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McK's Scottish Ale
Granite City Food & Brewery
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Granite City Food & Brewery
- United States
- Style:
- Scottish Ale
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 79
- Avg:
- 3.3 | pDev: 15.45%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Sep 29, 2014
- Added:
- Jan 08, 2009
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Hellpop65:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Brenden from Ohio
3.46/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Granite City brought a batch of this beer aged in Jim Beam barrels to the Glass City Beer Fest. It wasn't terrible, but it was messy, and the booze drowned almost everything else out. I decided to see what happens when the base beer isn't being beaten up. Notes are recent.
The glass I get isn't exactly frosted, but it's pretty close. A light tan head is a bit muted, but it makes an effort to rise up. I makes it to about 3/4 of a finger and goes down to a foam somewhat quickly. Spotty lacing clings to the glass in smallish quantity.
I need to give this a few minutes to warm before I can get much of anything out of it. It's a little tame, true, but I also suspect it's a traditional Scottish ale rather than the Wee Heavy style that trends much more strongly as American craft drinkers seek more beastly beers. Nonethless, it could use a little more out of its mildly peaty and slightly roasty malt base. A slight metallic edge makes me wonder if at least part of the malt base consists of an English malt or variety thereof. There's a bit of inviting sweetness, mostly reminding me of brown sugar, and light enough that it's not cloying. Settling in beyond the brown sugar and a touch of caramel are some dark fruits. Hops presence is light but offers just a little floral touch with a ghost of something herbal and interestingly earthy on the end.
The carbonation offers a bit too much by way of crispness, and I have to give it time to settle before it translates to a smoother feel. The body is appropriately medium and, while granite City tends to be thin sometimes, this one isn't too bad. It's not exactly hefty, though.
Mar 22, 2013The glass I get isn't exactly frosted, but it's pretty close. A light tan head is a bit muted, but it makes an effort to rise up. I makes it to about 3/4 of a finger and goes down to a foam somewhat quickly. Spotty lacing clings to the glass in smallish quantity.
I need to give this a few minutes to warm before I can get much of anything out of it. It's a little tame, true, but I also suspect it's a traditional Scottish ale rather than the Wee Heavy style that trends much more strongly as American craft drinkers seek more beastly beers. Nonethless, it could use a little more out of its mildly peaty and slightly roasty malt base. A slight metallic edge makes me wonder if at least part of the malt base consists of an English malt or variety thereof. There's a bit of inviting sweetness, mostly reminding me of brown sugar, and light enough that it's not cloying. Settling in beyond the brown sugar and a touch of caramel are some dark fruits. Hops presence is light but offers just a little floral touch with a ghost of something herbal and interestingly earthy on the end.
The carbonation offers a bit too much by way of crispness, and I have to give it time to settle before it translates to a smoother feel. The body is appropriately medium and, while granite City tends to be thin sometimes, this one isn't too bad. It's not exactly hefty, though.
Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin
3.54/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
This was the seasonal on tap the E. Peoria location. Served in a 20 oz shaker, the beer is a reddish brown with a dense and clingy beige head.
There are malts and light brown sugar in the nose.
The taste is slightly sweet with roasted malts. There is a nice toasty quality to the beer with a bit a caramel and brown bread. However, the taste could be ramped up a notch.
The mouth is well calibrated for the beer. Could work as a session beer as it is easy to drink, not overly filling and has enough taste elements to keep you mildly engaged.
Feb 01, 2013There are malts and light brown sugar in the nose.
The taste is slightly sweet with roasted malts. There is a nice toasty quality to the beer with a bit a caramel and brown bread. However, the taste could be ramped up a notch.
The mouth is well calibrated for the beer. Could work as a session beer as it is easy to drink, not overly filling and has enough taste elements to keep you mildly engaged.
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota
2.67/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
2.67/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Excellent to see Granite City branching out from their old standards, been looking forward to trying this one. Glass with dinner with la familia.
Dark amber in the glass. Promising aroma, light malts, caramel, a little toffee.
Unfortunately, this is a scotch ale without much going on. The caramel, toffee, & malts come out to play, but they're muted, washed out. Not only that, this is one of the few beers I've ever sampled that actually got worse as it warmed. The mouthfeel thinned out severely, making it feel light & watery. Very watery. Neither my wife or I finished what we ordered.
Disappointing. I enjoy GC's regular lineup & am looking forward to them branching out, but this one's a missed opportunity. Too bad.
Jan 28, 2011Dark amber in the glass. Promising aroma, light malts, caramel, a little toffee.
Unfortunately, this is a scotch ale without much going on. The caramel, toffee, & malts come out to play, but they're muted, washed out. Not only that, this is one of the few beers I've ever sampled that actually got worse as it warmed. The mouthfeel thinned out severely, making it feel light & watery. Very watery. Neither my wife or I finished what we ordered.
Disappointing. I enjoy GC's regular lineup & am looking forward to them branching out, but this one's a missed opportunity. Too bad.
Reviewed by alleykatking from Indiana
3.65/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.65/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this on tap at Granite City. Review from phone notes.
A- Pours a dirty amber almost brownish color. One finger tan head sits for a second before it dies down to cap the beer. Light lacing left on the glass as I drank it down.
