Looking forward to our first official Maine Beer Writers’ Guild meeting, I picked up a six pack of Gritty McDuff’s Scottish Style Ale at the RSVP this weekend. It’s been a bit since I’ve had something brewed at Gritty’s, so I thought I’d refresh my memory. Scottish Ale is not among my favorite styles, but since it was the only one RSVP had that I hadn’t previously reviewed, I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did.
This pours from a 12 oz. bottle into my trusty Patriots pint glass with a nice medium copper color and a finger or two of head. The head retention is moderate, and there is some lacing evident as it subsides. The nose is mostly malts and a hint of smoke and Bourbon or Scotch, but nothing really stands out beyond that. If there are hops in here, they’re not obvious up in the smell.
The taste is a good bit more exciting than the smell. The malts are bready and have a caramel flavor to them. The initial sweetness gives way to the smokey accents, which adds a pleasant complexity to the taste. Lo and behold, there are actually some hops in here too. They yield a nice bitterness in the finish and have been described by others as more earthy than floral or citrus. The carbonation is a little high, but not so much that it detracts from the overall drinking experience. The mouthfeel is medium and the drinkability is high. At 6.3% ABV this would make a good session beer, especially while the weather up here in Maine stays cool.
My Rating:
