#016 Scotch Ale
Exit Brewing

Wait, I thought #002 was Exit’s Scotch Ale? ... I’m confused... what I’m not confused about however is buying and drinking yet another awes-wellSchopshwasn’tgreat-ome brew from those purveyors of numbered beers: Exit. No I’m saying the brewery name - I’m not ordering you to leave the building you’re in right now. Just wanted to clear that up. Wait, where are you going? Oh well, I’ll just banter to myself now (like I often do - they say talking to oneself is the first sign of madness, I say it’s the first sign of a decent conversation - ZING!). So, umm, yeah me... I like beer. I’m keen to find out what the deal with Exit’s numbering system is and why they had #002 as a 7.5% ABV Scotch Ale and now #016 as the same, feels like they’re doubling up somewhere [a less lazy man would probably Google this].

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Presents a slight hazed rust-coloured body with a nice tight (but not creamy dense) 1 centimetres beige head that slowly drops down. Let’s face facts - she looks a beauty, like the Scottish equivalent of a sports car (which is apparently the mid-engined Argyll GT... oh dear... look it’s not pretty but Scotland has its own rugged charm - let’s celebrate that). 8/10.

S: Peated malt, of course! I for one love peated malt, but the problem with peated malt in beers is that once you smell peated malt you can’t smell much else at all. There’s clearly some caramel/toffee/molasses chicanery going on in there but little gets past old mate peat. Aroma is OK though... a hint of rotting banana peel (phenols) as well. I’m gonna go with a: 6/10.

T: “Slick like a seal” - some Scottish dude. Flavours of caramel and a hint of butterscotch (diacetyl - acceptable for this style) swirl around with peat, who gets around - peat is everywhere - all over the palate. Thankfully peat doesn’t drown out the palate - he’s merely your chum who sticks around no matter what, even throwing down if there’s a fight. Touch of dark (and decaying) fruit as well. Tasty drop overall but lacking a touch in complexity if I’m being honest (which is sort of the deal with these review thingies). 7/10.

M: Nice body (still bantering to myself), reasonably hefty with a dense but flat(ish) carbonation. 8/10.

D: Tasty enough brew from Exit but missing just a little bit of that something-something, still I didn’t mind it, how’s about an: 8/10.

Food match: Rich and stewy foods, like stew perhaps, yeah that one.