Commando Scottish
Pizza Port Solana Beach

Molasses-lined cask at the Solana Beach location.

A: Ruby-colored with a light haze and a dense, creamy off-white head that lingered until the glass was empty, coating the glass with sheets of lace.

S: Molasses, maple syrup and toast initially, but this grows more fruity and interesting as it warms. The nose reminds me of buckwheat pancakes coated in raspberries and strawberries. Very balanced and not overly rich or sweet.

T/M: Toasted whole grain bread covered in molasses and fruit preserves (cherry, raspberry, strawberry). Medium-light in body with gentle carbonation; remarkably smooth and creamy. Husky grain bitterness appears mid-palate, leading into a dry and chocolatey finish. This beer blew me away, and I'm saddened to know that I'll never see this available locally. I drank 2 glasses and would have gone back for a 3rd if I didn't have a plane to catch.

Enjoyed at the Solana Beach location on cask at the end of an exceptional weekend.

Commando appears crimson (light crimson) with a big thick creamy cask head.

The aroma is of molasses, brown sugar, and maple. Some unexpected yet much welcome notes of raspberries, strawberries, and red grapes are noticeable. The combination of rich sugars and dark berries is a killer one that I can't get enough of. No alcohol is noticeable.

The flavor is sweet brown sugar, molasses. The beer is sweet, but not cloyingly so. The beautiful yet subtle berries are present in the flavor: strawberries, raspberries, and grapes. No alcohol is noticeable and some bitterness is present midpalate. The finish is brown sugar and berry sweetness that is balanced by a dryness that ultimately curtails the sweetness and outlasts it.

The beer is medium bodied with a wonderful creamy cask mouthfeel. This was an unassuming and unexpected treat and I feel like I could have drunk it forever.

On the cask at Solana Beach, 8/2/06. Pours a murky brown with no head. Aroma is heavy with caramel malt and toffee. Viscous mouthfeel, but still light. Tons of flavors ranging through caramel, almonds, and toffee with some woody bitterness at the back. Simply a great beer.

On tap at Solena Beach. Malty aroma. noticeably creamy,biscuity mouthfeel. good bitterness at the end is the driver. Oak, chocolate, and nuts. No smoky notes. This is often at cask and would be interesting as such. Drinkability good and carbonation good as is typical across the lineup.