Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale - Brau Brothers Brewing Co. LLC

Phocion

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass. Solid finger of bubbly, beige head sitting over a dark reddish-brown body. Great retention but minimal lacing.

Aroma is intensely malty. Somewhat smoky, a healthy dose of caramel/toffee, and burnt malts. Bit of molasses and earthy yeasts and slightly floral.

Aroma is significantly peatier than the nose. Very malt-forward, although not as much as in the nose, but a very sweet aftertaste.

For a malty ale with this much alcohol content, the body is very thin and oily. Fairly low carbonation.

Overall, I'm just not terribly impressed. Not offensive by any means, but nothing special either.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 01:29:01 | More by Phocion

warnerry

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours clear amber with one finger of tan head. Head has decent retention and leaves a small amount of lacing.

S - Pleasant caramel malt aromas with hints of peat and faint smoke.

T - Taste is similar to smell with the addition of a nice hop presence. Almost drinks a bit more like a hoppy amber ale than a scotch ale. There is a bit of alcohol present in the taste.

M - Medium mouthfeel, slightly sticky. Has decent creaminess.

O - I enjoyed this one. Not as heavy and a little hoppier than most scotch ales, I still liked this for what it was.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 22:20:33 | More by warnerry

beagle75

Iowa

3.7/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Clear, light brown color with less than one finger of diminishing off-white foam head. No lacing remains on the glass.

S: Grainy crystal malt with an additional component that is slightly roasty. Smoke is not evident at first, but there is a weakly hay-like quality that may come from the peat.

T: Begins off-dry, with rich toffee and decadent malted milk. Acidity is mild and short-lived into the middle, where mild peat provides depth. The finish is similarly nuanced, drying, with spirituous complexity including a whiff of fermented dark fruit.

M: Medium viscosity, slightly syrupy but smooth on the palate, with low carbonation.

D/O: While this beer stops short of being a wee heavy, it does provide some satisfying malt-focused qualities that are, arguably, Scottish. It exceeds the typical Belgian dark ale because it doesn't rely too heavily on dark fruit, conveying more pure grain in flavor and smell, while also suggesting some heady spirituousness that exceeds the empirical reality.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 01:29:56 | More by beagle75

Tballz420

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale is a dark brown colored brew, with a small tan head. The scent is a heavy dose of carmalized malts, a hint of peaty smoke.. Taste-wise, it starts off with a nice dose of caramel malt, toffee, some hazelnuts, fairly earthy, a bit of smokey flavor, which is well-blended. There is a bit of diacetyl, maybe a touch of spice from the alcohol as it warms a bit. Hop profile is floral and blended well. The mouth is medium bodied and pretty wet.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 23:57:33 | More by Tballz420

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: The beer is a clear amber or walnut color. The head is disappointing and not even a finger of stuff here. Not really any lace sticking around either, and there is only the slightest bit of carbonation visible.

Smell: There is a sugary sweetness in the malt, but it is not quite caramel malt, too light for that. Also an oaky and nutty scent present from the peat no doubt. No real alcohol notes on the nose, which I thought I would get for sure on this beer.

Taste: So the taste is very similar to other scotch ales I’ve had like Claymore and Skull Splitter, only not as much alcohol warming on the tongue. Remind me to Google Bancreagie after this review, hopefully it turns out to be something warrior-like too.

The peat leaves a distinct smoke on the palate that is very nice. The sugary sweet on the nose has morphed into stronger caramel malt on the tongue. That mixed with the smoke is working very nicely. Too bad more of that heavy alcohol that fits this style isn’t here as much.

That is the only thing keeping this scotch ale from receiving world class taste marks.

Mouth feel: No bitterness here, as wet as a drink can get. This scotch ale is medium bodied and easy to drink, marks of a decent micro brew.

Overall: Appearances can certainly be deceiving. Like how you probably don’t expect a guy wearing a skirt to send a bastard sword into your forehead when you first meet him; this beer looked pretty lame, but the taste and mouth feel make it a damn good scotch ale.

Brau Brothers scared me for a second, but I know I should have had more faith than that.

And apparently Bancreagie is Scottish for “White-rock”. Not quite Claymore or Skull Splitter, and while I can’t say this scotch offering is quite as good as either of those, it is still worth a try if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 00:38:56 | More by Pintofbrown

DaCheesehead

Iowa

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer is a light amber shade in appearance. a wonderful smell of cherrywood smoke. Pretty easy drinking, with a nice smokey note that isn't typical for scotch ales. I love a good smoked beer that can be sessionable, so this was a winner. That said, it's a bit watery in the mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 20:55:25 | More by DaCheesehead

hardy008

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Reddish brown color with very little head which fades immediately. The aroma has caramel malt, light smoke, and peat. While the smell is not very strong, it smells like it should be fairly sweet.

