Traquair Bear Ale

Brewed by Traquair
Style: Old Ale
Innerleithen, Borders, Scotland

The beer I had was WELL past it’s prime. Oxidation in the nose and palate really outshined anything this beer might have resembeled at one time. But it was still a decent beer. Maybe not th4e Scotch Ale it might have been, but perhaps a more subdued Old Ale. Aroma was oxidation, caramel, with some subtle spiciness. Appearance was dark amber, slightly hazy with very little head to speak of. Mouthfeel was slightly thick. Flavor was raisny, oxidized malts, leather with a lingering bitter finish. It wasn’t bad, but clearly well past it’s prime.

Bottle at home. Brown with a light brown head, some lacings. Aroma moderate malty (caramel, oak) and hoppy, not pleasant. Flavor moderate sweet and bitter. Light/medium body, normal carbonated.

Cask@The Guildford Arms, Edinburgh. Bronze-coloured with a healthy head. Fruity aroma with hints of smoke. Smokey malts flavours, some sweetness, but ending dry. Out of the ordinary smoked ale.

Bottle. Dark chestnut colour, thin off-white head. Nose is sweet malty, roasted, caramel. Slightly sour taste,bitter attack, nice chocolate malted roast that lasts right through to the palate, slight earthy in the lasting taste. Enjoyable and easy drinking.

Bottled (thanks GarethYoung). Dark rubyish amber colour with big beige creamy head, leaves a lot of lace. Aroma is malts, hops and slight caramel. Flavour is roasted malts, caramel and flowery hops. Slight leathery and oaky hints in aftertaste, along with roasted malts and hops.

From Peckham’s, in a bottle. Thin cloudy head, dark nutty colour. Not a complex aroma, just hops and malt at a ratio of 3:1. Which is exactly why the taste shocked, wasn’t expecting greatness but slight hint of chocolate amongst the dark hops, and an aftertaste not dissimilar to that of Fuller’s London Pride.

Clear light brown ale with a thin light moka head. Light malty oxidized malt in aroma. In mouth, a clean nutty malt , with lingering oaken notes, light but persistent rburned toast bitterness, light bodied. BBE Jan 2005. Bieropholie Import.

500ml bottle bought at Utobeer, Borough Market. Copper brown. Off-white foam. Very nice clarity. Dark malty aroma. Malty flavour, slightly roasted with some nutty and fruity esters. Low carbonation and medium palate (16.09.2006).