Bert Grant's Scottish Ale
Yakima Brewing Co. / Bert Grant's Ales

Bert Grant's Scottish AleBert Grant's Scottish Ale
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From:
Yakima Brewing Co. / Bert Grant's Ales
 
Washington, United States
Style:
Scottish Ale
ABV:
4.7%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.3 | pDev: 14.24%
Reviews:
78
Ratings:
82
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 18, 2020
Added:
Oct 13, 1998
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by proc:
Photo of proc
Reviewed by proc from Michigan

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Average across the board. I like this beer, but wanted something more out of it. Pours out to a nice copper color with a little head. Aroma is that of bread dough. Taste is one-dimensional, hop-wise, with a taste of spruce.
Nov 21, 2002
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.04/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
So I was the biggest Bert Grant's fan back in college. I mean seriously, it was pretty much just them and Sierra Nevada in our fridge. This wasn't one of my faves from them.

Pours a light brown with a dark red edge to it on the edge of the glass. 1/4" off white head. Aroma was malty earthiness but not the heft you would expect in this day and age. This was like a session scotch ale.

Taste imparted a tad more hop notes at the time for any scottish ale. Bert Grant's was always highly hopped no matter the style for this era. There was a little bit of bitter raisin dark fruit note to it. Ultimately the thin body on this just isn't what myself or most people were going for. I always turned to McEwans back then, but even now I'm not a fan of that beer either. One thing I liked was the lack of peatiness, but that was also why many others didn't like it. Overall, this was a rare miss for Bert Grant's.
Jan 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by szmnnl99 from Michigan

Mar 27, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by RoryOMoore from New Jersey

Feb 27, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by cdwil from Texas

Dec 25, 2011
 
Rated: 2 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 10, 2011
Photo of Winter
Reviewed by Winter from Wisconsin

2.95/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Attractive label. Features the a Scottish golden lion on a deep red background with ghosted plaid patterns around the circular label.

Pour is less attractive for the style. It renders itself a clear medium-amber in the glass with an off-white head. Malty nose with a citrusy hop aroma. Touch of orange and caramel in there too. Thinnish mouthfeel for the style. Hops are featured in this ale more than the malt. Definitely an American take on the style. Feint rasin upfront. Subdued malt flavor plays 2nd fiddle to the resiny hopiness. Pretzel dryness in the middle which turns seltzer-like toward the back.

This comes up short compared to many import Scottish Ales. But maybe I'm being too picky here? Still feel it's an American take on the style, but I would choose this over some weaker selections, if it was available.
Dec 09, 2005
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
poured a deep amber color with slightly off-white puffy head. Left slight lacing on the side of the glass. Smell is mainly of caramel along with a slight sweetness. Taste is also caramel-like with a hint of fruitiness present. Finish is mainly sweet malt, but nothing spectular. An average beer.
Dec 05, 2005
Photo of charlatan
Reviewed by charlatan from Scotland

3.37/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
This has a light copper colour with very little head, and the malty smell one would expect with carrot to the fore and a slightly metallic twang.

It has very strange carbonation. The bubbles seem smaller than pinpricks so they are barely perceptible individually, but have quite a combined effect.

It starts fairly watery before the expected rich malty taste kicks in, accompanied by sufficient hoppiness to give it a bitter rather than sweet edge, which is followed by a rather too dry finish.
Oct 17, 2005
Photo of Frozensoul327
Reviewed by Frozensoul327 from Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is the first Scottish Ale that I can truthfully say I could drink more than one of in a single sitting. Poured out to an orange brown color that was just slightly hazy. Head was nice, but dissipated rather quickly. Medium low carbonation. Aromas of grain, grass and hops are present, but not very powerful. Taste was smooth and very well balanced; flavors of malt, sweet wood, and caramel were well presented, with a buttery overtone unlike any other Scottish Ale I have had. Very nice. Mouthfeel was slighlty creamy and smooth. Very good drinkability. I could really get into this brew. A good example of the lighter side of this beer style. Recommended.
Oct 06, 2005
Photo of Zorro
Reviewed by Zorro from California

2.62/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Pours a clear red colored beer with a tan head that dies quickly, looks too light for the style.

Smell is sweet and malty with roasted grains and a touch of smoke. Faint citrus hop scent.

Taste is sweet and malty with a good strong balancing hops level. Roasted malts are a major flavor component, but the smokiness is missing. Watered down version of the style.

Mouthfeel is thin.

Drinkability is more or less a why bother? Thin flavorless example of the style. Skip this and buy the Belhaven.
Oct 04, 2005
Photo of Bonhoeffer
Reviewed by Bonhoeffer from Alabama

2.65/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not impressed.

Thin. Not enough flavor. Hardly any roasted, smoky, or toffee notes. Some sort of faint spicing somewhere i couldn't identify.

