Robert The Bruce Scottish Ale - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

dcloeren

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured a crisp mahogany with 1/2 a finger of light khaki colored head.

The aroma is pretty muted in my opinion... getting some caramel malt and a hint of toffee.

The taste follows suite. Caramel malt and a touch of toffee.

Medium to full in body with an abundance of carbonation. This is a plus in my opinion because it brings this bland beer to life somewhat.

Overall, this was a disappointment. I love a good scotch ale but this one was pretty underwhelming. Glad I got it as an extra because I have always wanted to try it. And thats all I have to say about that...

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 23:01:30 | More by dcloeren

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle. There is no date but purchased at the end of April at DLD. Poured this into Central Waters globe.

A: Pours a really pretty ruby reddish amber orange color. About a half finger of off white head. Fades into a ring quickly. Leaves some lacing traces.

S: I get some toasted grain aromas. Maybe some toasted caramel notes. Maybe some mild raisin and prune?

T: It's a really delicious sip. Definitely a malt lover's beer. As light is to be expected for this style brew. So up front I get a little light chocolate malt flavor. With a hint of bitterness from the hopping. In the middle of the mouth, you get those toasted notes. A touch of toffee. A note of caramel.

M: Medium bodied. Really lighter than it looks.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 14:57:05 | More by inlimbo77

jeremy13586

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in to a pint glass

Color was a nice mahogany with some ruby along the edges. The beer barely let light through, but I could see some floaties in the bottom of the glass. Poured a two finger light-tan head and left a little bit of lacing.

Caramel, toffee and some light bitterness. There was also a little bit of roasted malt. Hints of coffee came out as it warmed up.

Oak, caramel, toffee, and roasted malt. A little bit of a lingering bitterness, but the finish was pretty clean.

Medium-heavy body and chewy. Leaves a bit of an oily slickness. Carbonation seemed a little bit heavy.

I totally dug this beer, but it just seemed to be lacking something that I can't quite put my finger on. I don't know if I sat on the beer for too long (it was sitting in my fridge for about 3 or 4 months), but I'd totally be willing to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 05:44:31 | More by jeremy13586

ehammond1

California

3.35/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle

Acquired via trade
Thanks, barkingelectron!

Dark auburn and amber in color with a quickly forming, somewhat large light brown head that lasts for a while and eventually leaves thin ribbons of lace down the glass.

Aroma is of caramel, toffee, breads, mild roast, and some smoke. I think the smoke is a bit distracting from what otherwise is a fairly straightforward and to-style aroma.

The dark malt and smoke character I find in the flavor is a bit distracting as well, taking away from the caramels, toffees, and bready malts I also find. Good enough, though not particularly drinkable.

Medium to full bodied with moderate-high carbonation. This feels heavy and dense and doesn't lend itself at all to sessioning.

Good enough, though not a typical variation of the style--also, not particularly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 22:32:53 | More by ehammond1

Veristic

Tennessee

3.38/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Robert the Bruce poured into a Three Floyds tulip pint glass, consumed on 5/25/12. No bottle date.

A- One finger off-white head with average to below average retention. Very thin crown hangs around. Zero lacing. Poor clarity, fairly hazy. Deep copper to light brown body with some garnet highlights.

S- Out the neck, malty, sweet caramel, very light roast. Once poured, light malty sweetness. Fairly light aroma.

T- Tons of malt. Somewhat sweet. Caramel. Finish is fairly dry with malt lingering and some hints of light roast.

M- Medium to medium light body. Moderate carbonation. Slightly slick.

O- Very tasty! I could use a little more aroma though.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 03:57:34 | More by Veristic

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass
This was the very first 3F beer I ever had and it has become my 17th 3F review because I had it prior to doing reviews.

This beer pours a super hazy dark amber/brown with only light getting through. It has a unique spiciness for a Scottish ale and it also has a notable hop presence, it traditional of Three Floyd's and is slightly fruity and piney but not too noticeable. The malt flavors are roasted malts and a tiny bit of dark fruits, some caramel as well. This is more bitter then most Scottish ales but is pretty creamy smooth at the same time. A pretty darn good scotch ale, hands down.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2012 02:15:25 | More by TwelveOunces

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First and foremeost, I am a huge fan of The Bruce (aka Robert the Bruce). Got this as a bonus from a trade from dicemanSTL (thanks!!)

