Brau Brothers Bancreagie Scotch Ale

Brau Brothers Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale. Brewed in Lucan, MN, Pop. 220. (guess they haven't printed up new labels for this one.)

Appearance: highly hazed, beautiful reddish-brown color, slim beige head.

Aroma: toffee and caramel first, earthy and murky, with a persistent sweetness. Along comes the peat, and it's pleasant. Nice.

Taste: First sip and the peat is gargantuan in the mouth, followed by lush malt sweetness. Minor hops, practically non-existent. Toffee and caramel malt flavors continue, smoke comes to the party, body is medium, peat lingers in the finish. Just a little too sweet for me. It's fine, I can drink it, but a little goes a long way with this one.

There's gobbledygook on the label, but I'm not in the mood to decipher it, so hold on tight for one of those links.

Over seven years ago, (May, 2007) I took notes on this beer for the first time, when I tapped it at the Blue Nile, before they added Bancreagie to the name. Here are those old notes:

Murky crimson shade, under thin creamy head. Should look darker, though...

Sweet, malty nose, rich and fruity...cherries and berries and red licorice whips...strawberry jam...

Taste: it's all malt, in here, with just enough hop to keep the sweetness down a notch or two. Rosey and bright, but a bit thin. I keep wanting more to chew on...fairly medium bodied, sweet finish, lingers a bit.
Each time the lip meets the cup, though, the result is satisfaction. I look for a bit more in a scotch ale, but this is good, no doubt about it.

Tasty. I'd drink one again.