Pike Kilt Lifter Scotch Style Ale - Pike Pub & Brewery

HiroProtagonist

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pike Kilt Lifter Scotch Style Ale was served from a 22 oz. bottle. In a pint glass, the beer was a clear orange caramel brown color, and was topped by a negligable head. that left weak lacing. The nose was quite malty, with a nice orange citrus presence and just a slight hint of peat smoke. I would have liked the peat to be more pronounced. I was pleasantly suprised by the taste though. A sweet flash is very quickly eclipsed by a powerful orange zippy bitterness, which lasts though to the drier, very estery earthy bitter finish...very nice and lively.. The body felt appropriately full for the flavors and style, but the carbonation was a bit lacking, which was apparant from the lack of a significant head. Overall, a very tasty effort that drinks well.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2004 20:04:06 | More by HiroProtagonist

RoyalT

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – Dark orange in color and thick. The head was nice as well, pitting into little puddles on top of the body and leaving a little lacing.

Smell – The caramel malt aroma is smooth and pleasant. I’m not catching a lot of scotch, though.

Taste – The scotch taste is there, but very light. It’s also very smooth, which is something you often don’t find when sampling this style. This one also has some powdery pepper spicing to it.

Mouthfeel – A little thinner than I had hoped, but the smoothness makes up for it.

Drinkability – I don’t know if I’ll be “lifting my kilt” after one of these, but it sure was tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2003 02:29:15 | More by RoyalT

alexgash

Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark copper body with a light tan head. Smells of sweet, almost winey malts. Slight medicinal character and some hops too. Taste starts with the winey sweetish malts, bread pudding, and then a smokey-peat bog flavor. Finish is more bitter than other Scotch ales I've had, with lingering sweetness. Medium to big body, with a little syrupy feel. A little sweet to drink much.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2003 18:59:51 | More by alexgash

beerguy101

California

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reddish brown color, medium white foamy head. Aroma is malty and slightly sweet. Slightly hopped, very malty. Scotch like maltyness. Nice balance. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is malty with nice smoky undertones.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2003 03:09:22 | More by beerguy101

freed

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've enjoyed this quite often over the last couple years. Like all Pike beers, it has a very nice label; clean lines, stately.

It pours a deep mahogany with a nice, uneven head. Carbonation tops it in very sporadic patterns, like the yeast was still active. The smell is sweet and malty with a slight smoked tinge. The taste in this batch is a bit sweet, but normally its a wonderful full and chocolate body. If you're not careful, you can drink a whole sixer, and it really affects your skiing.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2003 21:45:54 | More by freed

Gusler

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I think I have sampled at least 4 or 5 beers that call themselves “Kilt Lifters”, well in my humble opinion, Pike’s is the best. Also why is it so hard to find a “Good” Scotch Style Ale?

A beauteous orange to amber color, the head prodigious in size, creamy in texture, a nice light tan in color and the residual lace a thick and sticky sheet to meld with the glass. Sweet malt is the nose, fresh and inviting, the start ambrosial, malt laden, and the top rich in its feel to the palate. Finish has a delectable acidity, the hops spicy and pleasant, dry aftertaste and a real treat.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2003 14:01:59 | More by Gusler

Reidrover

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought in the 12 oz brown "long neck"..like the nice simple label of this beer,.
The appearance of this beer is above average but nothing to get excited about nice amber/red colour.with a small head that goes quick to be replaced by a good sized laceing.
Amostly malty scent as would be expected from this brew..not great though.
I actually enjoyed the taste of this beer very well..sweet yet smoky maltiness is replaced by a nice balanced hop bitterness near the end..nice dark coiffee flavour here.
Feels fine inside the mouth..smooth yet still tingles the bitter buds on the back of the tongue..good
Overall i could drink a few of these in a session..might just do that if i ever see it on tap up here!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2003 00:11:46 | More by Reidrover

Jason

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. brown long neck bottle with a freshness date on the back.