Very very nice Scottish-style Ale! Notes follow:

A: Dark amber brown

S/T: sweet, oaky, malts, sugars, really nice...very very drinkable (I mean it would be easy to sit down and over the period of a couple hours put down a six-pack of this brew).

M: Nice, smooth...

O: I am really enjoying this beer. Nothing bad to say about it. Nice drinkable ale from FFF!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 01:39:54 | More by 4thelvofbeer

dexterk1

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Part of my craft beer week festivities. Color is dark reddish. Head is pretty thick yet fades sort of quick.
Odor is slightly buttery and sweet. Some maple and caramel.
Taste is good overall. Pretty well balanced as it starts sweet and then continues through to the end. Some nuttiness as well.
Mouth feel is pretty smooth. Medium in body.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 14:33:42 | More by dexterk1

trxxpaxxs

New York

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This beer pours a wonderful light brown with dark yellow hues around the edges of the beer. There is only about a half finger of head on this beer, and it settles quickly. Minimal lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is caramel, roast, and cream. It's slightly buttery, but it's in a good way. I can dig it.

T: It starts out sweet and creamy. There is a nice slight roast and tons of caramel to this brew. The is also a slight touch of golden raisin. It's pleasant.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's not overly sweet, or cloying. It's just smooth and creamy on the palate.

O: This is pretty good. I'm not a huge fan of scotch ales, but I'm diggin' this beer. I'd drink this again if given the oppertunity.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 23:57:21 | More by trxxpaxxs

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle courtesy of korguy123 poured in to Founders tulip.

A - Dark amber colour with a very slight ruby glow scattered throughout. One finger of cream coloured head formed and quickly receded to a thin layer.

S - Sweet brown sugar and a touch of maple up front that gives way to lighter scotch and toffee notes. A fairly sweet overall nose. Not over-the-top sweet or scotch-y like many scotch ales tend to be.

T - A very balanced palate with equal parts toffee, brown sugar and whiskey. The background adds some complexity - scotch, bready malts, smoke, raisins and figs.

M - Medium body. Light to moderate carbonaiton.

O - One of the better scotch ales that I have had. No one flavour dominated the nose or palate. Very complex and very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 23:38:56 | More by TheSevenDuffs

yuenglingfan101

Indiana

5/5  rDev +28.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The title its not normal sums this beer up. Poured into my trusty pint glass. golden color with nice head. smells a little strong and taste smooth as candy. Moutful feeling for a nice 6 pack to have on a daily basis. I would recommend this scottish ale

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 13:54:04 | More by yuenglingfan101

kagent777

Utah

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice 12 oz bottle I received in trade, but it has been a while now, so I am not certain who it came from. It may have been Sonofalime. Cheers, Micheal. Poured into my beer goblet.

Appearance: A wonderful rich garnet brown with a thin tight head of white.

Smell: The malt come through in the smell with some sweetness.

Taste: A solid tasting beer. This one has nice malty notes with a bit of smoke. A note of dried fruit, raisins and prunes. That may not sound good, but it all goes nicely. The finish is somewhat long and sweet but not cloying.

Mouthfeel: This beer is on the thicker side of medium, as I imagine it should be.

Overall: I don't think I have had any other Scottish ale, so this is my benchmark. I quite enjoy it

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 02:53:40 | More by kagent777

KajII

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

[Best served in a Thistle]

The pour was a deep mahogany brown with an average sized (1-2 finger) light tan creamy head that reduced in the first few minutes down to a thin cap and medium collar, which in turn created some excellent sheets of sticky spotty lace.

The aroma was nice and robust with a roasted biscuit malt and a sweet yeast with notes of caramel, a mild coffee, light chocolate, dried fruit (figs and dates) and a mild alcohol tinge.

The taste was a very smooth malty sweet with a hint of caramel and a mild coffee presence at first, with the finish being sweetly acidic and having a good dose of dried fruit and a decent alcohol ending. The flavor lasted a good long time after the swallow, leaving behind a mild alcohol fruity taste.

Mouthfeel was medium in body and had a creamy dry texture with a moderate carbonation.

Overall a nice bold fruity sweet Scottish Ale with more of an alcohol presence than the ABV suggests...

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 14:56:15 | More by KajII

kylehay2004

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap while up in that area for Thanksgiving, review is from notes.

