Saint-Bock Scotch Ale Fumée

Le Saint-Bock
Formerly brewed at Les Trois Mousquetaires
Style: Smoked
Montréal, Canada

Clear brown, rather dark and with burgundy reflects. Mostly lasting beige head comes and cover it all. As expected, considerable smokiness emanates from the malts upon smelling, but surprisingly, a good dose of roastiness plays alongside with it. The result comes off pretty nutty, in my mind immediately reminding of smoked almonds, though the roastiness goes further, not quite chocolatey, but possibly toward a mellow coffee flavour. Hops remain neglectable all through, which must be the reason why we manage to perceive subtle notes of dark reddish berries or prunes underneath the earthiness. The roastiness dominates the sweetness that we usually associate with scotch ales, don’t look too much for caramel, butterscotch or desserty flavors as the beer remains mostly dry. In terms of texture, the liquid slides slowly along the tongue with a rather hard carbonation that accentuates its initially minimal mineral components, though after a few minutes, it becomes oilier, though a bit thin compared to its flavors. Not so rich as I expected, darker malt bill than I anticipated, but an inventive offering showcasing the potential for craft brewing of playing with smoked malts in styles that are not german.

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.

Dark clear brown ale with a thick moka head. Sweet raisin aroma with light molasses. In mouth, a roasted malt with notws of vinous raisins, not very sweet and very light peated notes. Rich and smooth. Went nicely with the Bosniac meat.

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.

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.

(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.

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)

On tap at the bar Le Saint-Bock, deep mahogany color, with a small tan-colored head, sweet toasted nose, with a dark dried fruits fruitiness of plums, raisins, dates, subtle touch a smoked malt, toffeeish note, caramelized malt in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a sweet toasted, caramelized malts character, with a sweet fruity maple syrup note, faint smokiness accent, a bit oily, grainy, hint of black coffee roastiness, leading towards a sweet toasted grainy, and faint leafy hops bitterness finish.