Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

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

brodericksloth

Oregon

4.23/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice full bodied great head and color

excellent food beer; alcohol masked; flavor carries throughout meal...enough flavor and alcohol to make it a one pint lunch.

deep reddish brown complex flavors not a snifter beer but close

not overly hoppy; complex malts carry it; excellent fullness and mouthfeel; smooth and satisfying.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 23:21:51 | More by brodericksloth

Pat_da_God

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This is a fantastic beer. Definitely suited for a cold, rainy night.

A- Pours a dark ruby red almost brown color. Small quarter inch khaki head that dissipated quicky

S-Behind the dark malts with their familiar chocolatey. coffee like aromas, there is a nice woody, smoky scent reminiscent of a good whiskey. Finishes with just a hint of alcohol. Very nice aroma.

T- Surprisingly fruity and sweet. I get hints of banana and raisins. Then there is a nice chocolate profile. Alcohol comes at the end of the sip.

M- A little light for what I expected. Decent carbonation.

O- I'm a hop head so this is not my favorite beer style but I do appreciate very malty beers. I was impressed by the pleasant sweetness this beer had which then gave way to a nice woody, smoky profile

Serving type: can

02-23-2013 02:13:58 | More by Pat_da_God

CommanderOfAwesome

California

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

Canned in Dec poured into FSW Tulip.

A: Pours a nice deep amber brown with 2 finger head. Tons of carbonation present, and viscous.

S: Getting amber.caramel malts, very light hint of chocolate and roasty malts.

T: Reminds me of rootbeer/cream soda on the flavor profile. Toffee, residual sweetness with malty backbone.

M: Creamy, residual sweetness coats the mouth for long lingering sweetness on the mouth.

O: Very delicious highly drinkable beer. Reminds me of a cream ale. Would recommend.

Serving type: can

02-15-2013 01:28:18 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.29/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 ounce can poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a dark brown color with a half finger head and minimal lacing.

S: Light chocolate aroma with pronounced malts and a touch of alcohol.

T: Mild chocolate flavors mixed with sweet malts and a little alcohol.

M: Full bodied with light carbonation. Very smooth.

O: I really enjoyed this beer. It's tasty, smooth, and hides the alcohol well. I'll definitely be having this one again.

Serving type: can

02-11-2013 01:04:03 | More by nUgZ

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

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

A very solid beer that's satisfying and easy to drink. Nice color, sweet smells, lots of complex flavors, and a good solid mouthfeel. A really nice spiciness and peppery finish. Very easy to drink and doesn't seem like it's 8%. I enjoyed this very much and will have again. Oskar Blues continues to make some fine beers, and especially ones in the can. I'm really starting to like this style.

Serving type: can

02-08-2013 02:28:05 | More by Beer-A-Lot

MickeyBeer

Illinois

3.71/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I had this at Firkin off of their nitro tap

A- Poured into a snifter it was a beautiful black color with dancing carbonation and a finger and a half of creamy tan head.

S- Smells like coffee and roasted malts. Reminds me of Guinness only with greater and more complex aromas.

T- Taste is chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts. The sweetness of the beer covered the 8% ABV well.

M- Mouthfeel is creamy with light carbonation. Pretty medium/light bodied for a beer that is this dark and has that high of a ABV. Goes down very smooth.

O- A very enjoyable creamy dark beer. Really does remind me of a Guinness on steroids. Very similar flavor and mouthfeel, only much better.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-08-2013 00:22:50 | More by MickeyBeer

palma

New York

4.38/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is simply delicious. Better than your typical high gravity malty beer because of its uncommon smoothness, non cloying yet full flavored body, and it's complex finish (despite it being all malt forward).

Alcohol hidden very well. These cans will sneek up on you.

Extremely enjoyable.

Serving type: can

02-07-2013 03:28:18 | More by palma

buschbeer

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce can
Served in a snifter

A - It has a dark brown body with amber highlights. I got about an inch of tan head on top.

S - The aroma is peaty, smokey malt. I also get some toast, caramel, and toffee.

T - I get some caramel malt and a little bit of smokey flavor.

M - Medium. It is velvety smooth with low carbonation.

O - It is a flavorful beer. It gets better as it warms.

Serving type: can

02-03-2013 23:08:49 | More by buschbeer

Maximusmaximus

Massachusetts

4.36/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Old Chub is a Wee Heavy ale that everyone should try!

The packaging is green and aluminum. It's in a can! The color is dark, roasted caramel. The smell is toasted chocolate. This beer slowly seduces you. Each new sip reveals a developing complexity and subtle sweetness that is simple yet suprisingly sublime. Mouthfeel is smooth, velvety and one of the more pleasing qualities in a very pleasing beer.

Watch out! At 8.00% ABV, this Scotch Ale packs a Highland punch. I paid $9.95 for a six-pack. It's rare to experience such a pleasurable blend of taste and potency from a beer in this price range.

Serving type: can

02-01-2013 01:00:52 | More by Maximusmaximus