Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

MaximalC

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a murky molasses color with a thin khaki head. Aroma smells of molasses, brown sugar, and a faint nuttiness. The flavor is both sweet and roasted, but neither is cloying. This may be due in large part to a level of hopping that just about perfectly offsets the sweetness of the malt--far more balanced than I typically expect from a scotch ale. There is also a palpable alcoholic heat that adds an additional dimension to the flavor profile. The exact character of the malt is pretty difficult to dissect on account of how well everything melds. There's brown sugar and some nut, but that's as much as I can discern, at least without significant warming. The hops may overstay their welcome ever so slightly, but this is forgivable when one considers how well they serve the beer as a whole.

The stellar carbonation lends a creamy texture to the medium body that complements the flavor of the beer quite well. This is a brew where the whole definitely exceeds the sum of its parts. It's flavorful, lively, and sessionable in spite of its moderately high ABV (it strikes me as the scotch ale equivalent of Domaine DuPage). This is the first offering I've had from Oskar Blues, and I must say I'm impressed.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 01:01:16 | More by MaximalC

bmwats

Louisiana

3.74/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz can, into a standard pint.

A: Dark brown. Pours about a half finger, foamy, brown white head. Sporadic lacing.

S: Molasses, peat, ginger, nutmeg, and maple syrup.

T: Charred coffee, molasses, licorice, and pecan shell. Fresh tea leaf and cola.

M: Hearty, malty, thick and syrupy. Bitter, pungent, peaty aftertaste. Dry finish. High alcohol is apparent.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Dark hue, decent foamy head, and some very sporadic but distinct lacing. Nose is complex combination of sweet, fall spice, and peat. Flavor is charred coffee accentuated with bitter licorice and sweet molasses. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: can

04-30-2013 04:02:37 | More by bmwats

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I think this may have been the first scotch ale I ever had, way back in the day. I've had it many times since but never reviewed. A little bit of age on this one, canned 9-7-12..."Don't do it, Dove"?

Pour to a snifter is dark red with just a bit of translucence. Thick khaki-colored head ends up a swirly cap with a thick ring that leaves good lace.

Nice malty scent with sweet malts, caramel, and molasses coming through. Some toasted bread, chocolate and some brown sugar there as well, English earthy hops too.

Chocolate malts really start to show more in the taste, along with noticeable but light peat and smoke. Definitely caramel chocolate toastiness. Light hoppage with a general earthiness to it.

A touch high on the carbonation I think, but otherwise a good mouthfeel. Easy drinking for the style, not much alcohol showing through, not overly sweet.

I think the flavor is a little underwhelming but a solid scotch ale that's always available. Always nice to have a malty beast in a can.

Serving type: can

04-30-2013 00:06:28 | More by Chico1985

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.24/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz can into a snifter. Purchased in North Providence, RI.

A- Pours a dark maroon body with a small off-white head that reduces to a ring of foam. Not much lacing.

S- Caramel, toffee, molasses, bourbon. Very inviting.

T- Upfront I get a lot of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and toffee notes. This develops into coffee, chocolate, and maybe some citrus notes. Finish is roasty and smokey, aftertaste is roasty.

M- Low carbonation, medium-heavy body.

Quite a complex and tasty beer. An excellent interpretation of a scotch ale- hits all the high point of this style. I'd buy again.

Serving type: can

04-29-2013 03:53:27 | More by gcamparone

mjurney

Texas

4.16/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance:
Ruby brown color, looks clear. There good amount of carbonation rising. Thick creamy head.

Aroma:
Sweet, bready, chocolate, dark fruit, spiced rum.

Taste:
Malty, bready, chocolate, caramel. Dark fruit character, dried prune. Hop bitterness is mild. Slight smoke finish. Body is full, thick, creamy, smooth.

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 07:47:04 | More by mjurney

danieelol

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours the colour of treacle. Nice white head/lacing.

Smell is caramel, a little rauch. Some chalk and even sulfur, generally mineral-y. Perhaps a little metallic, vitamin-y, Alesmith Wee Heavy-style. A little bit of Scotch (presumably from the smoked malt).

Taste is caramel, carob, coffee. Little bit of smoke here too. Some gingko.

Nice thick, creamy, mouthfeel. Good element of the beer.

