Arcadia Loch Down Scotch Ale - Arcadia Brewing Company

NolateM

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass. Almost a black beer (with almost no light getting through), but there's a little hint of mahogany color. Tan soapy bubbly head, which lingers pretty nicely.

The aroma was SURPRISING. Here I am expecting to smell sweet-smokey malts, and I'm smelling... wild yeast??? The smell is actually reminiscent of a homebrewed lambic/cider combo I once tried. I'm very confused.

Wow. That wild yeast actually carried through in the flavor. Cidery, acidic yeasty flavor really dominates the beer, with a whisp of hoppiness. Very little hop bitterness. Almost an absence of malt flavor. All I'm tasting is the yeast. It is interesting, but it could use more hops. It tastes like it might be a bit old (though not stale by any means, just a bit aged), but there's no born-on date.

Mouthfeel... not bad. Slightly drying, but extreeemely smooth. I wouldn't mind a bit more carbonation.

Pretty easy to drink despite the fact that it's on the slightly-high-gravity side. The alcohol is well-masked to the point of almost seeming absent in the flavor and mouthfeel. I wonder if I got a weird batch, because what I tasted didn't match up with the other reviews AT ALL...

...or maybe it's everyone else that's crazy!

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2007 02:51:07 | More by NolateM

Blueribbon666

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

06-16-2013 11:56:16 | More by Blueribbon666

djwhit24

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

06-02-2013 00:59:45 | More by djwhit24

JackRB

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%

05-27-2013 23:51:41 | More by JackRB

Fargrow

Michigan

4/5  rDev +9.6%

05-18-2013 18:40:24 | More by Fargrow

MLKincer

Ohio

2.5/5  rDev -31.5%

05-17-2013 22:38:54 | More by MLKincer

GinsuDave

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

05-17-2013 01:05:27 | More by GinsuDave

HarmonMW

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-12-2013 00:08:24 | More by HarmonMW

Punqbert

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

04-17-2013 01:45:26 | More by Punqbert

jewellrunner

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +23.3%

04-14-2013 12:56:46 | More by jewellrunner

RenownedHack

Kentucky

2.83/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into tall wine glass.

A: The appearance isn't anything too horribly remarkable. Quite dark, slightly light-permeable, with about a finger of head which dissipated moderately quickly, leaving some light lacing.

S: There's a booziness there. The first thing I thought of was Jack and Coca Cola - maybe SoCo. Definitely some bourbon oakiness in this one. The nose really isn't that impressive.

T: I really hate to say this, but the balance on this one is off. I took a sip, waiting to see what the taste was reminiscent of, and it was just kind of...flavor. Nothing at all standing out, nothing at all balanced with or supplementing anything else. Just a blob of various flavors with an oaky finish. Very light hops for a moment or two, but that flavor dissipates quite quickly.

M: It doesn't feel bad in the mouth; it really doesn't. It feels pretty medium-bodied, just the right amount of carbonation, and no irksome, syrupy hanglings. It's really pretty basic, though, truth be told.

O: I really feel like so much more could have been accomplished by this brew, and that it's onto something. I feel like it fell short of its goals somewhere, however, and just kind of faded into the woodwork. It's disappointing, because it felt like it was getting there with smell, taste, mouthfeel...then it just stopped without peaking. A bottle rocket when you wanted a mortar shell firework.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 06:44:37 | More by RenownedHack

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

04-12-2013 14:51:28 | More by WoodBrew

Alextricity

Michigan

2.76/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Appearance: Looks like Coke or something -- dark reddish brown with about a finger of head that quickly bubbles away. Absolutely no lacing whatsoever, and very few bubbles stick to the side of the glass.

Smell: Really Scotchy with some traces of alcohol. Caramel malts are there as well, but this is distinctively Scotch-like.

Taste/feel: Now, there's no bottle date on this, but I have to think it's past its prime. Dark fruits and Scotch on the front, and it really stays the same the whole way through. Slight bitter aftertaste. Quite carbonated, and with a pretty thin feel.

This is the second Scotch Ale that I've had in a row (the other being Innis & Gun's Oak Aged) that has just been unappealing to me. This is considerably better than the I&G beer I had, but I still feel like it has to be an old bottle. It looks ugly, it smells "bleh", and it doesn't taste very good. I'd say it could be because I don't like the style, but I find Dirty Bastard and Old Chub to both be tasty brews. Not feeling this one by Arcadia.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 19:56:40 | More by Alextricity

Rons35

Michigan

3/5  rDev -17.8%

03-29-2013 23:57:55 | More by Rons35

MichiganBrews

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%

03-28-2013 01:50:11 | More by MichiganBrews

MallyOMight

Michigan

3/5  rDev -17.8%

03-26-2013 22:08:48 | More by MallyOMight

skaboom420

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

03-25-2013 21:26:16 | More by skaboom420

jmendels

Michigan

3.59/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

An overall enjoyable beer. While I didn't find it to be anything impressive, it's a good craft brew. The taste has a bit of toffee with some subtle roasted characteristics. It's medium bodied and leave s you warm after drinking. The after taste was a tad too bitter, I feel like this beer could have been balanced better.

3.5/5.0

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:29:17 | More by jmendels

AlMarzo

Michigan

3/5  rDev -17.8%

03-23-2013 05:52:28 | More by AlMarzo

breakingbland

Michigan

3.84/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: A deep brown -- almost opaque with a red tinge.

Aroma: Sweet with some hints of oak and smoke.

Taste: A definite coffee taste. It has a well balanced taste profile with a sweet, lingering hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: Smooth body with a slight carbonation bite.

Overall: I like this style, and this is one of my "go to" everyday favorites. It goes with a variety of foods, as well as standing well by itself.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 23:21:31 | More by breakingbland

MySauceIsHot

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%

03-07-2013 22:34:49 | More by MySauceIsHot

Narkiboy

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

03-03-2013 19:16:20 | More by Narkiboy

sixerofelixir

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

02-27-2013 18:04:24 | More by sixerofelixir

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

02-23-2013 04:00:17 | More by JohnnieNepal

Zaphog

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

02-09-2013 03:12:38 | More by Zaphog