Appearance: Tawny leathery amber colour holding some haze, enticing head has a stable retention.

Smell: Big sweetness with a very faded smoke, light fruity alcohol and caramel malt twang.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Layered smoothness with a creamy slickness. Solid malty palate, sweetness plays off the toasted grain and medium hoppiness. Suggestions of fruit punch, earthy yeast and caramel in the back. Slightly warming alcohol. Hit of citric rind in the end? Handful of residual sweetness in the end combats the semi-think hop flavour in the end.

Notes: Smaller in stature than most Scotch Ales I have had, a decent strong amber that was easy on the palate with a balanced malt and hop.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2003 12:06:14 | More by Jason

fattyre

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a red/gold color with a medium off-white dissipating head. The smell was breadlike with a slight smokey hint. This beer had a toasted bread and slight peat like flavor with peppery alcohol and somewhat piney finish. It also had a pretty firm mouthfeel. A good and tasty scottish ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2003 16:18:18 | More by fattyre

Bunnyhop

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A clear, red-gold Scotch Style Ale with a medium, off-white dissapating head. The smell I couldn't quite place at first, after reading the label it was quite clear...slightly burnt or smokey peat. It has a slightly "burnt" taste, and is malty, with a cedary finish. It has a firm texture in my mouth. Overall, I found this beer to be strangely different but definitely enjoyable.

(source: Athens, GA)

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2003 17:01:35 | More by Bunnyhop

49degrees

British Columbia (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Oooooh. I really like this beer. Out of the traditional PNW bottled staples, Pike's Kilt Lifter and Bridgeport's Pintail Ale are among the more frequently chosen brews to have, Modelled after traditional scotish heavy ales, Pike's version has an interesting blend of smokey peat on the palette along with some real thirst quenching kicks from its arrangement of hops.

Pours very clean with a moderate size head, giving way to a decent collar, a tight surface foam and decent glass lacing. Although not pegged as a bitter, this one certainly plays double duties for my own tastes and because it has a fairly bitter punch to it, it’s a great addition with a meal. But be forewarned, if you're not careful, this 'heavy' will quickly become a warming ale as its 6.6%abv can sneak up on you when you least expect it,

When you see Pike Place in the store, this Pike Kilt Lifter is the one I'd recommend from this classic Seattle brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2003 19:33:08 | More by 49degrees

cokes

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Soft orange bodied with a small but tight cream colored head. Retention is middle of the road.
Full maly aroma. Distinctive peat notes (not really smoky, though). Sweet and earthy.
Taste begins with a heavy toffee melee. Sweet and chewy. Never approaches cloying. Dough flavors rest below and bulk this one up even more. Organic earthiness holds down the middle. Quick pangs of smoke and metal. Dries considerably towards the finish. Hops are an understated force. Spicy, and herbal. Alcohol is briefly noted towards the end.
Medium-full bodied, next to zero carbonation. Rolls like a thunderhead across the mouth's horizon. Bold yet rounded and almost soft at times.

I think it is safe to call Pike's an outstanding brewery.
Many thanks to jreitman for this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2002 21:36:57 | More by cokes

mattmaples

Oregon

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Daniel's point on the hops is well taken. But I dissagree with him on the body being too light. Kiltlifter does have a lighter body but not every Scotch ale is a Wee-heavy. I think if you were to put this beer in a 60 shilling (or light) catagory then the body fit just fine. The malt profile is supurb and could not be better. I did take off a point for too much hop for the style but in their defense it is brewed in the middle of hop country so extra hops are hard to resist.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2001 16:34:06 | More by mattmaples

DrDocRudge

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A little to light for a scotch ale, both in terms of taste and color. Instead of a chewy brew you get a medium-bodied ale that is a touch too bitter. Since most scotch ales are naturally sweet (though not overwhelmingly so), I was slightly disappointed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2001 13:32:35 | More by DrDocRudge