Squire Scotch Ale
Cannery Brewing Company


- From:
- Cannery Brewing Company
- British Columbia, Canada
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.58 | pDev: 11.45%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 37
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Aug 10, 2015
- Added:
- Apr 25, 2010
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
For decades the Country Squire was a fine dining restaurant in Naramata. Following its fine example and carrying its name, Squire Scotch Ale is rich in both flavour and tradition. This variety of pale ale is defined by malt flavours that are strong and smoky with a touch of sweetness.
The deep caramel colour and gentle hop profile round out this classic style ale.
The deep caramel colour and gentle hop profile round out this classic style ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Svingjo from Canada (BC)
3.34/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.34/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Pours a nice copper colour with a finger thick beige head. There is a strong malty nose with a bit of woodiness. I don't really get much more. I get some caramel and malt in the flavour but not much more. The mouthfeel is watery while being effervescent. It's a bit light for my taste and was expecting a a bit more flavour. Nothing to make this stand out.
Aug 10, 2015Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)
3.68/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Disclaimer: I love this style of beer and I have a soft spot for this brewery. I've spent so many outstanding holidays in the Okanagan that I can't help myself when it comes to Cannery beers. That said, this rendition of Wee Heavy has all the things I love about the style - smoke, peat, and caramel malt. Overall, a safe and serviceable Scotch Ale.
Mar 27, 2015Reviewed by BuckyBeerBeaver from Canada (ON)
3.53/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Bucky tried his first beer from Penticton, BC's Cannery Brewing Company, picking up a 650 ml bottle of their Squire Scotch Ale ("SSA") from the LCBO. The bottle was marked with an "enjoy before" date of 01/02/13, and SSA was 6.0% alcohol by volume.
According to the company's website, the Cannery Brewing Company was formed in 2000 when Brew Master Terry Schoffer teamed up with Ron and Patt Dyck, who had been operating the Country Squire Restaurant in Naramata for twenty-three years. Cannery's first batch of beer was brewed in the Old Aylmer Fruit and Vegetable Cannery in Penticton on April Fool's Day, 2001. In the beginning, beer was sold in kegs to local restaurants, pubs and clubs, and later on the brewery began bottling in 650ml amber bottles.
SSA poured a dark amber colour, with an aggressive pour required to produce about 1" of off-white head that lasted for 3-4 minutes. The head faded to a ring of foam and patchy film, leaving some minor spotting down the glass. The beer's aroma was fairly subdued and dominated by sweet caramel malts. Its taste began with a caramel malt sweetness which was followed by a brief butterscotch flavour, with a very mild bitterness in the finish that balanced out the initial sweetness. SSA had a medium carbonation entirely appropriate to the style, with a smooth mouth feel and medium body. Overall, a decent enough beer, but I found the whole experience to be a bit too tame and would describe SSA as a Scotch Ale for North American tastes. I missed those smoky aromas and flavours normally characteristic of Scotch Ales. At $5.80 per 650 ml bottle, SSA is also a bit on the pricey side by the time it gets to Ontario.
Apr 17, 2014According to the company's website, the Cannery Brewing Company was formed in 2000 when Brew Master Terry Schoffer teamed up with Ron and Patt Dyck, who had been operating the Country Squire Restaurant in Naramata for twenty-three years. Cannery's first batch of beer was brewed in the Old Aylmer Fruit and Vegetable Cannery in Penticton on April Fool's Day, 2001. In the beginning, beer was sold in kegs to local restaurants, pubs and clubs, and later on the brewery began bottling in 650ml amber bottles.
SSA poured a dark amber colour, with an aggressive pour required to produce about 1" of off-white head that lasted for 3-4 minutes. The head faded to a ring of foam and patchy film, leaving some minor spotting down the glass. The beer's aroma was fairly subdued and dominated by sweet caramel malts. Its taste began with a caramel malt sweetness which was followed by a brief butterscotch flavour, with a very mild bitterness in the finish that balanced out the initial sweetness. SSA had a medium carbonation entirely appropriate to the style, with a smooth mouth feel and medium body. Overall, a decent enough beer, but I found the whole experience to be a bit too tame and would describe SSA as a Scotch Ale for North American tastes. I missed those smoky aromas and flavours normally characteristic of Scotch Ales. At $5.80 per 650 ml bottle, SSA is also a bit on the pricey side by the time it gets to Ontario.
