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Scottish Ale
Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.
- From:
- Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Scottish Ale
Ranked #18 - ABV:
- 5.2%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #18,775 - Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 13.32%
- Reviews:
- 997
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 17, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 07, 2001
- Wants:
- 90
- Gots:
- 436
Our signature Scottish Ale is the beer we've brewed the longest and is our best-selling bottle world-wide. We brew it from 100% Scottish Optic and Crystal barley malts for a nutty, biscuit character, balanced with a subtle spiciness from Challenger and Goldings hops for an all-around satisfying beer.
George Howell - Master Brewer, Belhaven
George Howell - Master Brewer, Belhaven
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by artoolemomo:
Reviewed by artoolemomo from Oregon
3.4/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance- Like most beers in draught cans, this is a gusher with a nice pale beige rush that ends with about about two fingers' worth of head. Lots of retention from the creamy off white head which has hints of beige. The body is a dark amber with some brown which glows a medium amber with glints of orange when held up to the light. Lacing is left behind in sheets. The body is a little muddy.
Nose- The main component of the nose are sweet, roasted malts which have sour and sweet (almost) vinous notes. These notes suggest burnt bread or burnt toast. Some fruity esters which seem to replace the initial roasted notes. The was a rush of a nitro/burnt toast aroma when I first popped open the can.
Taste- Wow, the vinous notes of the nose really come out. Some of the sour of the nose comes out as well but the dominant aspects of this beer are fruity esters (white to almost red grape) and caramel. Brown sugar and some molasses. Roasted notes on the finish that seem a little burnt. Slight nuttiness but the vinous aspects are hard to escape and really diminish my ability to appreciate this beer. Some citrus notes appear. I don't get any of the floral or herbal hop notes that the style description suggests.
Mouthfeel- Creamy, smooth, medium bodied but wine-like as well. Faint carbonation. This is my favorite part of this beer. Second favorite part: its appearance.
Drinkability- If you ignore the taste, this is a very easy drinking beer. But it low alcohol content and lackluster flavor profile makes this beer's 5 dollar price too high. Will not buy again.
Overall- Not a bad beer but not a particularly good one either. Some of its aspects are off the charts- appearance and mouthfeel- while the others are pretty average.
Jul 06, 2013Nose- The main component of the nose are sweet, roasted malts which have sour and sweet (almost) vinous notes. These notes suggest burnt bread or burnt toast. Some fruity esters which seem to replace the initial roasted notes. The was a rush of a nitro/burnt toast aroma when I first popped open the can.
Taste- Wow, the vinous notes of the nose really come out. Some of the sour of the nose comes out as well but the dominant aspects of this beer are fruity esters (white to almost red grape) and caramel. Brown sugar and some molasses. Roasted notes on the finish that seem a little burnt. Slight nuttiness but the vinous aspects are hard to escape and really diminish my ability to appreciate this beer. Some citrus notes appear. I don't get any of the floral or herbal hop notes that the style description suggests.
Mouthfeel- Creamy, smooth, medium bodied but wine-like as well. Faint carbonation. This is my favorite part of this beer. Second favorite part: its appearance.
Drinkability- If you ignore the taste, this is a very easy drinking beer. But it low alcohol content and lackluster flavor profile makes this beer's 5 dollar price too high. Will not buy again.
Overall- Not a bad beer but not a particularly good one either. Some of its aspects are off the charts- appearance and mouthfeel- while the others are pretty average.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
3.35/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.35/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
After the foam settles down, the color is slightly reddish like tea. Nose was all buttery. Taste was very sweet and buttery. Not my favorite and didn’t finish.
Mar 17, 2024Reviewed by showell from Arizona
4.58/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.58/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful Reddish Amber color. Poured into a pint glass an absolutely gorgeous color with a nice white head that stayed for a few minutes. Tastes of malty grain with a bitter background. And with only 5.2% abv it is something that I can probably enjoy a couple of them.
I like the experience with this beer. The color and the flavor/aroma make it a very enjoyable one. Am definitely buying this one again.
Jan 28, 2024I like the experience with this beer. The color and the flavor/aroma make it a very enjoyable one. Am definitely buying this one again.
Reviewed by superpete93 from New Hampshire
4.68/5 rDev +22.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +22.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
One of my all time favorite pub beers. Beautiful deep golden amber color with a light white head. Nutty and slightly sweet taste without being cloying. Very smooth and drinks well without feeling heavy in your stomach. ABV makes it a great beer for hanging around with friends. I drink it anytime I can find it.
Jan 14, 2024Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts
4.32/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a deep amber with a one-finger off-white head after nitro cascade.
Aroma is sweet; toffee, caramel, honey, dried fruit; white bread and nuts.
Taste is wonderful. The nuttiness comes to the fore at the beginning of the sip, mingling with brown bread and caramel through the middle, and then blending in with some earthy roast bitterness at the finish. Fairly sweet, dry, and nutty aftertaste without being cloying.
Nitro can, super smooth. Medium-light bodied.