Complex beer which I could see myself drinking again occasionally.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 11:42:29 | More by danieelol

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.09/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: brown with a hint of red. near opaque. small tan head that leaves a lacing

Smell: malts, smokiness, caramel

Taste: malts, barley and smokey, brown sugar, dark fruits, earthy hops. the balance between sweet and bitter works out quite nicely. good and complex taste

Mouthfeel: surprisingly light and mild for 8%. slight bitterness but mostly smooth

Overall: good and complex beer. drinkable and strong. will definitely buy a six pack when i am in the mood since this was only a mix-six

Serving type: can

04-08-2013 23:43:53 | More by SportsandJorts

Uncle_Jimmy

California

4.35/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- a sparkling ruby brown with two fingers of dense tan head that goes coarse and then slowly dissapates.

Smell- carmel butterscotch toffee, a faint citrus in the background.

Taste- malty, slightly sweet with some cola undertones. Slightly meaty but in a good way. almost has a brown sugar or molasses component in the texture. the hops really kind of disapear although it is not cloyingly sweet.

Mouthfeel- medium bodied, effervescence seems appropriate to style ( a bit lower than most beers). The carmel notes linger quite a bit aswell.

Overall- very tasty I would order another for sure. I had it with a steak but I think it would be good with dairy based desserts, chicken and dumplings meat pies. Good country cooking!

Serving type: can

04-04-2013 04:29:42 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

csparace

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

One of my buddies picked this up for me at Oskar Blues' new Brevard, NC location. I'm excited to see this come to the Carolinas and can't wait to see what they brew next.

Appearance (4.00) – poured from a 12oz can into a Matilda glass. Pours a tar red amber with a generous two finger head. Thick head with small smoky cream bubbles. Tons of carbonation rising to the top. Head fades quickly. Lacing is pretty sweet.

Smell (4.00) Malty with a dark caramel character. Sweet hop smell. My sense of smell kinda sucks but the smell of this beer has a strong presence.

Taste (4.00) – Roasted hop comes to mind first. Yeasty. Some darkened sugars are definitely present. Alcohol is hidden well. The body has the sweet aspect. The finish has a slight crunch of hops.

Mouthfeel (4.25) – Smooth. A bit less carbonation feel than I would have guessed with how much is moving to the top. Slight slight warming in the back of the throat. Lips aren't really sticky. Great for after a meal.

Overall (4.00) – I'm pretty satisfied with this for a scotch ale. There is not an abundance of flavor, but I think the mouthfeel is spot on.

Serving type: can

04-04-2013 04:10:23 | More by csparace

mntlover

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a clear brownish red with no noticeable carbonation rising at all. Head is khaki that falls slowly to a cap. Some decent lacing is left behind on my pint.

Aroma is nice big malts nice sweetness hints of maple syrup good earthy notes and light fruit. Big chewy smelling brew.

Taste is like the aroma big chewy malts, toffee, sweet brown sugars or maple syrup. Good earthy notes, peat light smoke some fruity notes hints of chocolate. Some light alcohol spicy notes blend it all together well.

Mouthfeel is big medium but feels chewy maybe its the big sweetness carbonation is slight .

Overall a big chewy treat that I have been meaning to try for years but just never picked up. A good brew from a great brewery.

Serving type: can

04-03-2013 23:44:20 | More by mntlover

drrone

Arizona

4.04/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a great dark amber/copper color. A finger of light beige head with tight bubbles, that left a slight amount of lacing.

S - Not a very strong smell to it. The definite malt profile comes through nicely, followed by some caramel and chocolate residuals. Just a little smoke noted.

T - Very similar to the nose, but really shines over the nose of the beer. A pleasing malt burst, with caramel and chocolate, a hint of peat lingers on the tongue.

M- Medium body, with the same carbonation. Smooth, but a little creamy.

O- Quite a nice beer. I do like Scotch Ales and this delivers fully. Oskar Blues continue to prove they are a quality brewery (which I would love to visit sometime). I would definitely recommend trying this beer, especially if you like the style or would like to try the style.

Serving type: can

04-01-2013 20:39:18 | More by drrone

StoutHunter

Michigan

4.04/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I picked up a can of Oskar Blues Old Chub Scotch Ale last week for $1.69 at The Lager Mill. I'm working my way through Oskar Blues lineup and since I'm a fan of Scotch Ales I thought I would give this one a try tonight, so lets see how it goes. Canned on 2/25/13. Poured from a 12oz can into an imperial pint glass.

