pleasures. Stunning!

Bouteille. Couleur brune -rougâtre, mousse abondante et persistente, traces beaucoup le verre. Arôme malté, caramel et torréfié légèrement, esters, levure. Goût bien sucré et malté, pain, levure épicée, réglisse, finale légère d’alcool. Corps moyen, effervescence moyenne (mais forte pour une scotch selon moi), mais d’une douceur captivante. J’étais surpris de voir style scotch ale sur ratebeer à prime abord, mais après y avoir goûté, c’est tout à fait ça.

Bomber from Case and Keg. Pours dark brown with a redish tint and a big lasting head. Decently carbonated this stuff smells terrific with notes of caramel, alcohol and yeast. Taste is intersting because the alcohol is completely gone, starts off very belgian with the typical dark fruit and yeast and ends with a really nice long caramel finish. This is probably not the most complex brew its a really great belgian take on a scotch ale, I think its even a touch better than the Canaster Winter Scotch. Very tasty and very good!

RateBeer Rating, Style and Glass: 93, Scotch Ale, Thistle ABV, Volume & Calories: 8.5 % in 11.2 fl oz. estimated at 200 C Purchased at: Canal’s, Lawrenceville, NJ for $4.29 Aroma: typical brown ale scent. 7 out of 10. Visuals: deep, brown, red, cloudy, light head, nice lace. 4 out of 5. Taste: special, fruity, nice, sparkling fruit juice, some bitterness, dry. 10 out of 10. Palate: dry, terrycloth, fruity, bitter finish. 4 out of 5. Overall: Very much like seltzer and fruit juice. Refreshing. I like it, but it’s way too expensive. Not a favorite, but well crafted. 16 out of 20.

750 ml. bottle, bb 2009, tight foam with a winey nose and first sip, very good body and excellent smooth finish with hops and caramel, an outstanding ale

Bottle, 75 cl. With Francky. Dark brown beer withbeige foam. Malty aroma with spices, caramel. Taste is powerfol, and stays long in the mouth. It is sweet and has burned and fruity tastes.End with a hard bitterness of hops and spices...

THOUGHTS: A nice Scotch ale with a decidedly Belgian twist. I’ve known the Belgian made a lot of Scottish ales and have ever since been dying to try one. This was my first. I was surprised at the Belgian yeast being such a huge player her. I figured their love of Scottish beer would drive them to try to re-create the style closely, but this may have the base of a Scotch ale, but it definitely very Belgian. It hid the alcohol very well. This bottle may have been slightly skunked. I need to buy it somewhere other than the Shop Rite, with its glaring fluorescent lights. Doubt it was skunked, but did seem slightly off. Not a true Scotch ale, but a really nice beer. Very different. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brownish orange with reddish amber highlights and beautiful carbonation that kept the head from ever fully diminishing. It had an average to large, off-white head that kept a decent sheet. The aroma was a light to moderate molasses and caramel malt and possibly grain or straw that might have actually been part of the complex yeast strain that increased as it warmed. There was also moderate to heavy dough yeast that was like under baked biscuits or baking bread and also some slight funk and a little spice when it was warmer. There was also a little apple and cherry, but yeast was the dominant aroma of this beer. The initial flavor was sweet and ever so slightly acidic; while the finish was lightly sweet, acidic and sour with an average to long duration. There was caramel, apple, cherry, toffee, doughy yeast, a sort of maple syrup, candy, spices and slight tea. I couldn’t tell if it was just the yeast or if there was also some slight grain notes. The medium body was a little syrupy for a split second and they became rather dry with lively carbonation and a light to moderate astringent, very lightly alcoholic and very dry finish.

Garrafa, 750 ml. Coloração preta avermelhada, turva, com um creme bege consistente e persistente. Floral e frutada. Notas de frutas vermelhas, leves, e de fermento. Presença de sedimentos. Carbonatação alta. Final relativamente seco e levemente amargo. Não tão complexa. Sabor não tão longo.