Overall, a fantastic beer. Big flavors of a scotch ale while being much easier to drink than a wee heavy. In many ways, this is a sweeter rendition of that most quaffable of dark beers: the brown ale.
Jan 06, 2024Aroma is sweet; toffee, caramel, honey, dried fruit; white bread and nuts.
Taste is wonderful. The nuttiness comes to the fore at the beginning of the sip, mingling with brown bread and caramel through the middle, and then blending in with some earthy roast bitterness at the finish. Fairly sweet, dry, and nutty aftertaste without being cloying.
Nitro can, super smooth. Medium-light bodied.
Overall, a fantastic beer. Big flavors of a scotch ale while being much easier to drink than a wee heavy. In many ways, this is a sweeter rendition of that most quaffable of dark beers: the brown ale.
Reviewed by Tolianych_Pivomnabuhanych from Vermont
5/5 rDev +30.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +30.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Love this one! Beautiful color, nice body, delicious nutty ale.
Poured from a can into a regular English pint glass. The nitro widget did its job and the ale looked like a snow globe for at least a minute.
Not as strong as a Scotch Ale, which makes this Scottish ale a good table beer.
Highly recommend.
Dec 31, 2023Poured from a can into a regular English pint glass. The nitro widget did its job and the ale looked like a snow globe for at least a minute.
Not as strong as a Scotch Ale, which makes this Scottish ale a good table beer.
Highly recommend.
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
11.2 oz bottle best by Jan 2024 into a Becher glass.
L: SRM 12 Pours clear burnished copper with steady carbonation bubbles, a 1/2" off-white head that quickly recedes to edge foam, thick skin, and is lightly fizzy, no lacing.
S: Rich buttery caramel malts, brown bread, dark ripe fruits, toffee.
T: Rosy caramelized malts, tea, brown bread notes, toffee, tannins, light sweetness of plum, fruit zest, gently rich, nutty & floral with a malty and zesty balanced aftertaste.
F: Very brisk, smooth & glassy. Crystal clean, fast medium-light bodied with a very quick dry finish.
O: Absolutely gorgeous tasting with a mighty fast & dry finish. The dryness arrives quite quickly. A lovely everyday quaffable Ale that is very good in its style.
Dec 13, 2023L: SRM 12 Pours clear burnished copper with steady carbonation bubbles, a 1/2" off-white head that quickly recedes to edge foam, thick skin, and is lightly fizzy, no lacing.
S: Rich buttery caramel malts, brown bread, dark ripe fruits, toffee.
T: Rosy caramelized malts, tea, brown bread notes, toffee, tannins, light sweetness of plum, fruit zest, gently rich, nutty & floral with a malty and zesty balanced aftertaste.
F: Very brisk, smooth & glassy. Crystal clean, fast medium-light bodied with a very quick dry finish.
O: Absolutely gorgeous tasting with a mighty fast & dry finish. The dryness arrives quite quickly. A lovely everyday quaffable Ale that is very good in its style.
Reviewed by BigGold from Mississippi
4.04/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
After years away, had Belhaven's Scottish Ale again recently at Tremont Tavern, Chattanooga, on draft into tumbler.
Pours deep amber with clarity and 1-finger creamy off-white head, with decent retention, leaving little lace. Aromas of sweet malt and English Pale Ale mild tart fruit off pour, then mild toast and growing nutty malt aromas as warms. On tasting, begins big sweet caramel malt with a little tart fruit and some neutral hop bite, then a bit of earthy spiciness, some mild biscuit and continuing tea, all over a very creamy, somewhat nutty body, leading into a crisp, herbally bitter, slightly toasted finish.
Beautiful beer, nutty rather than peaty in the aroma, malty smooth, interestingly fruity and nicely bitter. A Scotch Ale meant to enjoy, rather than impress (oppress).
Nov 08, 2023Pours deep amber with clarity and 1-finger creamy off-white head, with decent retention, leaving little lace. Aromas of sweet malt and English Pale Ale mild tart fruit off pour, then mild toast and growing nutty malt aromas as warms. On tasting, begins big sweet caramel malt with a little tart fruit and some neutral hop bite, then a bit of earthy spiciness, some mild biscuit and continuing tea, all over a very creamy, somewhat nutty body, leading into a crisp, herbally bitter, slightly toasted finish.
Beautiful beer, nutty rather than peaty in the aroma, malty smooth, interestingly fruity and nicely bitter. A Scotch Ale meant to enjoy, rather than impress (oppress).
Rated by Tomisk
4.73/5 rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.73/5 rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Incredibly smooth. Great nutty aftertaste. Very easy to drink.
Nov 07, 2023Reviewed by Cdriver0414 from Kentucky
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
My first time trying this style of beer. Pour is similar to a brown ale. The nose has nutty textures followed by a sweet malt with a touch of bread. The nose transfers to the palate. Overall a decent brew. Nothing special but nothing off putting.
Sep 20, 2023
Scottish Ale from Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
2341 ratings
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