Saint-Bock Scotch Ale Fumée

Dégustée en fût au Saint-Bock. De couleur brune foncée et quasi-opaque. Nez malté de caramel moyennement fumé (fumée de bois) et aux notes terreuses et rôties, léger de fruits (raisins vineux, notes de cerises) avec des notes de houblon herbeux et des traces de chocolat. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen-bas et une texture moyennement crémeuse et huileuse. Moyen goût fruité (raisins vineux, léger de cerises, traces de prunes lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût de caramel, de malt légèrement terreux et aux notes rôties ainsi que des traces de mélasse et de sirop d’érable puis à mesure que la gorgée avance, un léger goût de malt fumé (fumée de bois) ressort jusqu’en finale avec une moyenne amertume de houblon herbeux asséchant et des petites notes d’alcool. Post-goût long-moyen et un peu sec, moyen-léger amer de houblon herbeux, léger de rôti avec des notes rôties et de fumée ainsi qu’un goût fruité (moût de raisins et de cerises). (automne 2006)

Clear dark brown color with ruby highlights and a thin beige head. Solid aroma of smoked malt and caramel. Good flavor of smoked and earthy, soily malts with caramel. The body is medium with a creamy texture and gentle carbonation. Interesting.

Pint at le St. Bock on 1/27/07
Very dark chocolate brown beer is highlighted by ruby and maroon tints. Clarity is medium-high with plentiful carbonation. Medium-dark beige head is small, shows moderate retention and provides little/no lacing.
A big shot of vinous, dark fruits surge forth upon first sniff, followed by chocolate-covered coffee bean-like roastiness and trailing smoked malts. Fortunately, the smoke is easily found. Light minerals and fresh yeast abound on the finish, with smoky phenolics and piquant fruitiness all wrapped about. What it does seem to be lacking, however, is a solid, supportive maltiness that you would expect from a scotch ale. Not much in the way of sweet caramel or toffe, and rather much more chocolatey and roasty. Still, I’ve had scotch ales very similar to this (think Silver City Fat Bastard) and it’s competent and interesting. No hops noted, no alcohol noted.
Strong vinousness again perks up in the flavor, but seems to get swallowed, briefly by some sweet chocolate. The pale or medium malt sweetness (and resulting palate softness) is short-lived, however, as roasty, somewhat grainy malts arrive to heavily dry the flavor and strip the palate. Ending thoroughly smoked and very fruity (dark berries, prunes, concord grapes) with the smokiness really wrapped in to the fruitiness and roast. Interesting, but some caramelization, more medium malts, less roast and a bit more clarity from the smoke would prove beneficial. Body is much too dry and thin by the finish and with warming some alcohol warmth is evident.

En fût. Verre de 12 oz dégusté au Saint-Bock. Arôme: Odeur de caramel brûlé légèrement fumé. Apparence: La couleur est brune foncée complètement opaque. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de noix fumés, de caramel et de fruits. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement astringente. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de fumée en arrière goût. (Rating #860)

Eye: black with burgundy reflections, not much of that beige head; nose: smoke, roasted malt, caramel, "fresh"; mouth: smoke, caramel, roasted malt, finale in caramel with a hint of smoked salmon, relatively thin, mildly sweet, medium body, oily texture, good carbonation, lightly bitter FRANÇAIS Oeil : noire avec des reflets bourgogne, peu de mousse beige; nez : fumée, torréfaction, caramel, « fraîche »; bouche : fumée, caramel, torréfaction, finale en caramel avec une pointe de saumon fumé, relativement mince, moyennement sucrée, corps moyen, texture huileuse, bonne carbonatation, légèrement amère

(tap at Saint-Bock) Almost opaque dark brown body with a small beige head. Almost none of its advertised smoked character on the nose and just a little in the taste. Rather syrupy beer that didn’t feel very sweet. I had my first pint of it with the brewer next to me and despite him trying to convince me how sweet the beer was, sorry, it may be sweet but it doesn’t taste it to me. The taste was a syrupy mixture of molasses, raisins, figs and very earthy malts (peat-like earthy). Caramel/sweetness level was below normal for the style. Pleasant. Because of its name I expected something more smoky but I suppose even beers have to comply with the newly adopted no-smoke in public places Quebec law.

Any first impressions?
-A ring of foam slowly thins out into the obscure black burgundy.
-Rising smoke subtleties and feeble caramel maltiness are overcome by impending tartness and predicted dryness in the aroma.
-A rather muscular smokiness initially coats the palate, leaving way for old ale-like baccate and raisiny fruitiness.
-The prickly carbonation could definitely be relaxed in order to render a softer mouthfeel, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t well-fed.

What if you dig deeper?
-Malty sweetness is too subdued for my tastes in the style.
-Alcohol is aptly hidden.
-The smoke flavor is important, but doesn’t carry through in the finish, which might decrease its smoky apparency to some.
-Berries and black grapes are really expressive in the flavor profile, offering plenty of tartness and dryness in the second half of the sip.
-Some roastiness and supporting hops also show up in the end.
-This could use some more caramel maltiness to really please scotch ale lovers, but as is it’s a fine fruity sipper with lots of personality.

On tap at the Saint-Bock, Montreal.

Robe brune foncée sans mousse. Arômes légers de caramel. Saveurs de fumé tourbé, de caramel et de fruits.