Reviewed by souvenirs from Canada (BC)
3.03/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
650ml bottle, $4.90 + deposit at the BCLS.
A: clear, golden brown. Smallish head leaving behind a millimetre or two of lacing.
S: a bit smokey, and kind of earthy. I'm not really picking up the caramel I would expect from this style.
T: It mostly tastes smoked. I only pick up the caramel flavour as an aftertaste.
F: Considerably thinner than I would expect for this style.
Would I buy it again? Nope. It's not awful, but I didn't really enjoy it, and this is one of my favourite beer styles.
Sep 28, 2013A: clear, golden brown. Smallish head leaving behind a millimetre or two of lacing.
S: a bit smokey, and kind of earthy. I'm not really picking up the caramel I would expect from this style.
T: It mostly tastes smoked. I only pick up the caramel flavour as an aftertaste.
F: Considerably thinner than I would expect for this style.
Would I buy it again? Nope. It's not awful, but I didn't really enjoy it, and this is one of my favourite beer styles.
Reviewed by CalgaryFMC from Canada (AB)
3.58/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
My favorite non-hoppy beer style right now is probably scotch ale and so I approached this example with quite a lot of enthusiasm and zeal. Pours a nice dark red-amber with ample light tan foam. Aroma is spicy and fruity, with a reasonable degree of peaty smoke. The latter emerges front and center in the taste as well, a bit like mild hickory bacon, along with considerable fruit (crabapple, sweet orange herbal tea), saltwater taffy, some roasty and dry biscuit malt, woody flavors that dry the palate, and subtle caramel. This example is weighted towards the fruit and smoke though, the sweet malt backbone is subdued for the style in my view. Thin body recalls an ESB or Irish ale. Rather crisp and refreshing when all is said and done, yet still too rich to consider more than a couple. Is it in the style space? Yeah, but maybe mostly because of the smoke. Worth trying but not a "go to" example of the style.
Sep 07, 2013Reviewed by LampertLand from Canada (BC)
3.75/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Cannery Brewing's 'Squire Scotch Ale' @ 6.5% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $6
A-pour is a caramel brown with a small off white head leaving a streaky & spotty lace along the stein
S-smoked peat malt , burnt nuts
T-smoky malts , toffee
MF-mild/ok carbonation , medium body , dry finish
Ov-way to smoky for my palate one and done
sampled alongside 4 other BC Scotch Ale's & Orkney 'Skull Splitter'
prost LampertLand
Mar 24, 2013A-pour is a caramel brown with a small off white head leaving a streaky & spotty lace along the stein
S-smoked peat malt , burnt nuts
T-smoky malts , toffee
MF-mild/ok carbonation , medium body , dry finish
Ov-way to smoky for my palate one and done
sampled alongside 4 other BC Scotch Ale's & Orkney 'Skull Splitter'
prost LampertLand
Reviewed by Digimaika2 from Canada (ON)
3.67/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
(3.75) A: Clear amber with an eggshell white creamy foam head. Good retention and very good lacing.
(3.5) S: Raisins, dates, earthy peat, faint smoke, bourbon, and a caramel base. Quite varied and complimentary.
(3.75) T: Slight bourbon taste and warmth, dark fruits (dates & raisins), damp wood chips, a light caramel base, and quite a fruity hop presence. Clean and crisp taste that also comes across well balanced.
(3.5) M: Light bodied with a medium carbonation. Fairly oily with a slight lingering dryness.
(3.75) D: This is easy drinking and surprisingly lighter than expected with a fruitier hop element. Subdued but smooth bourbon soaked raisin and peat notes highlight this Cannery offering.
