Pipers Scotch-Style Ale - Sprecher Brewing Company

Greggy

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +30.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split 3 ways from the large liter swing top*

A- little to no lacing or head despite a vigorous pour into an impy pint glass. Very unimpressive in the head department. The color, however, a dark ruby, boosted it from a 1 to a 1.5.

S- Wow! Dark cherries, cherry bubble gum, scotch, dry dark baking chocolate, and vanilla.

T- Very VERY long finish of malt chocolate, cherries, and vanilla. Very smooth.

M- Low carbonation that makes me wish it had just a touch more to help build the body.

D- 8.27% scotch ale that I will look forward to on certain occasions in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2008 02:43:31 | More by Greggy

granger10

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Semi hazy mohagany color. Large tan head. Maintains moderately. Not that much lacing. Very smoky, peaty aroma. Toasted earthy breadiness as well. Very inviting. Taste begins dominate in peat smoke. Malt is lighter but shows itself a bit. Goes from smokey to roasty malts to toasty hops then finishes with more peat. A bit of alcohol shows but not that much. A bit of dark fruit and nutty toffee flavors lie underneath. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2006 00:36:23 | More by granger10

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Crystal clear scarlet red hue. Beautiful. Thin dusting of beige froth. Lace is adequate. The aroma is thick and meaty. Smokey phenols and sweet raisin and caramel. Flavor is smokey as well. Peat makes an impression. A big impression. Smokier than most Wee Heavies I've had. But there's also a juicy maltiness present. Pretty rich in flavor overall. A little toasted malt flavor mixes in with a light hop finish. This is reallyy good. Medium to medium-full in body and quite the flavorful, easy drinker for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2006 23:13:22 | More by Bighuge

fartingdog

California

4.43/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Under the cap it said 'mmm.. this is good'. Basically, that was my exact impression of this beer.

Poured a dark, rich mahogony color. Head recedes after a bit. First scent is of rich, sweet toffee and a hint of smoke. You can definitely tell that there is some peat-smoked barley in the flavor, but it is the perfect amount, just enough to give it an awesome flavor. Great body - full and rich. (Can I use rich again in this review?) A slight bit of alcohol warming follows. Damn this is nice - absolutely perfect for the damp, cool and dreary evening. A truly great beer from the old hometown.

A wonderful example of the style, and perhaps one of Sprecher's best offerings. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2006 02:27:46 | More by fartingdog

rhollman

Nebraska

4.43/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Dark reddish brown hue

Smell - Peat smoke and some sweet

Taste - Hash peat smoke with caramel and some sweet

Mouth Feel - Lingering sweetness and notes of smoke

Drinkability - I have fallen in love with this beer. The first time I tasted it, I felt that it was too harsh, too bracing, too much of a shock. But now - I love it! The harshness comes from the peat smoke, but that harshness is wonderfully balanced by the caramel malt and slight sweetness that makes you want the next sip. It's the hash/sweet that makes it - Extraordinary!

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 01:27:41 | More by rhollman

wheatyweiss

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 ounce twist off bottle, "Premium Reserve" on the cap.

Appearance is copper in color, crystal clear with a small cap that settles immediately and has clinging bubbles climbing the glass.

Smell is caramel roasted malt with slight corny ester. Bright aroma, like wet copper, or a new penny.

Flavor is heavy caramel malts with a very small hop flavor. Tangy malts that give way to a biscuity flavor. Sourdough on the back, but more like sourdough hardtack instead of bread if that makes sense. Like a sourdough soda cracker. Finishes slightly dry with a little alcohol backing. Very slight flavor of a peaty scotch. Interestingly the smokiness is not apparent in this beer.

(edit) After quaffing this one a little deeper I get slight smokiness on the exhale. I honestly would not have gotten this had I not pulled harder from the glass.

Mouthfeel is bubbly and light bodied, a little lighter than some others in this style. The carbonation is lively, but the beer is a little watery overall. As the beer warms from about 54 degrees it gets thicker and chewier, which os normally just the opposite.

Drinkability is average to good, a good Scotch Ale.

(edit) after taking deeper sips of this one I'm noticing a lot of flavors and characteristics that I didn't get earlier in the glass. I am gonna change my opinion and say this is an awesome representation of a Wee Heavy. Do let this one warm to room temp before tasting, IMO it makes it that much better.

06/25/09 Edit:

I have had a good deal of Scotch Ales since this original review, and every one is rated to style. Let me say that for $6.74 a four pack of 16 ounce bottles, this is a huge bargain, not to mention true to style. I think as far as Scotch Ales go, this interperstation of the style is the best. Easy drinking and tasty as hell, I would pay WAY more for a four pack of these. This Scotch Ale is peaty, earthy and malty huge. The best thing is it is smokey, not fake smoke but, peaty smoke like a good scotch. I know smoke and this is not fake. It is huge and it appeals to me, so I move the marks up, because I love it.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2008 01:55:32 | More by wheatyweiss

MuenchenerKindl

Germany

4.38/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a big 16 oz bottle to a Stein. The liquid was dark as well as the small 1 finger tan head.

