Loch Lanier Scottish Ale
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

 

Sample at the Pittsburgh location. Brownish-amber color with a medium light tan head and thin lacing. Aroma of toasted malt and caramel. Medium-bodied and on the sweet side with earthy malt and chocolate flavoring. Some mild hoppiness is in the background too. The finish is lightly bitter hops and a touch of caramel. Pretty straightforward and good.

Pint when served was a deep dark red color, but low to no head. I picked up a low, juicy hop aroma. This was a nice change of pace, as my overall impression with this one was of mildness...most of the flavor was made up of biscuity malt ending in a juicy hop finish, but I was pleased to have such a mild beer at the moment.

Did a jig with this one on 6/11/2004 at the Cambridge location.

Poured in 16-ounce shaker glass. Little head to speak of, really just a soapy skein. Dark ruby red hue verging on brown. Malt jumps out at front, which is not surprising given the style. Boggy peat odors, memories of Highlands and Nessie evoked, roasted characters present throughout. Earthy, mud-like quality noted, but not unwarranted. Mouthfeel is refreshing for somebody like me who usually opts for the massively hopped IPAs. Would love to sit with a growler of this at the top of some New England mountain on a cool, October day, as long as one of my buddies hauled it up for me.

This beer poured a black, coke like, body with a small white head.

I couldn’t really make out much in the nose in the bar setting.

The taste was light and very refreshing. Watery, actually a bit thin. My first impression was that it tasted more like a german bock mixed with a soft scotch ale. Chocolate and black patent malt flavors. An interesting grainy munich sort of flavor. Earthy english hops with a light bitterness.

Not a whole lot to this beer. It’s really very tasty and refreshing. Sort of a summer scotch ale, if such at thing exists.

Finger's worth of milk chocolate head over nut brown ale with reddish glints at the bottom. Faint sweet scent. Perfect tender carbonation. One-note toffee / caramel flavor. Not much finish but butterscotch slowly pops up long after the last swallow. A very easy-going beer.

Was given a sample of this beer at their brewpub. This beer was a dark amber brown color and was topped with a small creamy head of foam. The aroma is rather disagreeable. Reminds me of something like rotting tree bark. No rich smoky malt aroma perceived. The beer tastes better than the aroma and is surprisingly tolerable. Some roasted grains with a woody/oaky character. Body is light, thin and watery. For a beer in this style, I expect something at least distinctive and hearty. This is a beer without balls. Go for something better.

My assumption is that this is the same beer, the JHBH in my neighborhood calls it Loch Ness Scottish Ale. Despite this, I didn't feel it was very Scottish in character, more like an Artisanal Dark Ale. I felt it should have been much maltier to fit the Scottish Ale description. Nonetheless, it was quite good.

It was a deep ruby maroon in color with a thin off-white head. Aroma of roasted malts and caramel. Complexity was pretty nice...roasted malt profile with a lot of dark chocolatey flavors and a touch of hop bitterness to balance things out. Mouthfeel from the cask was smooth, creamy, uncarbonated, and very enjoyable. This was one of their better ones.

Deep and dark burgundy with a thin off-white cream ring lace. Clean nose. Upfront bitterness / grainy texture with a touch of astringency and citrus / rind flavours. Nice malty body, touch of sweetness. Big toasted malts. Background fruity raisin, touch of butteriness and herbal tea.

A real nice brew to quaff down.