Feb 10, 2013(3.5) S: Raisins, dates, earthy peat, faint smoke, bourbon, and a caramel base. Quite varied and complimentary.
(3.75) T: Slight bourbon taste and warmth, dark fruits (dates & raisins), damp wood chips, a light caramel base, and quite a fruity hop presence. Clean and crisp taste that also comes across well balanced.
(3.5) M: Light bodied with a medium carbonation. Fairly oily with a slight lingering dryness.
(3.75) D: This is easy drinking and surprisingly lighter than expected with a fruitier hop element. Subdued but smooth bourbon soaked raisin and peat notes highlight this Cannery offering.
Reviewed by BGDrock from Canada (ON)
3.25/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.25/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Appearance: deep amber; clear with very slight haze; pours a sandy coloured, sparse head with a few minutes length
Aroma: grainy, caramel; almost like a lager; honey
Taste & Mouthfeel: has the requisite butterscotch candy sweetness, but not as rich as others I've had, largely due to a lighter body - it's about a medium; makes for an easier drinking and sessionable beer though - a good choice for a winter night at a bar; not overly sweet - balanced by grain/wheat flavours and hops that are only there for that purpose, imparting no flavour of their own; get a hint of burnt caramel too
Overall: a pretty average scotch ale, lacking real character but enjoyable enough
Dec 19, 2012Aroma: grainy, caramel; almost like a lager; honey
Taste & Mouthfeel: has the requisite butterscotch candy sweetness, but not as rich as others I've had, largely due to a lighter body - it's about a medium; makes for an easier drinking and sessionable beer though - a good choice for a winter night at a bar; not overly sweet - balanced by grain/wheat flavours and hops that are only there for that purpose, imparting no flavour of their own; get a hint of burnt caramel too
Overall: a pretty average scotch ale, lacking real character but enjoyable enough
Reviewed by TerryW from Canada (ON)
2.5/5 rDev -30.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.5/5 rDev -30.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
This comes across as a rather washed out beer.
Pours clear amber orange with hardly a hint of any kind of head. No lace and just the merest patch of film. Aroma is a gentle bit of peaty smoke, some malt and a touch of alcohol. Nothing really to recommend the brew from the get go.
Mouthfeel is very thin and watery. Taste is just a bit of that peaty smoke. Slightly bitter to finish, followed by some drying smokiness.
Nothing really going on here. It's a boring brew.
Dec 04, 2012Pours clear amber orange with hardly a hint of any kind of head. No lace and just the merest patch of film. Aroma is a gentle bit of peaty smoke, some malt and a touch of alcohol. Nothing really to recommend the brew from the get go.
Mouthfeel is very thin and watery. Taste is just a bit of that peaty smoke. Slightly bitter to finish, followed by some drying smokiness.
Nothing really going on here. It's a boring brew.
Reviewed by cfalovo97 from Canada (ON)
2.47/5 rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.47/5 rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
From a 650 ml brown bottle from the lcbo.
Pours arustic copper color
Clean aroma, smokier than i would like, but not too overpowering. Flavour builds with a lingering aftertaste.
Medium-bodied mouthfeel, a bit slick, fullness on finish and swallow.
For a Scotch ale it is not one of my favourites, but definitley a decent beer
Serving type: bottle
Dec 01, 2012Pours arustic copper color
Clean aroma, smokier than i would like, but not too overpowering. Flavour builds with a lingering aftertaste.
Medium-bodied mouthfeel, a bit slick, fullness on finish and swallow.
For a Scotch ale it is not one of my favourites, but definitley a decent beer
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)
3.45/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bottle: Poured a dark burgundy color ale with a medium size foamy head with medium retention and some lacing. Aroma of deep caramel malt with light toffee notes is good. Taste is a enjoyable mix of sweet caramel malt with light toffee notes with maybe a tad too much of residual sugar. Boyd is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Not bad but a bit too much sugar for my own personal taste.
Nov 21, 2012
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