The smell saw interesting foretelling of a smoky malt to come. Also the aroma of alcohol was in the mix.

The taste really struck me. Lots of alcohol taste embedded in a very nice smoky malt flavor. The really hit the spot and I enjoyed it.

The mouthfeel was nice, lots of good body and ok carbonation.

The drinkability was good as well. I will look to get some more. Prosit

Thanks objectivemonkey for this very nice brew. MK

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2007 06:11:56 | More by MuenchenerKindl

Gehrig

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear brown-amber body topped by two fingers of off-white head but, as is fairly typical for Sprecher, the foam fades quickly. Modest lacing. Lush aroma, full of roasted malt, caramel, decent citrus hops--nice. The taste is excellent. The roasted malt is front and center, with caramel most prominent. But citrus malt and berry also emerge. Very delicious. I've said it before and I'll certainly say it again here--Sprecher does not get its due for making very good beer. Pipers is very good beer. Creamy and smooth if a tad thin, the mouthfeel could use more hops. Highly drinkable, this is one of the best offerings from Sprecher, which makes many good ones. Pipers impresses me, solidifying my having been won over to good Scotch Ale. Best of all with this, the high ABV (8.27%) is barely noticeable. Very well done, certainly recommended. Sprecher continues to impress.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 01:51:36 | More by Gehrig

paulthebeerguru

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sprecher Piper's Scotch Ale
16oz. brown bottle

A: snifter. nice, rich mahogany color. slight tan head with a nice retention rate. fair lacing.

S: some peat of the bat. solid roasted malt nose. some raisins and fall fruits with some solid spices. brown sugar.

T: nice smooth maltiness. solid peat flavors, and you can really taste the fire kilned difference. some hints of raisins and plums.

M: very smooth for 8%. nice carbonation level. medium bodied.

D: great representative of the style. solid flavors for a scotch ale, and I would put it up over a McEwan's anyday.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2008 08:24:07 | More by paulthebeerguru

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.28/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Autumn leaves russet topped with three fingers of golden caramel colored foam. The head is so tight-bubbled that it deflates exceedingly slowly, leaving a thin layer of hole-filled lace in its wake. This is definitely a quality beer based on looks alone.

I'm thrilled that Sprecher used smoked malt (at least it smells like it), an added touch that too few American craft brewers include in their Scotch ales. The beer smells at least as sour as it does sweet, with caramel and hints of cocoa assuming center stage alongside the smoke. More power and more depth would have easily earned the nose the next highest score.

Pipers Scotch-Style Ale is a more than solid wee heavy that might be the smokiest that I've ever had. In fact, it tastes like a cross between a Scotch ale and a rauchbier. As a lover of both those styles, I couldn't be happier. Although I expected a bigger beer, there's no denying the (increasing) complexity and deliciousness of this one.

The malt bill includes pale, aromatic, caramel, Vienna and roasted. My uneducated guess is that the brewers concentrated on the mid-range malts since dark caramel is the dominant flavor. As in the nose, chocolate and coffee notes from the roasted barley play a major role as well. A significant amount of hop bitterness and hop flavor (for the style) keeps Pipers from being overly sweet and one-dimensional.

Fine print along the bottom of the label reads 'with hints of peat smoked English malt'. I'm not sure what the brewers were smoking (other than the malt) when they wrote that, but 'hints' is laughable. This is a beautifully smoke-saturated beer that is much more smoky than many so-called smoked beers. Why do I suddenly have a craving for ribs, baked beans and potato salad?

I like my wee heavies to be... well... heavy in the mouth. Maybe not quite heavy, but at least somewhat viscous and chewy. Given the flavor (that I want to linger as long as possible) and the ABV, the mouthfeel is too light. It's improving as the beer warms, but I'm still not impressed.

Pipers Scotch-Style Ale is yet another wonderful beer from Sprecher. One simple change (adding more malt) would turn this already excellent offering into something that I would consider world-class. I'm all over this one the next time I'm in Madison.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2007 12:44:23 | More by BuckeyeNation

rebel1771

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark amber color with very little head. Caught in the right light it kind of looks like cider.

S: Candied apricot smell right up front with notes of caramel and hints of vanilla.

T: Creamy mouthfeel, candied fruit flavor at first with caramel and earthy undertones coming in the end.

D: This is one easy drinking brew, very smooth. I could easily down more than one of these.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2009 22:14:18 | More by rebel1771

Merkur

Tennessee

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer pours a nice, dark red color with a bit of white foamy head.

Beer smells very caramelly and roasty.