A- The can has that typical Oskar Blues look with a darker green color to it, it looks ok. It poured a nice dark copper color that took on a real nice dark ruby hue when held to the light with a fingers worth of light tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left a nice amount of spotty lacing behind. This is nice looking Scotch ale, the head could of have been a little better but other than that it was nice.

S- The aroma starts off with a fairly high amount of sweetness that had a slight brown sugar aroma to it and was followed by lots of malts that impart some dark bread, caramel and toffee like aromas along with a decent amount of light smoke and some nice peat aromas. I also pick up a light amount of earthy and somewhat spicy hops that barely show up. This beer had a good aroma, the slightly smokey peat went nicely with the other Scotch Ale aromas and it made for some nice complexity.

T- The taste seems to be fairly similar to the aroma and it starts off with a slight higher amount of medium sweetness that has a slight brown sugar like flavor to it and it's followed by loads of malts that impart some dark bread, lightly roasted, caramel, and toffee like flavor. Up next comes a light smokey peat flavor that is a little on the tame side. On the finish I get a light amount of earthy hops that impart a pretty light amount of medium bitterness and the alcohol barely shows up at all. I got some nice sweet malt flavors in the aftertaste along with a real light amount peat. This was a good tasting Scotch Ale, it had good balance and it was fairly complex, I liked it.

M- Very smooth, creamy, a little rich, on the lighter side of being full bodied with a slightly lower amount of medium carbonation that worked well with this beer. This beer has a pretty good mouthfeel, it worked nicely with this beer, I have no complaints.

Overall I thought this was a good beer and good example of the style, it had some nice traditional Scotch Ale flavors to go with some smokey peat that only a few Scotch Ale's I have tried have had, it combined both those aspects and makes it pretty balanced and smooth. This beer had great drinkability, it was very smooth, the alcohol was hidden very well, and the flavors did a good job at holding my attention, I could drink a few of these in a row and be pretty happy with that and I can't say that for a lot of Scotch Ales, it's for sure more drinkable than Scotty Karate and Dirty Bastard. What I liked the most about this beer was the drinkability and the balance they were both pretty good with the alcohol was hidden better than almost any other Scotch Ale I have tired. What I liked the least about this beer was the appearance, it didn't look bad at all, but a little more head would have been appreciated, it wasn't that big of deal. I would for sure buy this beer again when looking for a good and drinkable Scotch Ale, it was nicely priced and it was pretty good for what it is, i can see this showing up in my fridge fairly often. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Scotch Ales, I think it's a good example of the style and one of the most drinkable. All in all I was happy with this beer and so far it's my favorite beer from Oskar Blues and it gives me hope that there's more beers from this brewery that I will like. Dirty Bastard is still my favorite Scotch Ale with Scotty Karate coming in close second, the flavors are much more intense in those beer but with the intense flavors comes less drinkability so it was nice to have a Scotch Ale that was on the other side of the spectrum and I feel like this one would be my third favorite of the style. Good job Oskar Blues, this is one quality Scotch Ale that I will be revisiting.

Serving type: can

03-31-2013 03:54:39 | More by StoutHunter

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz can. Deep clear ruby with a foamy mocha head. Rich ringing and a robust looking cascade of spotty lace. Smells of rich sweetness in the nose, with toffee, brown sugar, cocoa, a dash of fruit and some smoky accents. This is nice. The taste pretty much matches that, with a rich smoky sweetness on the palate that includes notes of caramel, cocoa and brown sugar. There is also a light herbal bitterness present that combines with the roast to help offset some of the sweetness here. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a bubbly crispness that fills up the mouth. There is some warmth on the tail end of each sip but this is otherwise very smooth for 8%. Scotch Ales are admittedly not one of my favorite styles but this one made a believer out of me in this instance. This is just packed with flavor and very drinkable for the size. I won’t be ignoring this one on the shelf any longer.

Serving type: can

03-29-2013 15:41:03 | More by Kegatron

jhutch31

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I really enjoyed this beer. It pours a deep amber color and has a light white head that quickly fades away. Lacing is minimal. As far as flavor goes, it is malty, toasty, and full of flavor. Hop bitterness is low and very subtle. Unlike some other scotch ales, this beer is very easy to drink and not overpowering on the smokiness or stong malt flavor of other scotch ales on the market. This is the type of beer I could enjoy any time of the year. Very well done.

