Pours clear but closing in on opaque from the depth of color. Foam is nary a part of this beer. A couple of sporadic splotches dot the glass with lacing.
Aroma comes with toffee, caramel, and toasted malts are boldest. Peat is to found as is oxidation. The oxidation doesn't take away from the aroma though. Dark fruits lie deep below: raisin and plum.
Taste is a mellow sweetness that is created from a lot of toffee. Caramel and peat create a touch of complexity. Plum comes through in the finish quite nicely and linger.
Not cloying, fortunately, making this beer high end of medium body. Carbonation is low end of medium. Dries a touch.
A balanced, complex grouping of malts. The age might have helped the balance, keeping sticky sugars off the lips. The peat adds complexity without taking away from the other components or mucking up the beer. Nicely done. Enjoy!
929 characters
Reviewed: Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 20:49:29
Tasted: Thursday, April 11, 2013
$0.00 for 750 ml bottle
Modal title
One fine body…
Untappd
(3.734)
over 443 ratings
Beer Notes
Sheep Eater Scotch Ale was brewed to showcase the role of malt in the flavor of beer and brewed in strict adherence to the Reinheitsgebot, or German Beer Purity Law.
Scotch Ales are some of the world's most flavorful beers. Scotland's cold, blustery climate lends itself to the growing of barley and oats, but not to the production of hops, which are almost always added sparingly.
The yeast must work at cooler temperatures than is customary for ales, resulting in maltier, cleaner, less fruity or estery, beers. The color often comes from black roasted malt, which imparts some dryness, but because of the lower attenuation and hopping rates, Scottish ales are almost always slightly sweet and incredibly drinkable.
Ours was brewed with black roasted barley, biscuit and peat-smoked malt. It was gently hopped, fermented cool and aged cold for weeks for smoothness. It is copper-brown in color, with some sweet maltiness and plenty of body.
Try it with ham, roast pork or chicken, roasted vegetables or venison, crème brulee or, most traditionally, Scottish butter shortbread cookies