A: single finger tan head on a copper/amber slightly hazy body. Some lacing.

S: overall mild but mostly toffee, caramel and nuttiness.

T: roassted and caramel malts throughout which is nicely done with a subtle dark fruit, mostly fig and cherry and cocoa/mild chocolate notes.

M: fuller body than I expected making this one rather smooth with moderate carbonation.

Overall: another impressive brew from a great brewery. Flavorful, close to the true spirit of the style with the mouthfeel to improve the drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2012 00:37:26 | More by kylehay2004

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle given to me by my buddy Matt. Once again, thanks to him for hooking me up. Poured into my Penn State pint glass.

A: Pours a cloudy, mirky, dark brown, with a nice thick off-white head on top, about 1 fingers worth.

S: Muted notes of caramel malt and a touch of roasted barley.

T: Taste follows the nose. Lots of caramel malts here. Roasted barley underneath. A touch of coffee in the background. A touch of bright cascade/columbus hops at the finish line. The bitterness of the coffee and the touch of hops both help keep this beer from getting overly-sweet the way so many Scotch Ale's do.

By far and away the most lightly-hopped beer I have come across from Three Floyd's.

M: Thick and viscous, perhaps a touch under-carbonated, with a semi-dry finish.

D/O: A fine example of a style that often runs way too sweet for my liking. I appreciated the balance in this beer, and would certainly repeat this in the future if the opportunity presented itself. That said, I have a second in my fridge right now, and will opt to instead open something else up.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 19:51:46 | More by psuKinger

davey101

Connecticut

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a 3F pint glass.

A - Pours a dark brown body that lets some light through. Thick and fluffy four finger high light khaki head settles down to some really dense foam.

S - Roasty caramel malts, coffee beans, caramelized sugar, toffee and some smoke.

T - Roasty and smokey. Plenty of caramel malt with a peaty and earthy finish. No hops detected but a slight candied sweetness is present. Fairly dry but highly carbonated. Light to medium mouth feel.

O - Tatsy, but not very inspiring. It is a really easy drinking malt and smoke forward beer though.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:12:28 | More by davey101

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium snifter.

A - Copper orange on the pour. One-and-a-half finger head of fluffy, ecru foam floats on the surface, slowly dissolving into a solid sheen of very tight bubbles. Held to a full-spectrum light, beer is a rosewood red-orange in color and quite cloudy and opaque.

S - Lots of dark caramel malts, brown sugar, hints of toffee and peat. Classic noble hops in the background,

T - Toasted, almost roasted malts, slightly burnt multi-grain bread, dark sugars like molasses, hints of bitter orange rind. Bittering hops of floral and pine push forward in the finish, and that's what lingers rather than the sugars.

M - Rather fizzy. Moderate carbonation. Well-integrated structure with good body, although just a tad thin for all the dark sugar. Finish fades at a moderate pace, and is drier than one would expect due to the hops.

O - It's a pretty good, malt/dark sugar brew, but presents just a tad too much burnt/bitterness to make it jump to the front of the pack. I'll definitely buy more because I enjoy the style, and it's close - like a pitch on the corner - but it's not the best in its class. I'd like to see the finish linger longer, and feature more of a straight-ahead caramelized malts with just a touch of peat smoke quality where I'm left remembering the malts and sugars rather than the hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 21:55:15 | More by BuckeyeSlim

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tearing through the rest of FFF from Larry Roush!

Deep brown with caramel hues. Very small thin eggshell white head. does have some floaties.

The smell, wow the smell. Roasted malts everywhere, caramel and toffee have a strong presence as well. Its like somewhere between a Doppelbock and Belgian Dubbel. Almost smells too sweet.

Dark dry grains upfront, with a nice sweetness to try and balance these things out. Some dark fruits (prunes) add just more flavors to the mix. Light and sweet, with a hint of peat as well. The caramelized sugars make it sweet and dry.

Very chewy malt backbone, and a malt lovers dream. Well right after Doppelbocks of course.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 16:12:44 | More by VncentLIFE

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

No freshness dating on the bottle.

A= Pours a rich malty brownish coppery color with a finger of tan head on it that holds some steady retention and spotty lacing. When you hold the beer to the light you can see a bright transparant amber color.

