Pelican MacPelicans Scottish Style Ale

22 oz bottle. Bought in June 09. Poured in my standard shaker, kicks up a golden head in about half the glass. Dark end of amber in color. Rich malty smell from a distance, a little more when I put my nose in it. Scottish ale always makes me think of peat, so I decide I smell that in there, too. I know from the abv listing not to expect a heavy ale, and that’s what I find. Light, sessionable beer. Toasted malts not enough to make up for a thin mouthfeel. Goes down nicely with balanced hops. But after half the bottle, a noticeable taste of dead yeast.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours clear dark copper with a lacy off-white head. Sweet toffee and caramel nose, and more in the taste. Creamy medium body, fine carbonation. Softly smoky finish.

Wow, over 1000 ratings and I’m finally rating what RB considers a Scottish Ale for the first time. Wish I could say it was a good one, but this was...meh. Clear orangish-copper color with a nice lasting white head. Aroma is caramel, grain, earth, and roast. Flavor is a little grainy and slightly roasty with caramel malt, toffee, butter, and peat. Body is medium-light and finish is slightly dry. Drinkable, but not very exciting.

On tap at the brewery on 6/27/09. Pours a dark orange, light eggshell head. Great caramel and toffee aroma, hint of pine and earth. Nice sweet flavor with a touch of dryness on the finish.

Pours a clear copper with a thin ring of foam and no lace. Thin, vaguely peaty aroma, sweet and lightly yeasty. Peaty, buttery and sweet, unpleasant finish. Thin lightly carbonated body. Meh.

Was excited to see this on the shelf at Sam’s Chicago. Pours fine. Taste is caramel but not intense. Very light body and lightly hopped. Bordering the amber. Nice, but not the level I expected given Pelican’s reputation.

22oz bottle 5/8/09 (Sam’s Wine & Spirits-Downers Grove)-Pours a medium amber with a huge off white head and an aroma of malt, sweetness, caramel, and light hops. Taste of malt and caramel and then goes into a little hops. This light bodied brew is pretty well balanced and quite drinkable. Nice brew.

Bottle courtesy of bhensonb: Pours a transparent copper amber with a thin, wispy-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet, lightly oxidized caramel malt and some light fruity notes. Body starts with a pretty full caramel malty sweetness and some earthy hops and toffee with a touch of cardboard before a drier finish. This bottle’s a little past its prime, but this is still a drinkable brew with decent complexity.