Highland Gaelic Ale - Highland Brewing

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Grabbed a pint of this for lunch. Came out a deep amber gold with very little head on it. Lacing was absent as well. Smelled roasty and sweet.

Mouthfeel was thin and wet. Disappointing. Flavor was a big let down as well. Very malty and sweet. Finishes like toasted brown sugar. There was very little bitterness in this at all. Pretty bland overall. I was sorely disappointed with this beer as I've heard good things. I'll give the bottle a try and see if it is any better...

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2009 19:46:50 | More by Onenote81

PorterLambic

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, reddish-brown. Tan head 1/2 " high with decent retention and good lace.
Smell is good malt, some hops/floral, caramel, slight hint of vanilla & smoke.
Taste is more hoppy, lighter malt,some alcohol, floral, slightly burnt caramel, coffee. Nice balance.
Medium-full body, smooth, slightly chewy with a nice fade out. Effervescence is not strong at all. A very good brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2009 01:31:54 | More by PorterLambic

drink1121

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brown Ale meets Scots Ale,in pretty much every facet.

A - Good looking beer. Nice Auburn brown/copper color with a 3 finger head. Good retention.

S - Toasted malt smell, which naturally smells a bit nutty. Caramel/toffee hints.

T - Tastes like it smells

M - Brown meets Scots again here.

D - I had 2. Thats about all I could have, but def enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2009 14:35:21 | More by drink1121

glid02

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap on Twain's in Atlanta.

Pours a clear dark red with a one-finger off-white head. The head dissipates fairly quickly into a wispy layer of bubbles leaving decent lacing.

Smells of very lightly toasted malts with faint citrus aromas. An earthy spiciness, a notch or two down from rye spiciness, comes out as the beer warms.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The malt is once again front and center, mainly sweet but with traces of the aforementioned spiciness. Again, light citrus flavors join in late in the sip before giving way to a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. Good thickness and carbonation for the style make this go down smoothly.

Drinkability is good. I finished one without a problem, and could have more than one of these in a sitting.

Overall I'm glad I revisited this beer, as when I had it from the bottle on numerous previous occasions it had a metallic taste that turned me off for a while. A new recipe or the fact that I had it from the tap make this beer a whole lot better. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2009 03:07:42 | More by glid02

beer2day

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours redish with borwn and gold tints. Building head that lingered through the first half of the pint. Yeasty, slighty peaty nose with hints of citrus and spice.

Flavor is mainly domninated by malt as suggested by the nose. Slight bitters in the finish, some citrus, but nothing to get excited about.

Wish this was more of a scotch ale, but just not there.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2009 01:41:33 | More by beer2day

clayrock81

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light red/ruby tinted body with one-finger head and some lace. A mild sweet malt smell along with minor hop notes. Medium-bodied although it straddles being light-bodied, the malt notes and hops are subdued for a light, sweet sensation that gives the tongue a minor prick on the backbite. Caramel malts and citric hops are present but nothing overpowering. An alright red that I could have again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2009 18:22:48 | More by clayrock81

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is a beautiful orange-bronze-velvet.

Nice nose, not very aggressive.

You can really taste the toasted hops.. A hint of citrus peel & earthiness. Needs more hops and malt, a little bland.

The mouthfeel is perfect, great body and perfect carbonation. My favorite thing about the beer

Finish is a little harsh for me, but not my favorite type of beer.

Good on-tap choice in NC

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2008 00:10:26 | More by craytonic

ncvbc

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep amber with reddish hues and a medium head with good retention and lacing. Smell of caramel malt, light fruit, and spicy, earthy hops with a light citrus. Taste is much of the same and adds a toasted bread to the mix. Very well balanced and quite flavorful, more so than from the bottle it seems. Good lighter body with solid carbonation and just the right amount of bitterness to counterbalance the sweetness of the beer. A session Amber if there ever was one.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2008 21:13:09 | More by ncvbc

introvertedone

Tennessee

4.55/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My first Gaelic Ale was presented to me at the Grey Eagle when it was in Black Mountain, NC in '95 or so. Since then it's been a long time love affair.

I've had this fine ale both from the tap and from the bottle. While I love them both I prefer the tap. It's a beautiful beer in appearance, aroma and taste. This would definitely be my everyday beer if I didn't enjoy trying out fine new brews.

The fine folks at Highland Brewing Company have a fine line of brews with this one being my favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2008 21:24:03 | More by introvertedone

bv74550p

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've had this beer at several places around Savannah. If you are looking for it on tap try Molly Mcpherson's or the Crystal Beer Parlor.