Perhaps i need more experience with this style. I guess i thought this should've compared more to a wee heavy, which it is nothing like. The exact boundaries between the various Scottish ales are somewhat elusive.
Aug 31, 2005
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The beer decamps the 12-ounce stubby brown bottle deep amber to copper color with a modest light tan frothy head that erodes leaving a satisfactory coating of lace upon the glass. Nose is sweet malt, fresh and clean, a hint of caramel, nut-like, start is sweet with a decent grain presence, top is light to middling in its feel to the palate. Finish is briskly acidic, the hops apropos to the style, dry lingering aftertaste, and a nice drinking beer that I sample often, Bert was a true master of brewing, and he is sorely missed.
Aug 28, 2005
Photo of karengarys
Reviewed by karengarys from Indiana

3.03/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This pours a slightly hazy reddish brown, leaving a small white head which dissipates quickly. The ring that remains sticks to the glass a bit as you drink.

Smell is fainter than I would expect, a bit malty and a bit hoppy. Not a whole lot going on.

Taste is okay. I pick up a maltiness, plus some spiceyness I can't explain - cinnamon or nutmeg? Maybe pepperey also. not a lot of hop is apparent, but what is there is slighty dry, and slightly piney. The flavors almost remind me of a red ale.

Mouthfeel is just okay also. Not real rich, carbonation almost like soda pop which dissipates into a butteryness.

Finish - leading in from the mouthfeel - this has a buttery finish, but leaves a slight bitter aftertaste.

I'm spoiled. I've always loved Robert the Bruce from Three Floyds. Though that isn't the world's benchmark for this style, it is my benchmark for beer and the Grant's Scottish ale falls into that category. Unfortunately, the Grant's falls short from what i would expect. it isn't bad, I'm not saying that if you come across this to avoid it, but I cannot recommend it.
Aug 14, 2005
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

2.78/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
It's called a 'real ale in the tradition of Scotland', well...not quite. The caramel, toffee, or toasty flavors are not as pronounced as needed. The body is weaker than expected. I don't think that Scotland uses American hops. The sweet, but dominant alcoholic flavors are not present. A slight tin-ey flavor is present from the hops, which are out of balance. It's a little grainy and thin. All in all, not a bad beer, but not to style either.
Aug 03, 2005
Photo of beerluvr
Reviewed by beerluvr from Canada (ON)

3.72/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Features a fluffy white head over clear light reddish liquid. Malty and lightly nutty nose with some hop oomph to it. Malty sweetness gives way to a healthy hop bitterness that balances out the malt sweetness quite nicely. Finishes on a somewhat biscuity note and a long hop fade, not exactly a Scottish style ale but nice all the same.
May 15, 2005
Photo of ybnorml
Reviewed by ybnorml from Rhode Island

2.95/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A copper colored beer. Has a small off white head. There is a light maltiness in the aroma but it is overpowered by a strong hop character. Again the hop character overpowers another aspect of the beer in the flavor. The taste is all hops, like an IPA. Not a scottish style beer, which is generaly malty with a hint of smokiness.
Mar 23, 2005
Photo of Citadel82
Reviewed by Citadel82 from New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 oz. bottle, Spirits Unlimited -Red bank NJ.

I never imagined I would be typing that the Sam Adam's Scotch Ale was better than Bert Grant's (MHRIP)... then again this may just be Grants attempt at a mild Scots Ale, sort of a 60 shilling as opposed to a 80 or 90 which I really like. Understated peat smoked character for this one, sadly enough. More peat is better for me. everything else is just an English Bitter.

Pours a delightful orange copper with an abumdant head that leaves sheets of lace as the beer is consumed.

Smell is sweet malt an slight hints of Peat Smokiness.

Taste is wonderfully balanced, though no major smokiness was detected by this reviewer.I could drink a few of these and not regret the taste. The Caramel Malt really shows well here.

Mouthfeel was medium to heavy with a smooth silkiness about it.

Drinkable ? Yes. I will try again.
Mar 19, 2005
Photo of Truh
Reviewed by Truh from New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Discovered the Stone of Scone with this one on 3/16/2005. 12-oz. bottle poured in a pint glass.

Barely a curtain of window wash head with a few multi-celled organisms of the carb variety suspended in the middle. Kind of a deep orange hue that is extremely clear and running with some nice actionables; surprised by the light hue considering the style. Lots of hop on nose is another eyebrow raiser, with a light charing aspect and earthiness, maybe moss. Very slight smokiness on the mouth with a low-level peatiness; malt is a gentle undercurrent, almost too light. This one is difficult to like – just a watered down version for the style.
Mar 17, 2005
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 ouncer sampled with dating printed on the label. Not exactly sure what it indicates. Pours a typical copper shade, slight white head and minimal lacing. Nose is of malt and slight smoke also picked up. To style, this is a malty brew, slight note of peat also picked up. Medium bodied. Servicable sessioner, bt nothing too special going on here, pleanty of better Scottish ales out, no harm in passing this one by...
Mar 12, 2005
Bert Grant's Scottish Ale from Yakima Brewing Co. / Bert Grant's Ales
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 82 ratings