Serving type: can

03-26-2013 21:16:08 | More by jhutch31

ChemicalEngineer

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a lively dark amber nightshade. Lacing quickly fades to a ring on the glass perimeter. S: roasted malt. T: BBQ sauce at the front transitions to crispy caramelized chicken skin with sesame oil, soy sauce, and horse barn smell. Burnt marshmallow and cherry cough syrup finish. Mild vanilla spice. This brew is stout and complex. This is the kind of beer I want after a long day of whitewater kayaking at flood levels. Nice balance overall- not too syrupy or carbonaceous, despite the fact that this beer takes the Maillard reaction to a whole new level.

Serving type: can

03-24-2013 01:28:43 | More by ChemicalEngineer

bsp77

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into wine glass.

Appearance: Wood grain red with thin tan head.

Smell: Smoky peat, chocolate, caramel and toffee.

Taste: Fairly sweet with brown sugar, chocolate, toffee and caramel, with some counterbalance from the peat. Very light spicy hops.

Feel: Medium to full body with moderately low carbonation. Off dry finish.

Overall: Very solid Scotch Ale, but could use a little more hops or smoke to combat the (albeit tasty) sweetness.

Serving type: can

03-24-2013 00:17:08 | More by bsp77

YardmanFTB

Maryland

4.61/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Old Chub is the most commercially available of the Scott Ales currently. It is not the most harsh of all Scotch Ales (in terms of actual scotch taste), but it blends the English style ale very nicely with the scotch flavor. One of my favorite Oskar Blues options.

Serving type: can

03-22-2013 15:30:50 | More by YardmanFTB

bambam2517

Arizona

3.91/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz. can poured into a pint glass, drank at 45F.

A - Garnet red body with very little effervescence present. Aggressive pour leads to a thick biscuity head, but it roils down to almost nothing by the time the glass is finished.

S - Sweet malts, wood (like birch to me), and some underlying peaty/smoky tones.

T - Too sweet for me, else it would go higher. Sweet malty base holds back the smoky taste I hoped for in this beer. It is present, but not full character as you'd find in a nice Scotch. I also pick up some of that young/green wood flavor, which is a nice touch.

M - A bit cloying at first, but it dries out mid-palate and finishes decently. Not too warming, hides the 8% pretty well.

O - Hits heavier than the 8% listed for me. I've had two out of the sixer I bought and both times they have sent me looking for my bed. If I can find a nightcapper like this that scales back the sweetness, it'll be the best lights out since Shawn Merriman stopped dancin...

Serving type: can

03-20-2013 04:26:38 | More by bambam2517

Alextricity

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

3/06/12 "Mornin' Chub" poured into a Samuel Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. This one was apparently brewed in Brevard, North Carolina, and not Longmont, Colorado.

Appearance: Crystal clear, ruby black. If seen in low light, it appears to just be black. About a finger or two worth of a light brown head. The lacing on this one is lovely -- doesn't last to the bottom, but it looks nice at the top.

Smell: Malts, dark fruits, metallic notes (could be from my just-rinsed-out glass, though... wouldn't doubt it).

Taste/feel: A LOT of sweet, dark fruits throughout, with surprisingly low bitterness. The end of the sip is a bit more malty, with the scotch seeming to join the party. It's 8%, but you don't really get it. There's a bit of warmth there, but the alcohol (in my opinion) can't be tasted at all on the front. Really smooth, and easy drinking. Aftertaste gives traces of the alcohol with a good bit of raisin-like tastes. Thick, but not too much so.

Oskar Blues hasn't failed me yet. Old Chub is a great beer. Not much like Founders Dirty Bastard at all, if you've had that ... I find that Dirty Bastard is more caramel-y. Old Chub is a lot of sweet, dark fruits, and some roasty bitterness near the end. Really a great beer. Oskar Blues keeps showing that it's possible to brew a great beer and put it into a can.

Serving type: can

03-18-2013 17:11:51 | More by Alextricity

sneakymagician

Michigan

3.14/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Looks nice, after the thick head clears. It's a translucent caramel color. I don't notice the smell because of the pleasant aftertaste from the last sip. The taste is like dark ripe fruit and caramel. I normally like some bitterness to deal with the sweetness - not bitter at all. It has a decent mouthfeel. I'd have it again if served with a hearty meal.

