Lord Mor
Bear Island Brewing Company

Taster at BitterCreek. Dark brown with spotty head. Peaty, earthy aroma, full. Taste is spot on, all the right buttons. Sweet, bitter and dirty. I'll fess up, I was expecting to hate, but this is damn good . Screaming for some barrel aging. Rum?

a lightly smoky scotch ale with heather in it, well made, hearty, and surprisingly drinkable in a style where i usually find my appetite limited to one. nice brownish color to it, not too thick, some red edges, and a frothy lace head from the tap with nice rings on each sip. aroma is earthy and sweet, baked and herbal, the heather gives it a freshness and a springy essence where usually its big heavy wintery characteristics that define these. the smoke is subtle, but grows as it warms and as it moves toward the finish. notes of dried berries, raisins, figs, and brown sugar are here, and there is a lot of malt richness happening, even if there isnt a ton of body and linger slowing it down. big flavors and well layered, but not too heavy to drink on, the heather is a really nice touch. light cocoa, dried apple, maple, and earthy roast. the high carbonation is cool in this style, and the herbal element makes it more drinkable than most and adds a little bitterness. a smart and thoughtful example of the style, which seems to be how they roll in here. not a genre of beer i spend a ton of time with, but i really dug this, much to my surprise!