S= The smell is a nice malty mix. There's a bit of sweetness to it as well as some buiscuity malt and a great sort of mash tun grainy aroma.

T= The taste is once again just a complex malty scottish beer. There is a big sweetness that hits you up front with a nice smokey darker roasty malt that is quick to follow and sort of take over the sweetness. The finish is a nice buiscuit malt with a slight bitterness on the back of the tongue.

M= Very light on the carbonation. I would say maybe a little undercarbonated.

O= This is a solid example of an underepresented style. Great malty character with a nice display of the complexity malt can have on a beer. Worth trying over and over again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 23:00:12 | More by jjanega08

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a dark, clear, cherry-wood reddish brown. One finger of orangey tan head; decent retention and a little bit of lacing.

Smell is fairly bland. Some toasted malt notes, but I don't get a ton of malt in it. A lot of cooked-vegetable hops, leafy greens. Smells a fair bit like a marzen thanks to all the toasted malt aroma.

Taste is quite nutty with some toasty flavors here as well, fading into bland grassy-vegetal hops. Not bad, but kinda dull and uninspiring. I can drink it, but I'd rather drink something else.

Medium-bodied, pretty chewy in the mouth. Medium-high carbonation lifts it a lot. Wow, this has a lot of zip.

Overall, it's just sort of blah. It's malty, with some overcooked-broccoli hops. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 03:41:27 | More by zeledonia

TheFightfan1

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The last of many from BDEE. Thanks again.
Poured into a mug. Poured a clear mohagany color with a nice light tan colored heading. Left some lacing behind.

Mostly getting caramel, and toffee in the nose not much else.

Earthy malts and nutty flavors. One thing that does stand out is how rich the taste is. Some molasses and finishes with touch of creaminess and piney hops.

A shade lighter than full bodied, very good carbonation, and good balance.

Slightly disappointed in this one. I think I was just expecting something else.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 19:16:32 | More by TheFightfan1

312HopBomb

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle from the brewery. Poured into an American pint glass.

A vigorous pour develops a three finger head that falls to a thin covering that lasts. Gorgeous clear ruby color looks like a Scottish ale.

Nose portrays biscuit malts of medium roast and earthy with light smoke. Subdued hop aroma.

Taste carries some sweetness with brown sugary malt roastyness (is that a new word?). Some noticable alcohol bite.

Most likely my favorite Scottish Ale. They are usually way too boozy for my taste. Thank you 3 Floyds. Highly recommended. Looking forward to dining at the brewpub for my birthday this weekend.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 05:01:37 | More by 312HopBomb

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to pint glass the beer arrives a mahagoney amber brown color with a 1 finger off-white head. Excellent retention and lacing. The nose is that of roasted malt, dark fruits, sweet caramel, and a hint of chocolate. No hint of alcohol at all. The flavor begins with the roasted malt and is soon merged with the caramel malt sweetness found in the nose. A subtle chocolate flavor blends well with a dark fruit tone. Mildly bitter. Finishes creamy and smooth with a lingering caramel sweetness. A little dry. Medium bodied and creamy. Nice mouthfeel. Overall, this isn't a style I flock to though this is a good beer and one that I would enjoy again and again. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 13:22:17 | More by hopfacebrew

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - This poured about a 2 finger head of light tan foam. Body is fairly dark. Reddish, brown, amber in color. Some light lacing.

S - Malty and nutty. Some vanilla and toffee, almost a barrel aged scent. Probably my favorite part of the beer.

T - It has that roasty malt and biscuit flavor. Some slight bitterness on ths finish and drying.

M - Pretty average all around. Medium body and carbonation. A little drying.

O - Amazing scent, but pretty average (slightly above) after that.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 01:18:02 | More by RuckusDu

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into tulip - thanks to grohnke

Pours an opaque chestnut brown color with a thin beige head. Patchy film retains, leaving some patchy and spotty lacing on the glass.

Bits of chocolate and nuttiness in the nose. Slightly sweet with some hints of smoke and booze. Malty and rich.

Slight bitterness before a wave of chocolate and sweetness. Rich, robust malts with some nutty tones. Hints of smoke lie underneath the backbone, which is heavy and lingering. Some caramel and breadiness, leading into a slightly warm finish.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, creamy and smooth on the tongue. This is a really nice scotch ale without an overbearing booze presence.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 00:24:37 | More by xnicknj