Beer has a nice malty taste. Also, has a very strong, smoky taste almost like a smoked beer. Very tasty.

Beer is a bit on the thin side, but very drinkable.

Very good scotch ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2012 12:57:56 | More by Merkur

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Pint Glass

Appearance - Dark Brown with a very strong haze. Head pours around 3 fingers and has good retention. For some odd reason, it looks very thick or dense.

Smell - Butterscotch, Floral Hops, Rum, Caramel, Scotch and Malts. The sweetness can best be described as a Lighter Sweetness; lighter as in more sugary than say malty.

Taste - Scotch, Caramel, Butterrum, Oak, and Barley. Very robust and malty flavor; I was taken completely by surprise as to how flavorful this was going to be. Slight booziness to the flavor, but I'll let it slide. With that said, this is more of a sipper than anything else.

Mouthfeel - My earlier suspicions that this had a thicker body are proven to be true. Carbonation is mild so the body has a nice creamy feel to it.

Overall - The flavor is excellent and the creamy feel of it makes it a pleasure to drink. I've always had Sprecher's Craft Sodas before and am a regular buyer of Puma Kola (Best Soda Ever!), so it's awesome to see their beers are shaping up to be as good as their sodas.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:09:04 | More by NuclearDolphin

cokes

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Gloomy chestnutted scarlet topped with rings of dirty vanilla.
The nose is wheeeew-boy sweet. With that typical Sprecher's candied fig, and molasses aroma, bolstered here with blackberry brandy (or maybe just grape and blackberry jellies, as there is not a definite alcohol fume), then finished with gobs of brown sugar.
It's not a displeasing odor, but it lacks some of the traits I want in a Scotchy, namely smoke.
Begins as the inhale promised; full of sweet things, and sweeter things, and sweetest things. Jellied berries, molasses, pureed dark fruits, toffeed apples, and just toffee, and just pressed apples, and sugared breads--like cinnamon rolls, sans the cinnamon but still gobbed with running, gooey, vanilla frosting.
This shit is sweet.
But....
The smoke peeks out eventually, timidly at first, then more confidently as time goes on. The formerly ham-fisted sweetness suddenly is a perfect counterpoint to the earthen, meaty smoke traits. Like a Hawaiian barbeque, with roasted pig flesh, and seared pineapples. Close it down with a waft of fragrant tobacco, and this becomes utopic.
No trace of the 8+% ABV is ever considered. And that is fucking scary.
Full bodied, but not thick, per say. The up-front sweetness lends a syrupy feel that dissolves as the beer changes. And given its particulars, with the sweetness, the forward meaty smoke, and its strength, it becomes far more drinkable than the sum of its parts.
Not a classic-styled Scotch Ale, but rather a stylized Scotch that is classic in itself.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2005 04:35:26 | More by cokes

shadow1961

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sprecher Pipers Scotch Ale pours a finger of head over a very cloudy
deep amber brew. Carbonation is steady and the nose is your typical
English fruitiness- this one is particularly juicy-seeming. The flavor is
deep and malty, with smoky, earthy, peaty notes and a tiny bit of herbal
hop in the finish barely tickling the throat. Mouthfeel is round, pleasant,
and full bodied. Very nice, and as always, what with those pint four packs
Sprecher sells, a good value too.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 06:35:45 | More by shadow1961

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks very much to weeare138 for graciously sharing this bottle with me at his home. review from notes taken 3 days ago.

Appearance: pours an amber brown color with plenty of red hue almost makes me think of dark chestnut that glimmers copper when back lit. The small tan head quickly fades to a ring.

Smell: suggestions of cherry, rich caramel malt, a touch of smokiness and brown sugar.

Taste: Rich caramel. Fruit. Toasted malt, a sweet brandy like cherry candy attribute hints to apples toffee and almost (very lightly that is) a splash of chocolate. The finish is dry leaving more of the smokiness on the aftertaste. The sweetness and the smoke are both present but nothing seems cloying. Well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth and juicy slick.

Drinkability: I have a tendency to like the sweet Scotch Ale and I did enjoy this one very much. It is not I style, much less a beer I would session but one bottle drinks easily.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2007 04:40:57 | More by Phatz

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a murky, deep amber hue with very little too sluggish bubbling. Not much head to speak of. The aroma is actually a little scotchy. I detect a profound note of smoked peet. Adds a nice warmth to the sweet malty aroma. Pretty smokey malt taste. Going back to that smoked peet I had mentioned. With a medium malted caramel and light tapioca flavor. Pretty sluggish feel on the palate, but I like it. Very good for slow sipping and contemplation. Its also nice to notice how the smokiness increases as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2007 00:47:02 | More by scruffwhor

homebrewhawk

Kansas

4.15/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16oz bottle, served in a Duvel tulip. Poured copper/brown with a thin head. Rich malty aroma with fruit, caramel and some smoke. Full bodied with a smooth, rich mouthfeel. Sweet malt with toffee and more fruit. Good amount of peat smoke in finish. Tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2008 21:11:34 | More by homebrewhawk

rallison

California

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice dark caramel color with an annoyingly fizzy head. Smell brought things back up though, with a nice touch of caramel and toffee, with an interesting smokiness.

