Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

bevenson

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to caninedevotion for this one! Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A - Chestnut brown; darker than I expected for a Scottish ale. Light tan head that quickly falls and leaves a ring at the edge of the glass. Pretty, but looks more like a brown ale than a Scottish ale.

S - Thick, rich caramel aroma. Light spicy, herbal hops. Mild chocolate and toffee. As it warms, light sherry aroma peeks through signaling the alcohol content.

T - Rich chocolate and bready, biscuty malt. A glorious malt bomb of a beer. Clean yeast character with just enough hops to keep the malt in check. Mild hop bitterness lingers after imbibing. I check the can several times to make sure this is really an 8% beer since the alcohol is very well hidden. Slight warming isn't evident until about half way through the glass.

M - Thick body with a stronger carbonation than I expected for a Scottish ale. Generally the low carbonation of a Scottish ale makes it smoother and easier drinking, but I think for this beer it helps clear the palate and keeps the beer from being cloying.

D - Quite different than any Scottish ale I've had before and a very nice surprise. This beer is dangerously drinkable for an 8% beer. A great beer to remind you that a beer doesn't have to be packed with hops to be a winner. First beer I ever had from Oskar Blues, and I'm eager to have more.

Serving type: can

05-26-2010 01:33:07 | More by bevenson

touchmeimsac

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

05-23-2013 12:51:11 | More by touchmeimsac

Rdc67

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-22-2013 19:02:46 | More by Rdc67

johntfox

Florida

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-21-2013 01:29:06 | More by johntfox

marshmeli

New York

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-20-2013 16:11:01 | More by marshmeli

Birdlegs

Washington

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-20-2013 06:44:29 | More by Birdlegs

hopswap1

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-20-2013 03:59:14 | More by hopswap1

DrewBest

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +18.5%

05-20-2013 01:17:40 | More by DrewBest

dweeuu

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +18.5%

05-19-2013 00:58:43 | More by dweeuu

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-18-2013 22:31:20 | More by Photekut

Otisimaas

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

05-18-2013 14:29:50 | More by Otisimaas

warpedrevolution

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-18-2013 08:02:44 | More by warpedrevolution

st9647v3

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-18-2013 04:20:50 | More by st9647v3

akttr

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-18-2013 01:03:02 | More by akttr

Ebf

Illinois

2/5  rDev -50.1%

05-17-2013 23:53:22 | More by Ebf

G_Rod

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-17-2013 11:23:18 | More by G_Rod

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +18.5%

05-17-2013 02:02:40 | More by ElizabethEleanor

NorthSideSean

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-17-2013 01:28:46 | More by NorthSideSean

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

JMurphy41

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

05-16-2013 05:21:27 | More by JMurphy41

MrParker

Ohio

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-16-2013 04:23:29 | More by MrParker

xShoWTeKx

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-16-2013 03:13:08 | More by xShoWTeKx

Gatordaddy

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-16-2013 02:04:50 | More by Gatordaddy

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-15-2013 23:55:58 | More by alex_hart

nquigley16

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-15-2013 23:09:02 | More by nquigley16