Claymore Scotch Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep brown color, appearing black and highly opaque in the center with only a little light shining through around the edges. Off-white, almost beige head settles down quick to a thin layer covering the top of the brew, not much lacing to be found. Aroma is hard to decipher at first - a lot of different things going on here, but they really start to become separable as the beer warms up a little bit. Polished mahogany, nutty, musky and earthy, herbal and weedy-type hops, deep, dark fruits, sweet toasted malt, and slight cocoa undertones. Vibrant and alive, very powerful aroma.

The taste delivers, as well. Full of a nice, roasty backbone - woody, nutty, musky on the malt side with touches of caramel and buttery sweetness here and there. Hops are more abundant than expected, but this is not a bad thing - weedy, earthy, musky, ashy, and a good balance to the malt. Some charcoal and slight smoke flavors last throughout the entirety of the beer and provide a nice mesh to the flavors taking place. Some fruit sweetness plays a smaller, but still important role; prunes, apples, raisins. Aftertaste includes a nice combo of yeast, smoke, spice, and herbal hop. Medium body, slick on the tongue, medium amount of carbonation.

This was the first non-Yeti brew I've had from Great Divide, and I was pretty impressed. Not my favorite Scotch Ale, but it's still damn good and I'd be happy to revisit this one anytime. A nice hop character along with subtle smokey hints and lots of malt flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 12:59:15 | More by tectactoe

ksimon

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

06-20-2013 02:39:21 | More by ksimon

jaxon53

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

06-18-2013 08:12:37 | More by jaxon53

RaijinQ

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

06-17-2013 03:53:41 | More by RaijinQ

Lee_Hancock

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

06-16-2013 13:04:11 | More by Lee_Hancock

12packpoet

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

06-16-2013 01:42:36 | More by 12packpoet

protton

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

06-14-2013 18:43:13 | More by protton

Hostil1

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

06-10-2013 21:02:09 | More by Hostil1

backphish

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

06-10-2013 02:47:44 | More by backphish

lighthabit

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

bottle
deep molasses brown, light shows it's clear
moderate head, dies to bit around rim
light sporadic lacing, i'd like a bit more here
smell faint sweet molasses, leather
faint fig/molasses, tobacco, leather, hint of mild smoke, finishes a bit dry, bit of anise?
just the right thickness for me
one i'd purchase again, would make for pleasant late night sipping near a cozy fireplace

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 07:05:56 | More by lighthabit

Rau71

California

3/5  rDev -22.5%

06-04-2013 14:58:10 | More by Rau71

ajtorres311

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

06-02-2013 04:26:47 | More by ajtorres311

aLenwell

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.4%

06-01-2013 01:01:44 | More by aLenwell

1424IpA

California

3/5  rDev -22.5%

05-31-2013 02:29:32 | More by 1424IpA

Peter

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-28-2013 02:16:40 | More by Peter

rhino54

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-26-2013 20:30:54 | More by rhino54

Hypersomnia

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-23-2013 01:09:36 | More by Hypersomnia

AMCPhD

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-20-2013 01:16:10 | More by AMCPhD

mattsucks

Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-18-2013 13:55:21 | More by mattsucks

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Bottled on Feb/15/2013.

Appearance: Pours a deep dark brownish amber with some ruby. Lots of rising bubbles and a solid three fingers of off white head with good retention. Leaves some decent lacing.

Smell: A big bready toasted malt driven aroma with lots of caramel and nutty hints. Toasted barley malts with big hints of caramel and toffee. Hints of biscuit, toast, roast chocolate, coffee, nuts, grains, and yeast. Also some hints of butterscotch, peat, and a rye like spice. Lots of earthy scents with some grassy hops lingering around. A pretty good rich and bready malt aroma.

Taste: Follows the nose well, a big bready malt forward taste with lots of toasty caramel notes. Bready toasted barley malts with a big taste of caramel and toffee along with notes of toasted bread, biscuit, grains, nuts, yeast, butterscotch, and some roasty notes of chocolate and coffee. Spices notes of rye along with some peat. Solid earthy hop presence with notes of grass. Very toasty and malt forward. Pretty good taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very creamy and smooth. Somewhat chewy and spicy.

Overall: A very solid Scotch ale. Good toasty malt taste with some nice undertones of spice and hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 07:39:29 | More by MattyG85

MinorThreat

Colorado

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-16-2013 02:24:35 | More by MinorThreat

2beerdogs

California

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-11-2013 23:13:04 | More by 2beerdogs

sharpski

Oregon

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-11-2013 20:17:21 | More by sharpski

jonkerbaugh

Colorado

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-08-2013 21:41:19 | More by jonkerbaugh

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -16%

05-07-2013 23:50:30 | More by blknikon