Oso Black Scotch Ale

Brewed by Oso Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
Plover, Wisconsin USA

Tastes more like a smoked porter. Pours dark ,l can’t see thru, thick off-white head, some dark residue at the end of the pour. Subtle smoke and roasted aromas, porter-like aroma. Up front smoked malt flavor, subtle malt sweetness, no hops flavors. Medium body. I like it, but I think it is a smoked porter.

Murky mahogany with a medium tan head. Aroma of toffee, grains, malt and mild peat. Taste of toffee, smoked malt with a touch of sweetly smoked meat and some mild earthy hops. Finishes up moderately dry with a touch of smoked meat. Overall, not too bad, one of their better offerings.

Bottle: Pours a transparent dark mahogany with a small ring of light tan head. Aroma of lightly sweet dark caramel malt and some earthy almost vegetal peaty notes with a hint of tartness. Taste is more rewarding than the nose with a good rich smoky peatiness and some mild dark caramel sweetness before a drier, semi-tart finish. Decent attempt at the style, but would be better with more sweetness and less tartness.

11/02/2009: O’so Black Scotch... Aroma: Roasted malts; dirty chocolate; oily, lightly roasted coffee beans. Appearance: Dark tawny color, murky, with a dense, rocky, beige to tan-colored head that is about two inches deep, steady, and long lasting; puffy ring-like lacing. Flavor: Roasty caramelized malt (somewhat grainy), thin molasses, hints of sour chocolate; crisp, earthy and grassy hops in the moderately dry finish accompanied by a decent bitterness; no smoke or peat in the flavor. Palate: Medium to medium-full body; smooth and slightly thick; very milkd carbonation. Overall: A decent and somewhat interesting beer, but not really a Scotch Ale in my book.

12 fl. oz. bottle from Skyview via trade. Thanks Bob! Rating #20 for this beer.

Draft at OF. Deep black color with a thin head. Sweet caramel toffee tones. Thin sweet Black malt, almost Dunkel-like with an earthy mild bitterness. Sweet sugary aftertaste. Mild watery finishing mouthfeel. Sort of like a failed attempt at a McEwans Scottish Ale. Addendum: I found the bottle to be much better than what I had on tap. The smoky, mossy peat really shines through..upped the overall from a 12 to a 15.

On tap at Club Tavern in Menasha, WI. Pour was deep brown/black with a light chocolate and caramel aroma. Flavor was nice and mellow with a nice balance of caramel, heavy roasted malts, and a bit of smoke. Nice brew. I would drink again.

12oz bottle by way of Skyview – thanks Bob! Pours murky reddish brown with a one finger grayish tan head. The nose is smoky peat and malt. The taste and mouthfeel is just like split pea soup with some baker’s chocolate mixed in. Interesting beer!

Another fun beer from O’so Brewery. These guys are a riot because they started out in the homebrew industry (still own a homebrew shop) but yet they try to bust beer categories with almost every beer they make. This one has hints of a scotch ale while introducing dark malts for a hint of roastiness. A very interesting combination.