Sequoia Brewing 'Scotch Pine' Wee Heavy Ale. 10.5% abv. Dark brown-red color with thin beige head. Moderate retention, nice lace. Nose of caramel, sweet bread. Front taste of toffee, tangy light dried fruit, brown sugar. Aftertaste of nuts, treacle, smoked wood notes, dank herbal, alcohol. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is hot, creamy, sticky, astringent.

This is a fine Scotch ale with a bit of bite and a touch more complexity that most in its genre. Part of what makes this a wee heavy is its low hop presence coupled with its high gravity, producing a smooth booziness that shines in the aftertaste.

As with all Scotch ales, this one is malty and slightly nutty, though it's sweeter than most, with flavors of caramel, warm brown sugar, and treacle over a slight dried fruit undertone. It's a nice treat that tastes like a dessert beer. Just be careful of how many you drink. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Wee Heavy is the name used in Scotland to describe this style of strong Scottish ale. Our Scotch Pine is a rich, malty ale brewed with imported Scottish malts. It has a full smooth body with a carmelized smokey complexity achieved from special brewing techniques used in producing this beer."

[source: sequoiabrewing.com]

Ballast Point 'Piper Down' Scottish Ale. 5.8% abv. 22 IBU. Ruby red color. Two fingers of creamy off-white head. superb retention and lacing. Nose of caramel, light fruit, faint orange. Front taste of roasted malt, caramel, sweet citrus, faint fruity hop bitter on the back end. Aftertaste of fruity hops, candi sugar, bittersweet orange rind. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, resiny, round.

This is a good Scottish ale. The malty flavor is accented well by notes of fruit and subdued hop bitter. However, the body is a bit thin for my taste for a Scotch/Scottish brew, and the aftertaste too sweet for such a light brew. Contrary to the marketing, the promised complexity is simply not there. What is there is an easy drinking Scottish ale, a malty lawnmower beer. It's not a great beer, but it is a good one. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"A Scottish ale with San Diego spirit. Our Piper Down Scottish Ale hits all the right notes for the Ballast Point Bagpipe Corps that inspired it. We created this very low hopped, malty ale for the band to enjoy using UK Maris Otter malt, roasted barley, UK hops and low fermentation temperatures. Then we let the brew’s sweet complexity build over a three-hour boil. Full of roasted caramel flavor, it’s a pub classic with Ballast Point personality."
[source: ballastpoint.com]

Schubros Brewery 'Inverness' Bourbon Barrel Wee Heavy. Passport Series 2015. 11.7% abv. Black in color. Thin tan head. Moderate retention and low lacing. Nose of oak, sweet malt, dark fruit, earth. Front taste of bittersweet fruit, dark malt, plums. Aftertaste of bourbon, pungent dark fruit, currants, fruity hops. Full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, thick, grainy.

This is an extraordinary beer. The barrel aging is present starting in the aroma on through to the aftertaste. The flavors of rich malt, dark fruit, and fruity bitter hops blend together with that woodsy bourbon backbone. Outstanding. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Right on the heels of the overwhelmingly successful Kirov Russian Imperial Stout, Schubros has released Inverness—a Scottish-style Wee Heavy and the latest addition to our Passport Series. Aged in bourbon barrels, this beer is surprisingly smooth with just the right amount of sweetness. Though at a whopping 11.7% ABV, you may have to remind yourself not to go a wee overboard. The Schubros Passport series has been a tradition since 2013 with the release of Saméon, a French-style Saison. Traditionally packaged in 750mL champagne bottles, sealed with wax, and topped off with a hand-tied tag, these limited brews are as elegant in style as they are in taste. Already boasting over four stars on Untappd, Inverness has proven itself as a craft-crowd favorite. In fact, the response from the release party on April 25th was irrefutably positive. Inverness is available for purchase in both bottles and growlers at the Schubros taproom as well as local businesses throughout the Bay Area. Not convinced? Stop by the brewery and order yourself a glass. You won't be disappointed."

[source: schubrosbrewery.com]

"Deep brown with ruby highlights, Inverness is a bourbon barrel aged Scottish-style ale that boasts rich malty flavors of dried fruit and honey."
[source: bottle]

Belhaven Scottish Stout. 7% abv. Black in color. Inch of tan head that falls to a scattered surface. Good retention and lacing. Nose of roasted grain. Front taste of dark malt, roasted chocolate grain, floral hops, faint coffee. Aftertaste of sweet dark chocolate, vanilla notes, some dark fruit. Full body. Mouthfeel is thick, smooth, creamy, clean and herbal on the sustain.

This is an excellent stout. High in malt taste with a background of rich chocolate and hops just behind it. Good stuff. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"We reckon this is the porter equivalent of the tall dark handsome stranger, but with its blend of triple malts, roasted chocolate flavour and hop character, once you've tried this deluxe stout you'll want to get reacquainted... Using a traditional Scottish recipe from the 1800's, this deluxe stout is brewed with pure Scottish water drawn from the Belhaven Brewery well. The black beer's exceptional qualities arise from the triple blend of malts crafted as only the master brewers at Belhaven know how. Drink, savor, and enjoy."

[source: belhaven.co.uk]

Brew Dog 'Dogma' Scotch Ale. 7.4% abv. 65 IBU. Dark ruby color. A finger of tan head that gradually falls to a thin collar. Low retention. Moderate lace. Nose is strong, sweet, malty, notes of honey and raisin. Front taste of honey, plum, malt. Aftertaste of honey, orange, plum. Medium body. Mouthfeel is slightly syrupy.

This is an extraordinary beer, with a rich aroma, malty backbone, plenty of fruity notes throughout. I first had this beer at the 2014 Tower District Oktoberfest and it was my take-away favorite of the day. Having it again with friends, the flavor profile was instantly memorable, as is often the case with truly great brews. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Dogma is an innovative, enigmatic ale brewed with guarana, poppy seeds, and kola nut, all blended together with Scottish heather honey. A conspiracy of transcontinental ingredients infused with some devastatingly BrewDog imaginative thinking. The flavours, intricacies, and nuances of this ale are best enjoyed over some obscure 17th Century philosophical meanderings. This ale is not cool. You may think it is, but that is just a beautiful lie fabricated by clowns and gypsies."