Tartan Toddy
Red Eye Brewing Company

 

 

 

Fresh one, on site, returning this year.

Dark brown, one finger tan head, with good retention and lacing.
Aroma is malty as expected, but does not suggest an overly sweet beer; caramel, bread, a very faint hoppiness in the background.
Medium bodied, smooth across the palate, malty and sweet, but not overly sweet.
Caramel and bread, a faint hint of alcohol. Very easy to drink, and one I will return later for more.

Lightly muddied dark amber brown with a tight khaki head.
Toffee, honey nuts, smoked peat, tobacco, and earth nose, dotted with a vapor of boozy potency.
It begins sweet with dates, caramel, and toffee, then a toasted/roasted quality builds with nuts, carob, cocoa, and smoke. The smoke builds, never to featured status, but adds a intriguing earthiness. It lingers between sweet and earthy for its remainder, adding a flare or two of alcoholic heat for warmth.
Medium-full body with a low-level but steady CO2. This is a nice winter sipper that can easily be consumed faster if conditions warrent.
This is a straight up solid Scotch Ale. If you want a plus strength malt bomb with some depth, you'd do well with this. Red Eye is rapidly gaining my attention.

Snagged this one on release day. Poured standard brown/amber with a finger of head. Smell was heavy malts, not overly sweet but there was definitely a caramel presence. Much like with all Red Eye beers, I have a tough time really getting a good smell due to the heavy food scent in the air from the open kitchen. The taste, however, was most definitely noticeable and damn it was good. Smooth, heavy maltiness with a good balance between sweet and bready malts. Alcohol is noticeable, but not overbearing at all. Mouthfeel is normal for a wee heavy (meaning: good). I downed this one pretty quickly not realizing it was an 8% beer. I definitely felt it afterwards. Very solid beer, and one that is making me itchy to get back to the Red Eye and sample again before it is gone.