Belhaven Scottish Ale - Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.

MaximalC

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Pours translucent caramel in color with an ample off-white head. Aroma is considerably skunked, no doubt on account of the clear glass used for bottling. Some trace sugars can be found lurking behind the skunky smell if you look. Pleasant, frothy lacing clings to the glass as the beer descends.

Taste comes on mild and balanced at first, but overt sweetness sets in in the finish. We're not talking complex or subtle sweetness, either; this is more like raw sugar with a dose of caramel. Hops are difficult to detect until after the cloying sweetness has subsided. The best thing this brew has going for it is the mouthfeel, which is semi-creamy, with a carbonation level that lends some vitality on the tongue. Any more carbonation and it might be a bit much, but I think it works as is.

Overall, this Scottish ale is alright if you can tolerate the sweetness, but it can be readily bypassed for superior alternatives.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 01:57:44 | More by MaximalC

Troville1990

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-24-2013 05:44:23 | More by Troville1990

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-23-2013 23:53:15 | More by Slatetank

kvnstfrd

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-23-2013 13:23:52 | More by kvnstfrd

Rdc67

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-22-2013 20:38:25 | More by Rdc67

pin

Australia

2.5/5  rDev -34.2%

05-21-2013 22:31:49 | More by pin

canders0927

Texas

3/5  rDev -21.1%

05-21-2013 15:01:37 | More by canders0927

johntfox

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-21-2013 01:29:55 | More by johntfox

Mark88

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

05-20-2013 01:56:00 | More by Mark88

GTB

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

05-17-2013 13:54:36 | More by GTB

mralbertson

North Carolina

2/5  rDev -47.4%

05-14-2013 03:56:40 | More by mralbertson

MelissaMonosoff

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -27.6%

05-14-2013 03:30:15 | More by MelissaMonosoff

aty11b

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +18.4%

05-14-2013 01:11:16 | More by aty11b

jkball01

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -27.6%

05-13-2013 16:02:17 | More by jkball01

EROCK75

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-13-2013 15:55:23 | More by EROCK75

rph97

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-10-2013 19:59:59 | More by rph97

OoReFLuXoO

California

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-10-2013 19:03:18 | More by OoReFLuXoO

JHendu

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

05-10-2013 00:30:07 | More by JHendu

deadliest

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

05-07-2013 23:51:18 | More by deadliest

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

05-07-2013 22:35:00 | More by blknikon

likesbeer

California

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-04-2013 22:05:22 | More by likesbeer

cbsoftware

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

05-02-2013 15:16:20 | More by cbsoftware

McBraniel

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +18.4%

05-02-2013 04:01:27 | More by McBraniel

gtk1989

Illinois

3/5  rDev -21.1%

04-30-2013 03:45:35 | More by gtk1989

sbartnik01

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

04-30-2013 01:52:37 | More by sbartnik01