S- This actually has some aroma to it unlike a lot of their beers which seem to be muted. Light toffee and roasted malts come in with the first whiff. Some light caramel malts plays next with my nose turning into some darker fruits. Lastly some nutty mixture comes about and makes me smile as I figure this might be another drinkable beer from them. Last one being Batch 1000.
T- The first flavor to come out is sweet light roasted malts. The caramel malts follow through the entire beer. Some nutty flavors come in the middle along with a strange earthy taste Ican't put my finger on. The ending has a light bitter hop bite to it....nothing too much as this is Granite City of course.
M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation is a little high for the style but fits their beer nicely. A little watery feeling in the mouth as Idrank it. Light drying on the palate. Some toffee sweet malts left on the palate with some nutty afterflavors in the backing. Flavors on this beer were actually crisp and blended together nicely.
D- Although I wouldn't really call this a Scottish Ale it was still good. Granite City brewed a beer that the craft drinker will find ok and a BMC drinker will really enjoy as well. They are a company who needs to find a happy medium and I think they did with this beer.
Apr 08, 2010A- Pours a dirty amber almost brownish color. One finger tan head sits for a second before it dies down to cap the beer. Light lacing left on the glass as I drank it down.
S- This actually has some aroma to it unlike a lot of their beers which seem to be muted. Light toffee and roasted malts come in with the first whiff. Some light caramel malts plays next with my nose turning into some darker fruits. Lastly some nutty mixture comes about and makes me smile as I figure this might be another drinkable beer from them. Last one being Batch 1000.
T- The first flavor to come out is sweet light roasted malts. The caramel malts follow through the entire beer. Some nutty flavors come in the middle along with a strange earthy taste Ican't put my finger on. The ending has a light bitter hop bite to it....nothing too much as this is Granite City of course.
M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation is a little high for the style but fits their beer nicely. A little watery feeling in the mouth as Idrank it. Light drying on the palate. Some toffee sweet malts left on the palate with some nutty afterflavors in the backing. Flavors on this beer were actually crisp and blended together nicely.
D- Although I wouldn't really call this a Scottish Ale it was still good. Granite City brewed a beer that the craft drinker will find ok and a BMC drinker will really enjoy as well. They are a company who needs to find a happy medium and I think they did with this beer.
Reviewed by BedetheVenerable from Missouri
3.82/5 rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
3.82/5 rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Presentation: Free growler, thanks to the parents for the Christmas gift card.
Appearance: Nice ruddy amber beer with garnet highlights and a nice dense light tan head with good retention.
Smell: Rich, toasty, and roasty, with rich caramel and toffee notes with a little bit of smoke in the background.
Taste: Not quite what was expected from the aroma, this beer is quite fruity up front (almost a weird grape-iness) but this fades with a little breathing time. After that's gone, a mild fruitiness remains, backed by roasted and caramel malts. This is a bit simple but not bad; there's mild coffee at the end, and a great smokey finish.
Mouthfeel: A bit thin for the style...my only major quibble with this beer.
Drinkability: Medium-high
Conclusion: This beer has GREAT aromas, nice flavors (after it gets a bit of oxygen); overall, this is a pretty solid offering from Granite City.
Jan 08, 2009Appearance: Nice ruddy amber beer with garnet highlights and a nice dense light tan head with good retention.
Smell: Rich, toasty, and roasty, with rich caramel and toffee notes with a little bit of smoke in the background.
Taste: Not quite what was expected from the aroma, this beer is quite fruity up front (almost a weird grape-iness) but this fades with a little breathing time. After that's gone, a mild fruitiness remains, backed by roasted and caramel malts. This is a bit simple but not bad; there's mild coffee at the end, and a great smokey finish.
Mouthfeel: A bit thin for the style...my only major quibble with this beer.
Drinkability: Medium-high
Conclusion: This beer has GREAT aromas, nice flavors (after it gets a bit of oxygen); overall, this is a pretty solid offering from Granite City.
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin
3.68/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.68/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I really like having beer at the mall. Nothing makes shopping with the girlfriend more of a passable experience than not shopping at all and instead parking my butt on a barstool for a couple hours.
This last trip to the mall meant Scottish Ale, Granite City's winter seasonal.
Poured ice cold into a frosted pint glass...even on a day with a 39 degree below zero wind chill...when are they going to learn?
Appearance: Reddish brown with a healthy tan head.
Aroma: Sweet dark malts, nuts, chocolate, and raison.
Taste: Sweet bready and chocolate malts, a speck of earth, with a nutty, mildly grassy hopped finish.
Mouthfeel: A touch on the sweet side but not cloying. Light bodied but well carbonated.
Drinkable: In spades.
Pretty decent brew considering the location.
Feb 11, 2008This last trip to the mall meant Scottish Ale, Granite City's winter seasonal.
Poured ice cold into a frosted pint glass...even on a day with a 39 degree below zero wind chill...when are they going to learn?
Appearance: Reddish brown with a healthy tan head.
Aroma: Sweet dark malts, nuts, chocolate, and raison.
Taste: Sweet bready and chocolate malts, a speck of earth, with a nutty, mildly grassy hopped finish.
Mouthfeel: A touch on the sweet side but not cloying. Light bodied but well carbonated.
Drinkable: In spades.
Pretty decent brew considering the location.
McK's Scottish Ale from Granite City Food & Brewery
Beer rating:
79 out of
100 with
24 ratings
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