Week 19 of 52
Brau Brothers Scotch Ale
May 5th thru May 11th
Brewer's Description
Originally brewed exclusively for beer shows, this award-winning ale has always been a Brau Brothers favorite! This is not your typical Scotch Ale. Combined with traditional malt sweetness is a distinct smoke flavor derived from authentic peat-smoked malt. This beer will change your opinion about Scottish ales due to its drinkability. Hop flavor and bitterness are minor, yet balance out this malty beer.
ABV = 7.3%, Color = 10 SRM, Bitterness = 21 IBU
Overall Rating based on 6 reviews
2.5 of 5 stars
Brewery Information
Brau Brothers Brewing Company
Lucan, Minnesota
braubrothersbrewing.com
Interesting Fact
Brau Brothers is located in the tiny town of Lucan, Minnesota, population 220. Read more
Photography
Courtesy of Erin Reichelt. View more on her flickr set.
Reviews | Learn More About the Brew52 Reviewers | Previous Beer | Next Beer
Erin says I’m back
June 8th, 2008
I went through a long span of not trying any of the Brew 52 beers… but now I hope to be back! I just tried a few sips of Scotch Ale and I guess it was okay. The flavor was too strong for me but it didn’t taste hoppy so that’s a plus. I could maybe drink one or two if it was all that was around.
Ben R says i don’t even know
May 21st, 2008
This was just a beer, nothing more, nothing less. I drank it over a week ago, but I honestly can’t even remember how I felt about it, which must mean that it was just so-so.
flashmcduff says bad batch bureau
May 12th, 2008
I like scotch ales.
I don’t like buying a six-pack of rancid scotch ale that tastes like someone barfed lemons into a Mr. Beer.
Eric says This is the way it’s supposed to taste?! I like it.
May 10th, 2008
I suppose I should preface this review with the statement that I don’t much care for scotch ales or beers with any smoke, be it peat or malt. In fact I almost passed this week’s review up so that I wouldn’t have to drink a smoked scotch ale.
I’m glad I didn’t.
This Scotch Ale may be my re-introduction to both styles. Or maybe it’s the combination of the two that did it for me. I can’t say I’d rush out and buy a sixer of it, but I was certainly surprised at my appreciation of this brew. Sure, it was a little sweet and malty, a little smoky, lacked the hop backbone (and frontbone) I prefer. But it wasn’t repulsive to my palate–to the contrary–as many representatives of the styles are.
*Edit*
I just read some of the other posts, alluding to a bad batch, which is maybe why I liked this smoked Scotch Ale that didn’t really take like a smoked Scotch Ale. It does have a funky sorta bandaid taste, typical of some wild beers and apparently smoked Scotch Ales.
Josh says Crap
May 8th, 2008
I really like the Sam Adams Scotch Ale so I was expecting to enjoy the Brau Brothers version as well. This beer tasted nothing like I was expecting. It is very tart and fruity and I have a hard time tasting any smoky malt. As some people complained about the previous Brau Brothers beer I think it’s possible I got a bad batch. I have a sixer so I’ll update this post if the others are better. I’m starting to really dislike Brau Brothers beers.
Rett says Malt-tissimo
May 6th, 2008
Very much malt. I don’t have a good bench mark for what a scotch ale should taste like, but I’d guess this is pretty accurate. I think it’s the peat-smoked malt they mention on the label that’s giving me the smoky taste. I was pretty disgusted to find peat-smoked malt described as “medicinal/bandaid-like” when I googled it. Yuck, if I ever taste bandaid in my beer I promise that I’ll dump it down the drain. On second thought maybe this is a good beer to have out when playing softball to pour on someone’s fresh scrape. When they start screaming at you, you’d reply “What?! It contains peat-smoked malt which is medicinal/bandaid like!!”