Archive for the tag “Scotch Ale”

30 Jan 2014

Scotch Silly Barrel Aged – Brasserie de Silly

ScotchSillyBarrelAged9% ABV
Purchased at Pangaea Bottle Shoppe ($15.49/25.4 oz. bottle) and poured into tulip glasses.

This barrel-aged Scotch ale from the Belgium-based Brasserie de Silly pours a prune-ish brown with a tight, off-white head.  The boozy nose offers alcohol-doused caramel chews, plums and other dark fruits, as well as raisins and other dried fruits.  Barrel Aged Scotch Silly has a relatively light mouthfeel for the style, with some woody bitterness on the aftertaste, and an alcohol flavor reminiscent of apple brandy.  There is a bit more toffee on later swallows, with slightly more nuanced raisin and dried apricot flavors coming to the fore as it warms in the glass, at which point the alcohol taste begins to resemble dark rum.  It is quite tasty if you’re in the mood for a big beer, with flavors that get progressively better.

toasts-4   4 Toasts

ScotchSilly

toasts-3.5   3.5 Toasts

Posted in 3-4 Toasts, Barrel-Aged, Beer Review, Scotch Ale and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
05 Dec 2013

Dogma – BrewDog

dogmabttl7.8% ABV
Purchased at City Beer Store ($xx/22 oz. bottle) and poured into oversized wine glasses.

This “ale brewed with honey, kola nuts, poppy seed and guarana” from Scottish brewing legends BrewDog pours a brackish brown-black with a vaporous sandalwood head.  Dogma has an aroma that is surprisingly sweet, with some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, caramel, and rustic bread grains – ultimately, it smells like chocolate pumpernickel bread.  The first swallow is powerful and perplexing, with an unusual mix of chocolate, thistles, seeds and rye, but it finishes clean with light, flowered honey flavors.  Less chocolate and more nuts enter the picture on subsequent sips, with a taste similar to Coca-Cola liberally spiked with honey and spices settling on the tongue. It’s a very odd beer, but also quite tasty as a cold-weather curiosity.

toasts-4   4 Toasts

Dogma

toasts-3.5   3.5 Toasts

Posted in 3-4 Toasts, Beer Review, Scotch Ale and tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Post Navigation