Willoughby's Scottish Ale
Madison Brewing Co.

 

 

On tap at the Brewpub
Pours a deep reddish amber color with an off white head that sticks around for a bit. Smells sweet with caramel, sugar, cherry, prune, and a touch of alcohol. Taste is mostly sweet caramel and cherry with hints of melanoid and alcohol. A bit over carbonated with a medium body and a sweet slick chalky mouthfeel. This was probably my favorite beer from Madison, but it is still just an average beer.

Poured off the tap at this family affair brewery in Bennington, VT. Arrived at my table a great amber color with ruby highlights. Creamy tan head faded to a clingy ring that laced moderately. Nice aroma of sweet malts and toffee with some caramel behind that. Semi sweet malts again characteristic of caramel are the first thing to hit my tongue followed by some brown sugar and then the crisp hop finish. Balanced and slightly bitter as it warms. Light to medium carbonation adds to the solid mouthfeel. A good Scottish Ale and one of the better brews the family produces. Cheers, gentlemen!

Had in their sampler at the restaurant. Good amber color and a creamy head and decent lacing. A strong, malty aroma overall, with some earthy tones. Pretty sweet. The taste was not as strong as the aromas would have you believe. Still malty but a bit hoppier. Its bitterness was not powerful at all. Decent carbonation, a bit relaxing and not too crisp. Overall, this was really good.

Medium amber with a nice fluffy head which dissipates quickly. Not much lacing.Sweet malt aroma with a similar taste, with no real hop character prevalent. Soft carbonation lends itself to decent mouthfeel. A bit too sweet for me. A bit more hops may have rounded this one out, but not a bad beer.

I had this beer during a lunch time visit to the pub on the way home from Manchester. The beer is served in a 12 oz pils glass fairly cold. The beer is a light amber color with beige creamy surface layer of head. Aroma is mild overall with some caramel and brown sugar and a bit of grassy and herbal hops in the background. First sip reveals a lighter than average body with fine slightly tingly carbonation. Flavor starts with some caramel and toffee that rolls to a mild herbal and earthy hop finish. Overall the flavor is mild from start to finish, and the body is thinner than expected, perhaps this should be advertised as a 60 shilling ale?

Ah, a much better offering from Madison...

Pours deep red with an amber hue, translucent. Smells like a medium-strong beer. Taste is very well balanced between the hops and other flavors, a medium bitterness mingles well. A very drinkable beer with a good finish as well.