Scotch Ale - Fordham Brewing Company

Not Rated.
Scotch AleScotch Ale

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68 Ratings
no score

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Ratings: 68
Reviews: 29
rAvg: 3.48
pDev: 13.79%
Wants: 2
Gots: 3 | FT: 0
Brewed by:
Fordham Brewing Company visit their website
United States

Style | ABV
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy |  8.00% ABV

Availability: Winter

Notes/Commercial Description:
This unique seasonal comes out just in time to warm your soul on those chilly winter nights. We brewed this beer with a touch of Beechwood smoked malt for a smooth & subtle smokiness that we know you’ll enjoy all winter long.

(Beer added by: MaltyGoodness on 12-13-2007)
View: Beers (23) | Events
Beer: Ratings & Reviews
Ratings: 68 | Reviews: 29 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by SPThirtyThree:
Photo of SPThirtyThree
3.98/5  rDev +14.4%

A: Pours a clear reddish amber with big flecks of something - hopefully hop matter. A thin finger of ecru cap quickly falls to thin patches of foam and persists as a thick collar. It tried to leave lacing on the glass, but only left small spots.

S: The smell is sweet, toasty bread. A faint spice smells exactly like clover honey, which perfectly accompanies the biscuit backbone. Hops and peat are minimal, but grassy and mild. It's hard to not smell similarities with a buttered, toasty biscuit. It's caramel-y and earthy.

After warming, the smell was much more hot and complex, with more esters and stickier caramel. Smells slightly like diacetyl.

T: Just as the note hinted, it's sweet, with a slight spice. There's just enough hop bite to make the hops known, but they blend smoothly with the beer. Every sip has loads of medanoidins. There are also hints of raisins and dark fruits in the finish.

M: The mouthfeel is big-bodied, with a slight spice from a combination of carbonation and hot alcohol flavors.

Overall, this is one of the best brown beers I've drank. It's plain but delicious. It's warm and alcoholic, but the alcohol hides smoothly with the other flavors. It's easy to drink, and tasty. Reminds me of a coworker's homebrewed Maibock.

Note to self: If this is representative of wee heavies, this is a great style.

More User Reviews:
Photo of lordofthewiens
3.41/5  rDev -2%

In a pint glass this beer was a copper color with a small tan head. There was a tiny bit of lace.

The aroma was caramel malt mostly. There was some sweet honey also.

It had a caramel/toffee taste.

Nice enough beer, but way too sweet. It was on the cloying side, as sweet as it was. I'm going to try to foist the rest on my wife. Well, maybe foist is too strong a word, but one was enough for me.

Photo of Guden
3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

A- Mid brown with great clarity. Only a thin film of a head but it does leave nice lacing.

S- Sort of a mess of malt with some alcohol. There's a little bread and a little caramel but nothing overly compelling.

T- This one is interesting going down with hints of leather and black pepper on the front, a lightly toasted bread middle and a surprisingly bitter and dry finish.

M- As a scotch ale this one seems off the mark with more of a pale ale body, but it works with the flavors.

D- This one doesn't seems off of style. The smell is wack and the color seems fairly light. The alcohol is also only 6.8% not 8% as beeradvocate lists. Doesn't taste like any other scotch ale I've tried but it goes down easy is the final verdict. I'd have another glass, just not if I wanted a scotch ale.

Photo of briandaube
4.5/5  rDev +29.3%

Photo of Mtooman
3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

Photo of RickS95
3.95/5  rDev +13.5%

I don't care much for the style, but I like what I see so far. It pours a dark copper, caramel color. It's not a cloudy beer, but nothing close to clear so you struggle to see through it. Tiny little bubbles constantly rise to the top, which houses a slightly offwhite, thick, foamy head. Very cloud-like, it last a while and leaves a nice thin filmy lace behind.

There's little to talk about regarding smell because not much is present. It's mostly all malt but if you really get your nose in there, you can almost pick up a faint caramel scent, but I couldn't detect any smokey like I expected from reading the bottle.

The taste is a bit different from the smell in that it's packed with flavor. Lots of caramel malt and the standard rye-ness from a Scotch ale. Again, different from the smell, the Beechwood smoked malt is noticeable.

The mouthfeel is a bit strange, but that's because there's a lot going on. Plenty of sweetness, but nothing close to cloying. A spicy rye feel is there mid-sip. Nothing in the way of hoppiness. It's medium bodied and in the swallow, there's a lingering sweetness that lasts a good while.

It's a pretty good beer and that means something considering I don't care for the style. Fairly easy to drink because there's a lot happening and the alcohol is fairly well hidden.

Photo of bconsidine
3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

Photo of PaBeerLover
3/5  rDev -13.8%

Photo of MuenchenerKindl
3.58/5  rDev +2.9%

Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass the liquid is a pretty clear copper with ok carbonation. The head is ok, a fat finger, white and leaves little lace.

The smell is good a little scotch, some smoke, mostly malt.

The taste could use some work, a little scotch like but no highlander. Slightly smoky but not mush hops.

The mouthfeel is week, Ok carbonation but the body is way thin.

The drinkability is ok. If you need to be knocking down 6 of these and tell people you drink scotch ale, its ok. But if you want to drink a nice scotch ale got find something else. MK

Photo of philbe311
3.28/5  rDev -5.7%

A - Pours a slightly hazy orange amber color... Slow disciplined carbonation bubbles rise throughout... One finger of white foam quickly fades, leaving a solid lacing... Coats glass well...

S - Malt... Honey... Pineapple juice...

T - Wow this is potent... Medicinal... Caramel... Vague smokiness... Dark fruits... Slightly salty... There's a lot going on with this brew, but they don't seem to blend together well...

