Colonsay 80/- Ale
Colonsay Brewery

£ 1.85/500 mL bottle, BBE 10/19 on both the back label and the neck at The Bottle Shop, Inverness, Scotland.
Served chilled in a pint jar in my hotel room. (Yes! A hotel in Scotland with an en suite reefer!
Appearance – 3.75.
Body – Root beer brown, opaque.
Head – Large (Maximum 5.7 cm, controlled center pour), khaki, medium density but slightly fizzy, average retention, diminishing to three mm ring and a thin, complete layer.
Lacing – None.
First pour – Brown, clear.
Aroma – 3 – Very weak malt.
Flavor – 3 - Incredibly weak malt – more evident in belches than when drinking. No alcohol, no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3 - Medium, creamy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 3 – It’s brown and it’s wet. That’s about it.

 

50cl bottle from Appellation Wines in Edinburgh:

5.2% ABV. Served chilled in a pilsner glass.

A: Head is ~2 inches wide. Khaki colour. Creamy, smooth, wet, even. Average complexion. ~5 minute retention.

Body is a deep dark auburn. No yeast is visible within.

A typical 80 shilling appearance. Not unique or special, but it fits the style.

Sm: Dark malts, burnt sugars, caramel, toastiness, malty sweetness. Cream, brown bread. Hints of fruit.

Aromatic intensity is average.

T: Malty sweetness dominates - as well it should given the style - but the malt profile is generic...caramel, dark Scotch ale malts, breadiness. Where's the rich toffee? The hints of burnt and toasty character? I find cream and brief suggestions of fruit, but overall this is a shallow, underwhelming beer.

I taste no hops nor yeast nor booze.

Mf: Medium-bodied. Smooth, wet, and of moderate heft and weight on the palate. Well-carbonated.

O: Drinkable. It's a passable 80 shilling, but isn't amongst the best in the style, nor is it particularly worthwhile. It'll scratch one's Scotch ale itch, but it won't impress the discerning drinker.

High C (3.0)

Poured into a clear plastic cup as that was all available, still a sticky tan white lacing and good film. Colour is a dark brown with a very active carbonation.

Smell has a lot of rich malty notes, roasty, coffee, some citrus and baked fruit, sticky caramel.Decent malty heft and not much bitterness. Some interesting and complex thing here with a good richness. Some nuttiness as well.

T - a milky malty start, dry roasty notes, and an underlying creaminess, some mild coffee notes, caramel. Towards the end it is more drying with an upfront chewy toffee. Some fruits in there somewhere, this mostly a malty ale with a slight roastiness, little sweetness and mild hop character. Mild taste to it, smooth and definitely light and sessionable, a bit of a lingering aftertaste.

M - light, detectable maltiness and a fair bit of carbonation but also just a bit watery. Performs as expected I guess, but a bit of cloying feel on the end.

An average scotch ale. Tasty and sessionable but doesn't really live up to be really remarkable. I would have it again if offered but wouldn't go out of my way to buy for myself. Good 80/- nonetheless.

Reddish brown color, scarce foam, beige in color.
In the smell a decent maltiness, lightly toasted, but quite light.
In the mouth a strong hazelnut note, maybe a bit too strng, some biscuit, and maltiness.
Watery, a bit too watery body.
Well, very drinkable, but it lacks a bit of personality.
Hazelnut and some hop in the aftertaste.
More than honest beer, after all.

bottle dated best before Aug 2013.

Dark amber color with a fine carbonation that produces an off-white head that lasts as a thin slick of foam and leaves a good bit of lacing on the glass.

Malty aroma with a bit of roasted grain and chickory, on the nose. Light malty flavor of brown bread and caramel. Hop character is very light as is fitting for the style and contributes a slight herbal flavor. A bit tart.

Medium light body with a light carbonation. Lingering caramel flavor but with a dryish finish. Easy to drink and refreshing after a day tromping around the islands in the sun and wind.