The taste is sweet with caramel malt, very light smoke, and peat. There is also some diacetyl present, as there is a bit of a butterscotch flavor which I did not pick up from the aroma.

Medium to light bodied with low carbonation. The mouthfeel on this beer could use quite a bit of work. Not bad overall, but I am not sure I would seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 01:54:29 | More by hardy008

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

According to the label, Bancreagie is the named after the granite that creates the aquifer from which the water for the beer comes from in Lucan. The rest of the label basically says they are trying to make an authentic Scottish ale. Off white head bubbles up high when I tip the glass a bit too hard for the last bit of beer, which settles into a light lace. Amber to copper all in the glass with highlights around the edge. Definite smoky peat in the nose over top of lots of malt, some hop and a mineral smell. Light and airy in the mouth, peat isn't as strong as the nose would suggest. Strong caramel and burnt biscuit. Not a lot off the back--somewhat disappears. Not a bad beer, but I'm not a huge fan at this point. Happy to drink this one but unlikely to get a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 00:54:40 | More by FightingEntropy

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, courtesy of markhvizdak, into a Duvel tulip.

A: Clear brown body under a thin head of fine tan foam. Ok retention, light lace.

S: Nice, but a bit understated, aroma of toasted, caramel malt and light smoke. Enjoyable but a bit weak.

T: Toffee, caramel, hazelnuts, chocolate, peat, and more caramel on the finish. Sweet and enjoyable.

M: Soft, lightly carbonated body. Very, very pleasant.

O: This one went down really easily, especially given the substantial ABV; I do wish that the peat had been more prevalent, and that there had been at least a bit of an effort made at balancing the sweetness with some bittering hops, but overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 21:59:32 | More by woosterbill

rundocrun

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-oz bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours a medium brown color (not as dark as a porter) with amber and copper highlights. About a finger of light tan head forms and fades somewhat fast.

S - There's a dark, raisiny sweetness here. Hints of caramel and vanilla. There's also an oak-ey and sort of earthy aroma barely noticeable that I'm assuming is the peat-smoked malt coming through. Gets more boozy as the beer warms.

T - Sweet caramely malt up front. Now, this is going to sound weird, but the peat-smoked malt tastes like how the first step into a barn smells. If you've never been in a barn with lots of hay stored in it, then you may be lost on this assessment, but seriously... The beer also has a smoky, hickory-like character. Back on track: The raisins also reappear in the taste toward the finish. Mildly boozy finish.

M - Thin to medium body with a syrupy sensation. Good, not-too-strong carbonation. Juicy sweet finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 04:37:04 | More by rundocrun

david131

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- A clear, dark orange liquid with a splotchy white head.

S- Smoky peat, cocoa, honey, flowers, and caramel. Very malty but not too in your face.

T- Peat, caramel, honey, and flowers. Not too heavy in any one of the aspects.

M- A little on the thin side for the style, but it probably adds to the drinkability.

O- For the style and alcohol content, this is a very tasty pick. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 02:26:26 | More by david131

Expedition

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The head is fine, nothing unusual. Nice amber color with nothing floating. Definitely clear. In the nose, I notice the peat right away but I also note a ton of citrus. The citrus comes through in the flavor as well but not much of the peat. There is a delicateness to the effervescence that makes it feel very light in the mouth.

The reason I enjoy this one is that it is a summer style beer with some character and complexity. Wont fill you up and isn't boring. Perfect for sitting by the fire.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 16:46:29 | More by Expedition

jera1350

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was the Drambuie Oak aged version on cask at Monk's in Sioux Falls.

From the beer engine, this one is a deep burgundy brown with a nice creamy tan head that doesn't last exceptionally long, but does the trick.

Smells of sweet malt and whiskey with a touch of woody notes.

Really can't tell this is Bancreagie, but it is delicious. A nice solid malt backbone that lends plenty of sweetness, but it is overtaken with the strong, but not hot, whiskey. There are some oak notes as well. A really whiskey forward taste, but not hot and not overpowering in my opinion.

Smooth and soft, but not perfectly casked. Served at a very nice warm temp as it should be. Medium bodied.

Overall, I really enjoyed the hell out of this beer. I would love to have this one again someday. Really a nice beer to add whiskey barrel aging too. Well done Bros.!

Serving type: cask

06-26-2011 23:56:14 | More by jera1350

morimech

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

An aggressive pour resulted in just a thin head that quickly settled to a thin film. Just a few spots of lacing are left on the glass during consumption. The color is a dark amber that is very clear.

