Beer of the Weekend #110: Belhaven Scottish Ale
Honestly, I thought I’d be 20 years older when Conan signed off as host of the Tonight Show. Turns out I’m only 20 weeks older. (I’m off a little bit, but who cares. Writers don’t do math.) Oddly, Will Farrell was a guest on Craig Kilborn’s last Late Late Show.
Good luck, Conan. Whatever you do, don’t go to Fox.
The beer this weekend is Belhaven Scottish Ale brewed by the Belhaven Brewing Company of Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland.
It’s been a long time since I sampled a beer from the UK. The last brew I had from the Empire was probably the Newcastle Brown Ale at Yosemite way back in October. I think I had a bottle of BSA, or maybe a taste of it, once before. It was at Mervgotti’s crib. He bought the sixer at the First Ave Hy-Vee, but I remember a different design on the label; I recall a Scot, tartan kilt and all, holding a golf club. It was hella lame, but the beer made up for it.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness or born-on date.
Appearance: Poured a tinted honey. It looks like thick, syrupy Scotch. A creamy, off-white head developed and dissipated slowly.
Smell: It smells a tiny bit like Scotch, but maybe that’s just my imagination. It does, however, smell like a Hot Toddy. Major caramel malts along with honey, apple, and maybe a little strawberry or raspberry. There’s a tiny bit of coffee, too.
Taste: It’s almost too good to describe — I’m enjoying it too much. Caramel malts dominate, and the fruit from the smell — whatever it is — provides a little sweetness, which is balanced with that hint of coffee bitterness.
Drinkability: From the looks it appears heavy and thick, but well balanced is too passive a term. It’s smooth and creamy. A really great drinking experience.
Fun facts about BSA (I think my mom’s turntable is a BSA):
-Price: It’s a little on the pricy side — $12.49.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.2 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: This is a first: BA lists no food pairings. None.
-Belhaven has this to say about BSA on their website:
It is magical (“I wanna stick my dick in it”), but not hoppy. If the Scots want hoppy, they can go to Oregon.
-Oddly, today I was reading about the men of the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly James Hutton. Hutton’s theories of rock formation in the 18th Century became the foundation of modern geology. Interesting stuff. More about that later.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
Good luck, Conan. Whatever you do, don’t go to Fox.
The beer this weekend is Belhaven Scottish Ale brewed by the Belhaven Brewing Company of Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland.
It’s been a long time since I sampled a beer from the UK. The last brew I had from the Empire was probably the Newcastle Brown Ale at Yosemite way back in October. I think I had a bottle of BSA, or maybe a taste of it, once before. It was at Mervgotti’s crib. He bought the sixer at the First Ave Hy-Vee, but I remember a different design on the label; I recall a Scot, tartan kilt and all, holding a golf club. It was hella lame, but the beer made up for it.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness or born-on date.
Appearance: Poured a tinted honey. It looks like thick, syrupy Scotch. A creamy, off-white head developed and dissipated slowly.
Smell: It smells a tiny bit like Scotch, but maybe that’s just my imagination. It does, however, smell like a Hot Toddy. Major caramel malts along with honey, apple, and maybe a little strawberry or raspberry. There’s a tiny bit of coffee, too.
Taste: It’s almost too good to describe — I’m enjoying it too much. Caramel malts dominate, and the fruit from the smell — whatever it is — provides a little sweetness, which is balanced with that hint of coffee bitterness.
Drinkability: From the looks it appears heavy and thick, but well balanced is too passive a term. It’s smooth and creamy. A really great drinking experience.
Fun facts about BSA (I think my mom’s turntable is a BSA):
-Price: It’s a little on the pricy side — $12.49.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.2 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: This is a first: BA lists no food pairings. None.
-Belhaven has this to say about BSA on their website:
Malty and hoppy, we at Belhaven love the classic Scottish Ale and we've been brewing it longer than any of the other beers we produce. Delivering a sweet, smooth and creamy finish, Scottish Ale has a stunning ruby colour in the glass. Magic.
It is magical (“I wanna stick my dick in it”), but not hoppy. If the Scots want hoppy, they can go to Oregon.
-Oddly, today I was reading about the men of the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly James Hutton. Hutton’s theories of rock formation in the 18th Century became the foundation of modern geology. Interesting stuff. More about that later.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
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