The beer is a deep red/brown and is completely opaque. Great head retention about two fingers.

Malt is good. Hops suprised me very much in this beer, but it made it very smooth and nice to my IPA liking. With this beer it pretty much smells the same as it tastes.

Definitely a great session beer where you should drink at least 3 to appreciate it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2008 16:43:09 | More by bv74550p

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this particular glass on-tap at the Brick Store Pub. A beautiful looking red ale- especially on draft. Coppery red with strawberry highlights, a nice 1 inch head that leaves some lacing. Very light aromas of somewhat bready malt, and a bit of yeasty tanginess. Deeper flavors than suggested by the nose. Bready malt with a touch of fruitiness and nuts and some citrusy hops. Not seemlessly integrated, but done pretty well nevertheless. The mouthfeeel is chewy and a bit sweet, but overall this is a pretty solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2008 18:53:16 | More by Georgiabeer

cvstrickland

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Mellow Mushroom in Durham;

The draft version of this beer arrives with a clear garnet body alive with numerous trickles of active carbonation capped with a thin white head that leaves a little lacing. The drink smells and tastes much sweeter and spicier than the bottled version, with less carbonation and a stickier mouthfeel. A little slick and sticky. I preferred it in the bottle, where it seemed less sweet and much hoppier.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2008 10:56:32 | More by cvstrickland

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It comes out of the tap a rich, translucent mahogany with a fine-bubbled tan head. Aroma is mainly malty with a hint of spice. Flavor is rich and malty and has a strong spicy undertone. This ale's texture is smooth, but it goes down with some sass and zing.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2008 02:34:53 | More by Cyberkedi

BDIMike

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is pale reddish color. Small carbonation and a great sized head.
Smells awesome. Starts with a smell of malts and nuts. Smells of hops, sugars, and other sweet smells after.
Great taste. Hoppy at first. Balanced with a good caramel malt taste. Ends with a sweeter taste. Very well-rounded. Lots of flavor.
Mouthfeel has a nice thickness. Smooth going down. Not sharp at all.
Great beer. I did not expect this to be as good as it was. Could drink this one all day.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2008 00:04:33 | More by BDIMike

mmmbeer

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A pint on-tap at the Red Drum Taphouse in NC. It arrives a clear chestnut, with low carbonation and a half-inch of khaki head that leaves decent lacing. Smells earthy and smoked, fruity, with some caramel, light hops, and a dash of currants. It is a fairly malty beer, with earth, caramel, toffee, and toasted notes, barely balanced by herbal/minty and grassy/spicy hops that impart a medium bitterness. Nearly full on the palate, smooth and coating, with light carbonation and a medium finish. Overall a tasty brew, and well-balanced despite the large amounts of malts.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2007 18:51:11 | More by mmmbeer

jokelahoma

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Quaffed a pint at Old Chicago in Wake Forest, NC

This one came to me a pretty little tawny brownish-red pint, with a fairly decent sized and very sticky head that laced like grandma's doilies. Nice and appetizing to look at.

The aroma was very malty, with a lot of dark fruits and a bit of buttery toffee coming to the front. It smells really sweet, and yet nice and roasty/toasty. Surprisingly mouthwatering nose, to mix anatomical references.

The taste isn't as sweet as the nose suggests, as the roasted malts seem to balance the sweetness with the faux bitterness they provide, even in the absence of much in the way of hoppiness. In other words, this isn't terribly hoppy to say the least, but the chocolate malts with their bittersweet dark chocolate flavors seem to keep everything well in line. The enticing toffee aroma doesn't ranslate to the taste, thankfully, as there is no buttery diacetyl flavor here at all. This is definitely a malt-forward beer, as the style would dictate, but roasty enough and with just enough bitterness to make it well balanced. Quite nicely done, really.

The mouthfeel leans toward the heavier side. Certainly not an imperial stout, but heavy enough to be substantial. This adds to the complexity of the beer, and is a nice fit for the style.

This one drinks bigger than what it is, and that's a compliment. It's not overly sweet or caramelly, as far too many ambers or red can tend to be, but neither is it too roasty, like a stout with a serious pigmentation problem. This is a well balanced, fruity, malty, chocolatey beer. Well made, and worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2007 00:11:47 | More by jokelahoma

Durge

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another one of my experiences at Tyler's Tap Room in Durham, NC. This poured a dark brown-copper color with a decent head and great lace throughout. It had a mild but nice chocolate malt aroma. The taste brought more sweet malt goodness with touches of caramel and butterscotch quite evident. There is a more subtle hops presence which brings in a dry grassy quality in the finish. I even detected a slight fruit highlight, like melon maybe. Very active carbonation and quite drinkable for this style. Definitely recommended for a try and I will enjoy again.