Taste is also of good caramel and toffee - with an emphasis on the toffee - followed by a nice, woody smokiness. Nice blending of the flavors, and nothing comes across as too sweet.

Mouthfeel and drinkability are both well done.

Overall, recommended. Sprecher is quite hit or miss, but this one is solid.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2007 03:56:16 | More by rallison

revolution

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - reddish brown ale with small off-white head
S - malty, slightly smoky aroma with caramel notes
T - sweet, malty, caramel apple, hint of smoke/peat, slight alchol
M - medium-full body, mild-moderate carbonation, late alcohol warmth, smooth, slightly dry finish
D - a solid, malty sweet, enjoyable ale with great flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 11:19:54 | More by revolution

LairdChisholm

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A dark brown color with a ruby tint. A small tan head fizzes out after a short while leaving a ring around the edge of the glass. Some but not a lot of lacing here.

S - Not as pungent as other Scotch Ales that I've had. Very faint malts with some spices that I can't identify.

T - A really complex, great taste. Up front it's the sweet malts that one would expect then subtly drifts to notes of nutmeg, chocolate and caramel with maybe a hint of cinnamon. After taste consists of a wonderful smokey finish with a slightly bitter after taste. Wow.

M - Nice and thick. Perfect amount of carbonation.

D - I've had better but I had worse. Even though the taste is incredibly good, it's incredibly complex that makes one of these beers probably enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 00:20:06 | More by LairdChisholm

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 5/30/2011. Pours lightly hazy dark red amber color with a nice 1 finger fairly dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big caramel, raisin, toast, molasses, toffee, dark bread, peat, wood, light smoke, light chocolate, scotch, floral, and earthy spiciness. Damn nice aromas with good complexity and balance. Taste of caramel, molasses, toast, toffee, raisin, peat, wood, bread, light smoke, floral, scotch, and earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, toast, toffee, raisin, molasses, bread, peat, floral, scotch, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of flavors with some great complexity; with zero cloying sweetness present on the finish. Light-medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent scotch ale! Nice balance and great flavor complexity; and very smooth to sip on. Really enjoyed this one, very well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 07:55:56 | More by superspak

Slynger

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The pipers appears quite clear orangey bronze in my glass, with a creamy, slim, light tan head. Fruity fig aromas accompany a toasted caramel and cocoa sweetness. It is nice, but I do not yet detect the smokiness advertised by the bottle. The taste is much of the same. Fruity with some sweet caramel. Toasted malts flow through to join unsweetened cocoa and just a hint of smoke in a lightly bitter finish. Herbal, tea-like, hops help smooth and balance the flavors. The body leans toward the light end of medium, yet retains enough carbonation to stay quite refreshing and drinkable. This is a nicely done version of the style. It certainly does not drink as heavy as the ABV would suggest. My only complaint is that it could use a touch more smoke, both in the aroma and flavor. Otherwise another quite fine Sprecher offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2008 05:37:33 | More by Slynger

dirtylou

Washington

4.05/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16oz stub bottle, i believe obtained at Steve's

appearance: pours into an imperial pint glass and fits nicely, mahogany-garnet body with a light tan froth head and minimal lace

smell: earthy and smoky, caramel malts, not an overpowering nose but nice

taste: smooth and creamy caramel, hints of smoke and wood, big time earthy flavors, big malts...a nice smooth scotch ale from sprecher. try it alongside the bourbon aged version

mouthfeel: great - super creamy and smooth

drinkability: good

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2008 01:40:56 | More by dirtylou

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

16oz in an Imperial Pint with a born on date printed on the neck.

A - Somewhat hazy dark mahogany topped with a lumpy, billowing two finger head that's dense and creamy. It slowly went down but covered the top of the beer for the life of it.

S - Malty and sweet with a caramel aspect to it. Somewhat smokey aroma hides behind the huge malty sweetness. Damp wheat too. Dark fruit - plum hints? - Hickory Smoked wood chips come through once I taste it.

T - A malty sweetness is balanced well with the hickory smoke flavor that cleanses the palate in a weird way. A honey caramel flavor hides behind the smoke as well.

M - The strong carbonation makes the Pipers bubbly. The beer itself is pretty strong too, yet it has a light and refreshing feel to it.

D - Probably not everyone's cup of tea, this beer is unique and doesn't lend itself well to drinkability due to the strong flavor but its lighter mouthfeel and refreshing qualities allow for an easier drink than a fuller bodied beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2009 06:04:02 | More by BeerFMAndy