Aroma is grassy and floral. Not exactly what I was expecting. Some fruity esters are evident as well.

The flavor is different from the aroma. The peat comes through nicely. The earthiness is complimented by some smoke. Some caramel rounds out the malt. Fruity esters also make an appearance.

The body is just a touch too thin or it is undercarbonated that is making it feel watery.

A Scottish Ale that has some uniqueness. More carbonation would definately improve this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 17:29:22 | More by morimech

Miketwolf21

Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This is one fruity scotch ale.
I poured the bottle with a slightly rough effort, but still barely any head.
Smell- I first noticed some cooked carrot aroma. Thankfully that didn't ruin everything. I noticed more of a cherry aroma, mixed with a little fruit leather. The smoke only whispers in the background as kind of a sweet hickory aroma.
Taste- very fruity again. I detect some distinct cantaloupe at the beginning, then a non linear transition to leather, cherry, raisin, and cooked pear. The flavors stand out, but the integrated experience is weakened by a touch of butter and poor carbonation. Not a boring beer though!
Mouthfeel- the carbonation is barely there and what is there is large rough bubbles. But the body is great. This beer shows some great progress for this company. Moo Joos and sheepshead are good stuff. This beer, I think, could use a revision, especially when it comes to carbonation. I like the fruitiness but some darker tones or less crystal malts could go a long way.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 06:43:26 | More by Miketwolf21

ccrida

Oregon

3.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into my Schell's shaker pint, Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale is a ruddy brown with an off-white head that leaves very light lace.

Smell is smokey, loads of peat, a hint of sweet malt, candi light.
Taste is pretty strait forward, this one is all about the peat, a little sweet Scottish malt, but not particularly interesting. The alcohol creeps through as some diacetyl. Both of their scottish ales are similar, lacking depth.

Mouthfeel is somewhat crisp and dry.

Drinkability is okay, but not something I'd revisit a lot, too abrasive.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 03:41:06 | More by ccrida

ChopperSmith

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6-pack bought from Four Firkins in St. Louis Park, MN.

Poured from a 12 oz. brown longneck bottle into a bowl glass.

Appearance: Clear deep brown color with amber tint. Cream colored creamy one finger foam head that receded quickly and left a little lacing on the sides.

Smell: Sweet and malty with a subtle hint of peat smoke and a slight whiff of alcohol. Nice and malty. Love the light smoke underneath the malt.

Taste: Sweet malts, smooth, no bitterness at all and the subtle underlying peat smoke. As a peaty and smoky Scotch whisky drinker (Islay scotches are my favorites), I love the subtle peat smoke flavor in this beer. Very nice. Better than I expected. The flavors are a little more prominent as this beer warms...so don't serve it ice cold.

Mouth Feel: Medium-bodied with creamy carbonation. Feels slick and creamy on the tongue.

Drinkability: Very drinkable. The extra peat smoke adds a dimension to this Scotch Ale that takes it a notch above others. Love that sweet and smoky malt flavor in this one. Will definitely buy this one again and store it for Fall/Winter. But I'll enjoy what I have now for Spring.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 18:58:30 | More by ChopperSmith

lwillitz

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12-oz bottle into Samuel Smith "Tulip" pint glass

A - transparent dark amber/copper-colored body under two fingers of tan head; the head fades quickly

S - sweet caramel on the nose accompanied by an earthy smell; hint of alcohol; not much else to it, but very pleasant

T - caramelized malt dominates the palate; fairly sweet with a touch of smoke; alcohol

M - medium-to-full-bodied; chewy and syrupy

O - This is a top notch ale. I have had a few very decent brews from Brau Bros and will certainly try more.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 23:34:30 | More by lwillitz

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a hazy ruby brown color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes slowly into a firm cap of lacing. The aroma is of caramel, and a hint of earthy peat. The taste is considerably more peaty than the aroma with some nice smokiness too. There is still a solid caramel backbone, but the peat really stands out. The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with appropriately low carbonation, and a velvety texture. Overall, this is a very fine beer. It reminds me a lot of Samuel Adams Scotch Ale, but fuller in flavor. I can see this becoming a stable for me when I'm in the mood for something malty.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 01:34:40 | More by KarlHungus

Jazz1

Iowa

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm not a big Scotch Ale fan. Usually the burnt aftertaste gets old for me fast. However, this one really did it for me. The carbonation kept it lively, and the sweet taste did not linger too long. The alcohol level seemed right for this beer. I'm going to have to seek out more Brau Brothers offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 23:22:55 | More by Jazz1