I'm more of a stout drinker. But, this ranks up there with Founders Dirty Bastard. It would be better to bottle it, since I only tried this because of the reviews. Cans tend to make me shy away.

Serving type: can

03-15-2013 05:35:42 | More by sneakymagician

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours dark brown with a ruby hue when held up to the light, small light tan head reduces leaving just a ring with just a bit of lace

S- chocolaty roasted notes with sweet caramel malts, slightly smoky campfire, toffee and banana, very inviting aromas

T- grainy and roasted malt character initially, then notes of sweet toffee and caramel malts, a touch of roasted coffee. Tea-like hop bitterness at the end, the finish is caramel-like sweet with an herbal hop linger

M- medium body and carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel with a smooth finish, alcohol is slightly warming but hidden well

O- nice and malty, yet easy drinking. Nice caramel/chocolate notes

Serving type: can

03-12-2013 03:04:24 | More by Treyliff

arfenhouse

California

4.03/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Dark ruby head with off-white lacing. Retention is decent.

S: Roasted coffee and vanilla. Caramel and bananas.

T: Sweet. Caramel with some bitter roasted grain. Sweet raisin and dark fruit in the aftertaste.

M: Medium-light bodied and light carbonation. Wet.

O: My first of the style. Overall a nice and tasty sweet beer.

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 07:07:02 | More by arfenhouse

Moose90

Colorado

4.24/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Canned on – 01/31/13 – "Chub Chasers Unite"
Tasted on – 03/06/13

A – Pours a deep translucent leathery brown. Head thins quickly but has great retention.

S – Sweet chocolaty goodness here. Some smoky bitter notes as well, rich smoky chocolate malts about sums this up.

T – Nice rich malt notes, well balanced by crisp hops. Malts are dry chocolate. Some solid earthy peat notes come through here to compliment the smoke notes.

M – Not too thick, though thicker than some other scotch ales. This has a stick to your ribs feel to it.

O – One of the best examples of a scotch ale. This has a great balance, it is sweet, smoky, and peaty. Wonderful.

Serving type: can

03-07-2013 04:27:36 | More by Moose90

AmitC

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz can into a snifter.

Killer appearance specially because it was poured down from a can. A cool one finger thick tan colored head with excellent retention. Sticky ans frozen lacing. Peat black inside the glass. Opaque. Good ruby hues.

Aroma is a lot porter like than a scotch ale like. A good amount of roasted malts come through. Some caramel. No alcohol. No hops. A good amount of scotch ale reminiscent aromas towards the end.

Taste is more worthy of the style with toasted malts and well mixed caramel flavor. A little bit of silky and creamy touch. Some alcohol warmth. Finish is dry and slightly sweet.

Mouth feel is medium to slightly full. Moderate carbonation. No astringency. Drinks smooth and well.

Serving type: can

03-03-2013 23:32:32 | More by AmitC

mfnmbvp

Illinois

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

12 fl oz. can, bottom says canned on 02/10/2013, and tells me to pour it on ice cream. Not going to do that, instead poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass. My first time trying this beer, and I'm pretty excited given the positive feedback it has been receiving here on BeerAdvocate.

A - Pours a very beautiful dark ruby color with about a half finger of creamy khaki head that recedes fairly quick.

S - Mmmm, an enticing aroma for sure. Scotch barrels and creamy vanilla. Slight smokey wood smell. Roasted malts.

T - Wee bit heavy for sure. Thick body. Chocolatey with a sweet finish. Almost has a fruity banana like taste to it. Perhaps just a tad bit too sweet in the finish for my liking. Vague note of coffee bitterness in the end.

M - Smooth creamy feel, with a bit of lingering sweetness hanging out on the palate with just a hint of some hop resins.

Overall, a very tasty beer. A bit of a heavy sitting beer, and perhaps just a tad too far on the sweet side for my liking, but highly drinkable and enjoyable. 8.00% abv was masked expertly well as I couldn't taste any alcohol at all. Nicely balanced and nicely bodied for the style. My first beer from Oskar Blues Brewing Co., and looking forward to trying more from them.

Oskar Blues Old Chub ---4/5

Serving type: can

02-27-2013 01:40:07 | More by mfnmbvp