Good Scotch Ales, what is your favorite?

Backwoods is one of my favorite beers period. Bought a case. Oddly I didn't like dirty bastard also. But it's been years since I last tried it.

 

10,000 Foot Beard bottles are around right now.

 

Near everyone's mentioned it already, but I really enjoyed Dirty Bastard the last time I had it. I've had several others in the style but Dirty Bastard has definitely been my favorite so far. Need to get around to having some again sometime... the local beer store usually has it in stock, but I'm not over there much lately thanks to the whole "still near-broke, starting to recover from losing my last job" thing. Really need to try Backwoods Bastard sometime, too.

I had a single bottle of Skull Splitter one time and while it definitely wasn't bad I still wasn't too impressed. Of course, there have been several beers that came across as just "okay" the first time around but for some reason really grew on me by the time I had my second or third bottle, so maybe that's one I'll have to give a second try sometime.

 

I haven't had 10,000ft Beard yet - I wonder if it has the similar slight smokiness of Cairn.

 

It's a bit smoky too, but I haven't had Cairn in years and can't give a level comparison.

 

Backwoods Bastard, but since we're considering BA versions, Quebec's St-Ambroise Collection Barrique Scotch Ale bests Backwoods for me.

 

Backwoods Bastard is top notch. If you want the non BA version go with the Dirty Bastard.

 

Traquair House is hands down the best one.

 

The peated malt ruins that one for me. It's too cloying.

 

We must have very different palates, I wouldn't say that beer is cloying at all - and I hate cloying beers. The peat cuts right through any sweetness.

 

Several excellent ones mentioned... I'll second Backwoods Bastard, Claymore, Dirty Bastard, and Old Chubb (technically a Scottish Ale)... I also mention something I finally had the pleasure of trying this weekend - Scotch De Silly...

 

We do indeed have very different palates (which is fine...life would be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything).
My comment was only an opinion that I find overdone smoke (or oak for that matter) character to be more cloying than the sweetness. I've had quite a few brews that I thought would be excellent brews were it not for the presence of the above mentioned qualities
Different strokes, is all...
it's all good...
Cheers...
AL

 

Why would you say that?

 

Dirty Bastard and Robert The Bruce are my two favorites of the style.

 

Hard to add to what's been said because of the limited offerings (at least here) available, but one I had this past year that stood out (other than Sierra's Maple Scotch) was Tasgall II from Highland. Unfortunately it was a one-time offering, I believe. If they bring it back, and some how makes it to OP's NY location, I would check it out.

 

Scotty Karate still to this day remains my favorite though I've admittedly not had a ton of the style even still.

I feel that Backwoods is vastly over boozy for my preferences. I struggled to finish my four pack.

 

I may be the only person here who didn't think backwoods bastard or dirty bastard were really all that good. I'll have to try them again.

That being said, for traditional beer you can't go wrong with Belhaven Wee Heavy. Skull Splitter is a bit too sweet for my taste. The weird Innis & Gunn ones are fun to try but I couldn't have a lot in one sitting.

The best I've had for an Americanized Scotch would be Thirsty Dog's Wulver, by far.

Glad to see a lot of intriguing recommendations in this thread. I'll have to keep an eye out for some of these.

 

Cigar City's Big Sound

 

Oskar Blues Old Chub! GOAT!

 

I don't have particular favorite per se, but I definitely tend to prefer the ones that have smoked malt flavor. Sam Adams scotch ale comes to mind.


Does anyone remember Magic Hat Jinx? Damn I miss that beer. Good scotch ale, not quite as smokey as some but quite tasty and complex. Wish I could get a 12 pack of it like the old days.....Roxy Rolles too (let me back away from the keyboard before I start to go on a rant of MH beers I'd like to see make a comeback...might have to be a new poll thread haha)

 

Middle Ages is perhaps the most underrated brewery in the Northeast in my opinion. I remember having Grail Ale back in 2008 when I was in college and it blew my mind. One of my favorites back then. Too bad their stuff doesn't find it's way down here (that I could tell) and I haven't seen it in MA on a while either.

 

I'll give my two cents. Kind of going off of @zid 's observation here, as there are plenty of great Scottish ales that are not barrel aged. Some of my personal favorites:

Actual Scottish ales:

• Orkney Skull Splitter and The Red MacGregor
• Traquair House and Jacobite
• Bellhaven Scottish Ale and Wee Heavy

American Scottish ales:

• Moylan's Kilt Lifter
• Founders Dirty Bastard
• Oskar Blues Old Chub
• Fort George Plaid
• AleSmith Wee Heavy

Slàinte!

 

YES! And I am very much looking forward to it! I was thinking for NBS this week or next. Thanks again!

 

How about Icelandic:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27839/239920/

 

Ahhhh, yes. Touche! That is a great one! Was not a fan of their Christmas beer though.

 

I didn't see that one, but really do enjoy the Porter and White Ale quite a bit. A pretty good lineup overall.

 

Agreed. As for the affomentioned, It's called Arctic Berry, but I could be mistaken if it was actually their Christmas beer or not. I just remember seeing it and trying it around the holidays.

Edit:. Turns out that's their summer beer. Oops! But get this! Their winter beer...Doppelbock!!!

 

Someone once handed me those two exact beers. When I tried the porter I was thinking, "Damn, that's very coffee-ish for a beer without coffee." So I looked at the fine print and then realized it had coffee in it. I liked both of them.

 

You and my brother got the same thing, then. He hates coffee, though, so even a bit will turn him off. I always found it to be subtle and well integrated, and probably not even necessary tbh. That beer is all about that deep toasted pumpernickel finish to me.

 

I hear yah - and wasn't thinking too differently from that actually. It's just that I didn't realize they added any based on a skimming of the packaging... but certainly picked up on it once I was drinking even though it was very integrated. It's hardly marketed as such.

 

whoops I forgot Black Isle Export Scotch ale! Really nice stuff in a pint bottle!

 

Not sure if BA counts but
Founders Backwoods Bastard
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