Curly
The Grumpy Troll Restaurant and Brewery

CurlyCurly
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From:
The Grumpy Troll Restaurant and Brewery
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.45 | pDev: 13.33%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
16
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 12, 2015
Added:
Aug 20, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by redleg411:
Photo of redleg411
Rated by redleg411 from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +15.9%

Jun 28, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Dactrius
Rated by Dactrius from Netherlands Antilles

2.79/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
We had multiple kegs of this years ago but unfortunately it appears the new brewmaster changed the recipe significantly.
Jul 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.49 by jdkitchi from Wisconsin

Dec 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by s_wit from Wisconsin

Sep 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by BarrelAgedG from California

Sep 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bismarksays from Iowa

Oct 22, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Oct 09, 2012
Photo of Duff27
Reviewed by Duff27 from Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
A- Pours reddish-brown. Slowly disappearing off-white head with minimal lacing present. Looks tasty.

S- Toffee. Wet hay?

T- Roasty malts, lingering sweetness. Hints of grass.

M- Very thin. Not much carbonation tingle effect.

D/O- Overall, not a bad beer but not great either. Wouldn't mind having a few of these sometime when the focus isn't on how awesome the beer is.
Aug 22, 2010
Photo of klikger
Reviewed by klikger from Wisconsin

2.94/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Bomber sipped in a 4 oz. Lost Abbey tasting glass

A - Medium-to-dark amber, with a decent brownish head, but not much lacing

S - Toffee and brown sugar, with a hint of apricot

T - Sweet malts are present right away, but it's also noticeably watery. The taste of white raisin and a trace of caramel follow before a slightly sour & bitter finish. Not in a good way.

M - Not much carbonation; watery

D - No reason to drink more than one. Or half of one.

Grumpy Troll makes some great beers and some mediocre ones. This is of the second variety.
Jul 29, 2010
Photo of levifunk
Reviewed by levifunk from Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
a - clear caramel brown liquid. good amount of light tan head.

s - malts, but not very smokey. yeast is strong. toffee and dark fruit.

t - peat malt flavor comes through. flavor is pretty light though. same as nose. bitter aftertaste, which is odd for the style.

m - light body, good carbonation. leaves a chalky feel.

overall - I would call this a scottish ale, not a wee heavy. Far too light of body and not enough flavor. As a scottish ale, its pretty good. As a scotch ale, its crap. reviewed as scottish ale. Also, flavor is a bit odd with the bitter after taste and chalky mouthfeel on the end.
Jul 20, 2010
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.72/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
"A child is a curly, dimpled lunatic."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Autumn leaves russet with bright pumpkin highlights when sunshine is allowed to enter the pint glass. A barely audible 'pffft' on crown cracking led to a slim slice of khaki colored foam following an increasingly high-altitude pour. Pretty good persistence, not much lace.

In my humble opinion, any Scotch ale that doesn't use peat-smoked malt isn't a true Scotch ale. Curly uses both Maris Otter and peat-smoked. It isn't the most aggressive beer of this style that I've ever smelled, but it's still well done. English butter toffee is well out in front, followed by oven-toasted nuts and a barely detectable smokiness.

Never mind the ABV, Curly is more Scottish than Scotch. Wee heavies need to be a little bit heavy after all. This is a better than average version that doesn't even approach the best of style. More malt would have gone a looong way toward making this offering something that I'd consider buying again.

The flavor profile includes brown bread, butter caramel, sugared pecans... and too little smoke. As far as peat, I'm not really feelin' it. Again, the brewers need to add a bit more caramel malt and peat-smoked malt before Curly gets a 'whoo-whoo-whoo' out of me. (Three Stooges reference).

Warming shores things up a fraction in terms of both flavor intensity and body/mouthfeel. Thankfully, the beer isn't as underbubbled as expected. Besides, I prefer calm over storm in most cases.

By the bottom half of the bomber, Curly Scotch Ale *almost* manages to convince me that it deserves the next highest flavor score. In the end, though, it isn't big enough or bold enough to get it done.
Apr 15, 2009
Photo of TheBlackMallard
Reviewed by TheBlackMallard from Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Picked up a growler last weekend. The Grumpy Troll/Mt. Horeb were the highlight of the trip. I should have grabbed a growler of the BIPA or Maggie as well.

Pours dark brown, almost black, into my snifter with a small creme colored head.

Smell: Smoked Malt, Chocolate, Coffee, and Caramel.

Taste: Mostly Chocolate up front, followed by Toffee, Caramel, some earthy flavors, finishes with some Smokiness. Creamy and Smooth.
Mar 29, 2009
Photo of weeare138
Reviewed by weeare138 from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From notes...
Thanks to hopdog for sharing this.
Appears a medium transparent copper with a small, off white head that slowly fades into a mild collar. Spotty lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of toffee, ripe fruit, buttersoctch, earthy, light smoke, and crimini mushrooms.
Tasdte is of the mentioned aromas with a standout brown sugar flavor.
Mouthfeel is meidum bodied, sweet, sugary, and slick in the finish.
Dec 04, 2008
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.22/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle bought at the brew pub.

Poured a medium and lightly hszy amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, butterscotch, lightly earthy, roast, and toffee. Tastes of caramel, roast, some chocolate, and lightly earthy.

Notes from 8/13/08
Nov 12, 2008
Photo of Flyer
Reviewed by Flyer from Wisconsin

2.61/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This is the first time I've been disappointed by a Grmpy Troll beer. It's caramel-colored, but too pale for a Scotch ale. The nose has a healthy dose of something resembling paint thinner. Caramel-toffee flavors. Can hardly find any peatiness underneath the candy-like caramel and that lingering chemical smell. Possibly a bad batch, but that's the chance you take.
Aug 25, 2008
Photo of orbitalr0x
Reviewed by orbitalr0x from Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
22oz bomber pours into my chalice a copper / rust color with a half inch of eggshell head on top that falls to a ring around the top of the glass. Aromas start out with a mix of toffee, caramel and butterscotch atop a lightly toasted malt. There's an earthy peat in there along with a touch of citrus. Quite malty with a slight hint of sweetness.

First sip brings a smooth, toasted malt upfront accented by notes of toffee, caramel, nuts and butterscotch. It moves into a rather pronounced peaty flavor that brings that earthy smokiness into the brew. Flows down with a bit of citric accents and a mild hop presence. Peat lingers on the finish that's a bit dry. Overall tasty brew.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite smooth. Good, steady carbonation, this one goes down really easily and is quite an enjoyable brew, although it could have a bit more body. The peaty smokiness is quite pronounced on the finish and I personally enjoy that. A solid scotch ale from Grumpy Troll and I'm glad to be pouring it from a bottle for myself at home!!
Aug 20, 2008
Curly from The Grumpy Troll Restaurant and Brewery
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 16 ratings