Update 07/30/08: A dark copper color ale with a solid off-white head and some goodly gobs of lacing. The aroma is a mild malty cereal deal, hard to nail down and not particularly strong. The flavor is much more definitive in great malt character with some clove and raspberry/cherry and chocolate. Really complex and fun to drink. Well carbonated and not heavy in alcohol so it is easy drinking for the style. Medium feel, maybe even a bit light for this type of brew but very enjoyable. Definitely try this one as something easy to like and a little different. Malt is the theme and it's a good one.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2007 02:44:57 | More by Durge

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a dark, reddish-brown body with an ivory-colored head.

Smell: There's a light caramel maltiness to the aroma as well as notes of flowers and citrus. Some spice in there, too.

Taste: Flavor of toasted grains with a soft caramel sweetness. Citrusy hops with a subtle spiciness. Mild bitterness on the semi-dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Highland's given us a pleasant, easy drinking amber, which is awfully decent of them.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2007 19:47:07 | More by ChainGangGuy

wagenvolks

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found this on-tap at the Hibernian in Cary, NC.

Pours a transparent, mahogany-amber hued ale with a generous light tan head that was well retained and left excellent lacing. The aroma was pretty weak (may have been due to other bar smells), but some notes of sweetened malts and a bit of piney hop are present.

The taste was quite good. A big malty backbone with touches of carmel and brown sugar dominated the palate, while a decent hoppiness rounded off the flavor. A slight fruitiness rounded out the flavor. Mouthfeel was smooth and light-bodied, with a lack of bitterness to it that was more than made up for by the malty sweetness. Drinkability was superior as well, I could've had a few of these if time had permitted.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2007 05:11:32 | More by wagenvolks

cracgor

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is an excellent beer that I can find pretty readily at the bars in my location. It's got a nice refreshing and crisp feel. It tastes very well balanced with a light malt touched with a bit of piney hop that is far from over the top. Smells similar with a bit more emphasis on the hop. The beer looks like a beer. It has a light head ontop it's amber body.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2007 18:18:10 | More by cracgor

SilentSabre

North Dakota

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draught Taco Mac East/West Connector Austell, Ga. USA
I gave this one 4.0's across the board. I have had this several times in the bottle but only just today on draught. It poured up a really dark reddish bronze colour with a nice looking khaki coloured head.
Smell was pleasant with a nicely balanced offering of herbal hops and toasted cereal malts. Taste was well balanced, too, with a nice blast of bitter hops up front followed by a nice malty dry finish. This was very drinkable and a great brew on draught.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2007 23:36:13 | More by SilentSabre

Gavage

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: dark amber in color with a one finger head that slowly falls. Nice lacing paints the glass.

Smell: caramels and ripe fruit sweetness are pleasant on the nose.

Taste: caramel, plums, red grapes, and a decent bitterness level make up a simple flavor profile that is enjoyable and well balanced.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp at the start, smoother towards the finish. Medium bodied. Very short caramel and fruity aftertaste.

Drinkability: definite session ale here as several of these can be had in a single session. I had this on tap and it seemed quite fresh so the flavors were nicer than what you may get in an older bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2007 12:26:47 | More by Gavage

atsprings

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served a crisp deep ruby amber with a thin frothy head. The aroma was mild with caramel malts and citrus hops. The taste was a good balance of caramel malts and citrus hops, the beer was light and crisp. This is a very refreshing beer and definitely makes for a great session.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2007 03:47:44 | More by atsprings

BrewnZ

Washington

2.9/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had this at Barley's Tap house in Knoxville, TN.

Deep copper colored beer with white head, hops and crystal malt in the nose.

Medium bodied with big crystal malt flavor, then spicy American hops running up the back. Finishes with lingering crystal malt flavor. A decent if, but not really exciting beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2006 03:55:54 | More by BrewnZ

Applesauce1

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had the Gaelic Ale on-tap at the The Urban Bar in the Old City of Knoxville, TN.

Appearance: amber-red color with a small white head
Smell: not very pronounced, maybe some hops?
Taste: excellent; some sweetness (maybe some caramel), but not overly done; a little bit of hops, but overall a great balance between the two; similar to a Sam's Boston Lager with less hops though, a little thicker, and a little sweeter
Mouthfeel: medium bodied; goes down real well
Drinkability: good, could drink a few in a night

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2006 05:38:15 | More by Applesauce1