Traquair Bear Ale

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

Traquair Bear Ale pours to a beautiful, bright, deep copper to tawny brown color, with a bubbly white head that fades, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is very interesting. Aromas of biscuity malt, and some dry, herbal hop aromas, marry with the aroma of oak. The palate is firm, with pleasing biscuity pale malt flavors, paired with a touch of sour fruit flavor, and notes of oak. Bear Ale finishes with more malty and oaky flavors up front, and ends with a refreshing slightly sour and oaky edge. This is an excellent Scottish ale that is very distinctive due to the fact that it is fermented in 200 year old oak fermenters. This beer is brewed exclusively with pale malts, hopped with East Kent Goldings, and picks up that deep copper color from the oak fermenters. I enjoyed the malty and oaky aromas and flavors of this beer, and that touch of sourness in the finish. The bottled version of Bear Ale comes in at 5% abv, making it a little bigger than your average "session" beer, but no less drinkable

Bottle from Moffat Wine Shop in the Scottish Borders not too many miles from the brewery. Lovely tawny colour with a good persistent white head leaving nice lacework. Rich malty nose and a full malty palate, attractive fruity hops appearing on the finish. A big well flavoured ale from a tiny brewery...loved it lots.

Nice color, good flavor, a nice touch of bitterness that doesn’t overwhelm the flavors. Good stuff.

I really liked this deep reddish brown beast. It may have a low abv by the standards of it's stablemates, but it has a very brave and full hoppy flavour, great malts, burnt toffee. Really nicely balanced, boldly flavoured beer. I wish it was not such a trial to get a hold of a bottle, great stuff.

Bottled, Pasteurised. Red brown beer with chunky head. Big fruity flavours with smoked wood and almonds? A finishing hop note with an overlying burnt caramel.

Bottle (50 cl) at 3 små rum, Göteborg, Sweden. Clear mahogny with a rich creamy beige off-white head. Fruity malt aroma with strawberries and some wood, along with herbal hops. Soft mouthfeel, mildly bitter and slightly short finish. Very tasty.

Cask at The Guildford Arms, Edinburgh. Amber color with a small beige head. Aroma: Sweet malt, berries, citrus, fruit, smoke, some sourness. Flavor: Lightly roasted malt, berries, wood, coffee, fruit, herbal/peppery hops and nuts. Dry finish.

Bottled. Chestnut with long lasting but thin head and good condition. Complex mix of aromas, starting with hops then hints of oaky wood and finally a almond nuttiness. Well balanced and full flavoured with malt, caramel and hops along with more hints of wood and a good hoppy bitterness in the finish.