Black Watch Scotch Ale
Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company (Downtown)

Very little glavor

 

 

 

Looks like this is back on at the Great Dane. Served from the cask.

A. Pours a caramel color with robey tones.

S. Mild brown sugar and maple, caramelized grain.

T. Taste brings watery brown bread, vague caramel malt, a bit of roasted grain, nebulous red fruit.

M. Almost uncarbonated. A brief hint of carbonation. I realize this is a cask beer but there should be a bit more here.

O. A pretty watery scotch ale. I would advise against ordering this.

 

 

 

 

Nice dark color with perfect cask temp and carbonation.

Taste and mouthfeel are very weak. It's basically dark water. Slight hint of smoke in the background but pretty much no flavor.

I don't see how this is a scotch ale. There is no residual sugar or deep malt flavor. Sad.

 

 

Enjoyed on cask at the downtown brewpub. Dark body, peaty and roasty. Bubbles surround the typical cssk head. Served slightly warm as I would expect. A one-dimensional salty peat story which becomes a novelty. OK drinkability if you are into Scotch or this sort of thing.

Served on cask, pours a dark mahogany brown color with a nice fluffy inch+ head of whitish color, good retention, was brought back easily. The aroma is pretty sly, good and malty with just a smidgin of smoky peat. The taste is similar to the nose, but borders on porter for some reason. And the mouth is a bit thin for my tastes, but otherwise a joy to drink. And incredibly easy beer to drink.

A-Deep copper with a creamy fluffy tan head. Reduced a bit to leave spotty lace.

S-Subduded roasty malt with a touch of smoke.

T-As in the nose and all somewhat dim. I was hoping for a bit of robustness but this brew packs that. Decent, but nothing exciting.

M-Medium body with a nice creaminess. A pleasant dry finish kicks in in the end.

D-Despite the lack of big flavour this is an easy one to quaff. Not my top pick but I would not turn one down. Bump up the flavour profile a bit and this one could be a winner.

Served on cask at the Capitol location.

Nice mahogany body with a small off white head but not bad for a cask beer. The aroma is sweet and malty with a touch of smokiness and a slight cidery note. The flavor is very smooth with good caramel sweetness initially fading into a bit of smoke and some roast. Fairly light bodied and very drinkable.

imperial pint, on cask at the brewpub - downtown

appearance: presentation is solid...dark mahogany/char-black body with a creamy fluffy tan head...large head typical of cask beers at the dane. Retention is pretty strong. Later I would notice a moderate amber tint to the body

smell: aroma is also quite nice...big cookie blast, chocolatey, creamy, a touch of smoke, earthy/woody tones

taste: what the hell happened in between the nose and the tongue? This tastes almost porter-like to me and nowhere near either of the Dane porters I have had in terms of quality. Most of the great aromas appear muted and the result is a rather watery and bland scotch. dry cocoa powder powder, woody and a touch of smoke. Maybe I was just in a bad mood but I dont think so

mouthfeel: creamy, a little light, dry finish

drinkability: easy due to the creamy nature but not worth getting again

appearance: The beer comes to me in an imperial pint with a big, fluffy khaki head. After the head recedes, a lasting, chunky layer remains. As the glass is drained, a nice layer of lacing is left behind. The beer itself is a ruby brown in color.

smell: In the aroma I find peaty, lightly woody malts with a low sweetness and light, earty tones. There is a low hop aroma. Very subtle in aroma but that seems to be common for a scottish.

mouthfeel: Negligible carbonation with a medium body. I understand that this is a cask ale, but a touch of carbonation would be nice.

taste: Peaty malt, light aromas of dark fruits, some woodiness and a subtle English hop flavor make up the bulk of the flavor...all pretty subtle. There is a light bitterness that lingers into the finish with a touch of dry roast.

drinkability: pretty easy...this is a nice beer in its subtlety, but it could use a little more character on the nose and tongue

on tap at the Dane during my stay in Madison

Pint poured at the Great Dane's downtown Madison location. This beer has a dark but not quite black color. It's topped with a small head of big bubble foam. The aroma is not very strong, but what's there is fruity and very much like grape juice. The flavor has a grape like fruitiness like the aroma, but it is more complex. There is also a decent maltiness, though not quite as malty as a Scotch ale should be. Finishes with an acidic sourness. Very little hop flavor comes through. Low carbonation, but not flat. This is a decent beer, but it's nothing I'd want more than a pint of.

Appearance: Obsidian Black, Shiny, thick looking, non-transparent. Head is off white, one finger thick, short lived but thick. Gave me a nice milk mustache.

Smell: Bitter dark fruits, a little bit of caramel malts, hints of alcohol

Taste: Berries, a bit of Ethiopian coffee

Mouthfell: bitter, thinner than one would expect by looking at it. Fairly flat being a cask and all but very much alive, warming without giving away any alcohol in the flavor.

Drinkability: Wonderful considering the strength and bitterness

2007 update...more peat in this one then I remember, lighter in color, and with an obvious booze presence in the flavor. (04-10-07)