Pike Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale

on tap-pours a light tan head and amber color. Aroma is mild medium malt. Taste is smoky/peat, medium malt-caramel, some hops bitterness. Medium body. OK/mild carbonation. Right on for the style as a cross over beer.

Draft at the brewpub. Sweet, malty aroma, full of toffee and brown sugar, sugary and fairly rich, some faint flowers noted. Clear light amber-brown color, head is slight and fading. Flavor is predominantly sweet and malty as well, but does feature a pleasant hop accent, particularly on the finish, which is lightly spicy, earthy and bittering. Malt profile is very lightly toasty and sweet, more light brown sugar and toffee present throughout. Thin and smooth on the palate with a medium body. Lightly nutty on the finish, some lingering tobacco and licorice qualities.

Incomparable Scotch Ale. I have found most Scotch Ales to be off-putting at first sip. I have to reserve any judgement until I have had at least 2/3’s of a pint. Preferably pint/bottle #2 and you begin to see the light. At that point you "Enter the room". The ale has you hooked. You are doomed. This ale is a consistent performer. Always the right color in the glass. The only scotch ale that is close is Boundary Bay. Grants Scotch Ale was good too but nowhere near as potent.

Pours a cloudy orange amber color with a thin white head. Aroma of candied fruits, vinegar and brettanomyces, what the H-E-double hockey sticks? Again, the flavor has what should be considered intruders in a scotch ale, vinegar and brett, there’s also some candied fruits. The body is light with a liquorous texture and moderate carbonation. Definitely problematic.

Bottle poured slightly hazey bronze color with thin head. Intense caramel aroma. A bit carbonated but very tastey. Sweet.

On tap at Pike Pub. Fantastic dark brown color. Aroma is very malty with a hint of hops. The flavor has big maltiness with the hops not coming into the picture until the end. Without reading the spec or label, one can discern that the alcohol is well over 6, which I think is more suited for this style. I could have a second one, as long as I could wait for it to warm up.

Again, the same trend as the IPA. A dark copper amber ale with a thick creamy off white head. Aroma of butterscotch and light cat pee. In mouth, a more astringent hops over very robust caramel, with treacle in finish, a bit peaty, but the hops are again very herbal, and the profile is veering towards an Orval (Brett). Interesting but definite infection. Bottle from Sherbrooke Liquors, Edmonton, Early 2007.

Draft at the brewpub. Poured a clear copper color. Head was foamy, white, and left some decent lace behind. Smelled of light brown sugar. Pretty one dimensional. Dry on the tongue with distinct smoky malt and tobacco flavors accented by mild hop bitterness.