Tartan Pants Scotch Ale

From Kanata, Ontario, a satellite community of Canada’s national capital, comes Tartan Pants Scotch Ale. This ale from Big Rig Brewery clocks in at a respectable 6.4%. It comes in garish 473mL cans that feature plaid-clad legs dancing a jig.

Tartan Pants is an extremely dark brown colour. It pours with little carbonation and a thin mist of creamy head. According to the copy on the can, hand smoked malt is used in the brewing process, which goes a long way toward explaining the rich, smoky scent that greets the nose. The flavour is malt-focused and full, with sticky toffee and Christmas pudding elements, assembled under a slightly smoky skyline. There aren’t a lot of overt hops characteristics to this ale, though there is a slight nod toward woodsy bitterness in there somewhere.

Scotch ales aren’t particularly commonplace in the Ontario craft marketplace, which is increasingly dominated by crisp pale ales. While I undoubtedly enjoy a good hoppy pale, I’m pleased when I see a bit of stylistic diversity in the brewing landscape. Big Rig’s take on a Caledonian ale was pretty well conceived and executed. The smokiness is big on the nose, but understated to the taste, which is a pretty neat trick as far as I’m concerned, as it lets the other flavour notes express themselves.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Armchair Scotch Ale

The 500mL bottles of Armchair Scotch Ale have an almost irresistible label--a simple design that features a cozy looking chair.  The aesthetic of this beer puts comfort in front of mind, and that appeals to my slothful nature. Armchair comes from Hanover, Ontario, where it's brewed by Maclean's Ales Inc. A nicely boozy ale (it tips the scales at 7.5%), Armchair pours clearly, with a lovely dark amber colour and a valiant off-white head.

Its aroma is quite malty, with elements of toasted caramel and molasses. The flavour, too, is malt-dominated. The beer is rich without being particularly sweet, which appeals to me, as does its warm notes of caramel and bourbon.

I really enjoyed the time I spent sitting with Armchair Scotch Ale. Though it isn't listed on the label, there is a woody quality that suggest cask aging. The flavour is pleasant and full, but not overbearing or brash. And it's a pretty beer, too. A delight!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

St.-Ambroise Scotch Ale

It's no secret that I love Montreal, Quebec's McAuslan Brewing Inc. They are responsible for one of my all time faves, the St.-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, as well as a host of other quality beers. On such brew is there St.-Ambroise Scotch Ale. This punchy ale is sold in 341mL bottles with a pale tartan label featuring a bagpiper. It contains 7.5% alcohol.

This is a handsome amber coloured ale. It is topped with a quickly thinning cream head and has a bready, malt driven aroma. In terms of flavour, it's boozy, malty, and graced with some caramel notes. This stuff is very full flavoured and robust. The finish is slightly bitter, but the maltiness remains.

This is a fine scotch ale--it's tasty, strong, and mad malty. There's lots of boozy warmth in this beauty.  Give it a go.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Canny Man

Radical Road Brewery is a newish craft brew producer out of Toronto, Ontario. Their Canny Man is the first of their beers that I've had the privilege to sample. It's "a wee heavy matured in scotch whisky barrels", according to the label. Additionally, it is apparently matured for 71 days. Canny Man comes in a great looking opaque black 750mL bottle that, for some inexplicable reason, comes wrapped in a silly looking tissue paper wrapper and adorned with coasters. This beer is wildly overpackaged. It contains a wallop of booze, at 9.1%.

Canny Man is a hazy brown ale that pours beneath a veritable mountain of tan head. The aroma screams of scotch--it tastes peaty and wood-smoked, over top of a malty bod. A formidable wee heavy, this stuff has many layers. It is, at times, malty, sweet, smokey, warm, peaty, and boozy. Sweet and malty hang around the foreground, while boozy and smokey lurk in the shadows near the finish.

This is a dynamic and enticing fortified brew out of an interesting new local (to me at least) brewery. I have only two complaints. One, a bit more bitterness would take this beer to the next level. And two, lose the tissue paper. It's wasteful and looks foolish.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Holy Smoke Peat Smoked Scotch Ale

Coming out of Campbellford, Ontario's Church-Key Brewing Company, Holy Smoke Peat Smoked Scotch Ale is a winner. It's sold in awesome looking 650mL bottles and contains a fortifying 6.2% alcohol. According to the label, this beauty is "traditionally brewed with Scottish peat smoked malt".

A slightly hazy brew, Holy Smoke pours a deep brown/amber colour that wears a crown of off-white head. It features a rich, malt-heavy aroma with, not surprisingly, considerable peatiness. The flavour is characterized by a pleasing blend of smoky and sweet. Holy Smoke is a malt-driven brew. It's finish is peaty, with a whisper of bitterness. If I had my druthers, there'd be a touch more hop presence in the finish.

This is a very nice Scotch ale. It's well built, with flavour to spare. Additionally, it can boast of a healthy alcohol content. A compelling beer regardless, but if you dig smokey beers, this one's more than worth your time.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Brew Brunswick-Pump House Scotch Ale

Moncton's Pump House Brewery makes a slew of badass brews. Their Scotch Ale is definitely one such product. It is sold in 341mL bottles and contains just 4.8% alcohol--relatively little for the style. Still, what it lacks in alcoholic zeal it more than makes up for in flavour. This brew tastes BIG.

It is a handsome mahogany colour, only slightly carbonated, and topped with scant head. It has the sweet aroma of dried fruit and basement malts nestled into primary scent, which is smoke. The flavour is very smokey, very peaty and very nice. There are notes of raison mingling with the smoke, to create a very nice taste combination. The aftertaste is sweet and quite gentle.

While the Pump House Scotch Ale is nowhere near as alcoholic-ly powerful as some other scotch ales I've downed, it is very tasty and quite interesting. This is a beer that will appeal to drinkers with a taste for flavourful ales and is definitely worth pursuing.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Stonecutter Scotch Ale

Renaissance Brewing Company's Stonecutter Scotch Ale was a treat.  Hailing from Marlborough, New Zealand and sold in 500mL bottles, it boasts a meaty 7.0% alcohol content.  Stonecutter pours a muddy brown colour with rusty highlights and is barely transparent.  There is a thick tan head that persists like a frothy cap.  The ale is slightly carbonated but leaves behind lots of lace.

Stonecutter is a strong-smelling ale.  There are notes of caramel, brown sugar and raisins.  The taste starts bitter, but quickly becomes malty and sweet.  There are warm, comfortable flavours of caramel and raisin.  The mouthfeel is best described as buttery.  The aftertaste remains sweet, but is also a touch smokey.

I have mixed feelings about the Scotch Ale style.  I find many "wee heavies" too sweet, too malty.  However, Stonecutter was an extremely enjoyable pint.  It's certainly malty, but it features a rounder and more nuanced flavour than other Scotch ales I've tried.  Definitely worth a go.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.