M - Full bodied... Syrupy... Slight carbonation... Slightly astringent...

D - Aggressive... Not a subtle Scotch Ale by any means... Being a big fan of the style, I feel this one misses the mark substantially...

Photo of CraftBeerTastic
3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

Ba Review #108
Served On: 01/13/2012
Glassware: Duvel Glass
Labeled ABV: 6.8%
Date/ Code: Smudged

Found this while in at Friscos for a flatiron steak sandwich yesterday in Frederick, MD.

Look: Poured a very translucent reddish copper color. The head was a finger of light tan foam that dissolved fast. Minimal carbonation was detected.

Smell: Some solvent notes typical of a scotch ale. This one seemed rather biscuity compared to others I've had. Definately a malt forward nose with a nice dry alcohol heat to remind you of the style.

Taste: First up was a sweet malty biscuit. A roasted warming sensation hit somewhere in the middle and quickly faded into a dry sweetness for the aftertaste.

I love most of the Delaware breweries - and thier offerings, but I don't know that this beer lended itself to the style. The roastiness just wasn’t there and the ABV seemed lower than expected at 6.8%. Think of it as a Scotch Ale 'Light'.

Photo of smakawhat
2.98/5  rDev -14.4%

This is a scotch ale that while if it tastes more like something else other than a scotch ale, it would otherwise be probably quite good. Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

The appearance is quite good, until you discover its minimal lacing and a white colored head that disappears only to never return. The bubbles that aren't tight that go fairly quickly. There is also not even a ring that sticks around in the brownish red hue of the slightly opaque beer. This however is probably the only thing that's really disappointing about this brew. Very minimal lacing if at all.

The bouquet on the Scottish ale is a sweet apple like smell, with some caramel but also a very faint rubbing alcohol in the background, but no malt at all.

Taste is a big sweet candy apple fruit and caramel, it is a big sugar bomb. Neat sensation, but I am wondering where the malt is on this beer. It doesn't seem representative in its namesake as a Scotch Ale.

slight bitterness finish a little watery in mouthfeel but not too bad.

Drinkability is about average but would be lower if in terms of representing a true Scotch Ale but would be higher if it was categorized as something else... It's too sweet for me but others will drink it up with ease so I would call drinkability average based on that.

Photo of dsshuck
4/5  rDev +14.9%

Photo of DavoleBomb
3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Rich amber hues for color. Two fingers of thick, frothy head with average retention and plenty of lacing.

3.5 S: Very malty. Caramel, toffee, and a touch of spice.

3.0 T: Caramel comes through again, but also some unpleasantries. It's really boozy and has a medicinal like quality to it. A little bit of herbal hop flavor.

3.0 M: Good carbonation but a little underbodied. Very smooth however.

3.5 D: Not bad, but nothing I'd want again.

Photo of nitter
3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

Photo of Rhettroactive
3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

Photo of MaltyGoodness
3.2/5  rDev -8%

12oz. bottle

Pours a clear copper color with a small, creamy white head that fades. Mild lacing on the glass.

Nice caramel malty aroma with a light smokiness. Light hint of herbal hops.

Tastes basically like it smells. Nice, sweet, caramel malt taste upfront with a light smokiness. It's rounded out with a slight bitterness and herbal hop flavor. It has a bit of a sweet bland taste at the finish that lingers that is slightly annoying.

Medium-full body, mild carbonation.

Overall, an average attempt at a Scotch ale. It's easy enough to drink, but I have no desire for a second one. For the price, it's a decent choice if you're looking for an inexpensive malty brew.

Photo of JamieDuncan
4.5/5  rDev +29.3%

Photo of Metatron6
2.5/5  rDev -28.2%

Photo of kuhndog
3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

Photo of RDAdams
3/5  rDev -13.8%

Serving: A six pack of 12oz bottles from St Johns Liquors.

Aroma: Smokey malt

Appearance: Browish Ruby Red, Thick Off-White Head, could use more carbonation.

Taste: This is my second tasting. Yesterday I thought the ale was over-hopped. Today the hops seem minimal and balanced with the smoked malt. However, the body seems a bit thin fer a Wee Heavy.

Mouthfeel: Thin body and under-carbonated

Drinkability: Would I pay for another six pack? No! But if I found it on tap, I would definitely pay for one as this strikes mer as an ale meant for a cask.

Photo of OWSLEY069
3.13/5  rDev -10.1%

Pours a clean orange-ish/ copper color with a light tan head, In the aroma, a sweeter malt with a dry alcohol hint. In the taste, caramel malt and a small alcohol burn. A small bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry caramel malt and small alcohol flavored aftertaste. Malty and dry, with big presence of alcohol.

Photo of KevMo84
3/5  rDev -13.8%

Photo of ROGUE16
4/5  rDev +14.9%

Photo of ZimZamZoom
4/5  rDev +14.9%

A deep chestnut with nice red tones. Thin tan head that turns to a ring quickly but it an appetizing way. Still a decent coating on top.

A deep lightly smoked aroma of malt, some caramel notes and a touch of licorice. A nice earthy nose, moderately boozy. The taste is a nice mix of warm alcohol goodness with smokey malt and a little touch of spice. Almost a fruitcake like breadiness to this. It's got some depth but yet is easy to drink. A slight alcohol burn on the finish but it fades nicely mingling with the overall sweet malty goodness.

Not huge body, but definitely noticeable in the mouth. It's got a nice smooth thick feel without being heavy. Sure this is a drinkable Scotchy. Nobody is going to pound them but I could drink another right now.

Scotch Ale from Fordham Brewing Company
80 out of 100 based on 68 ratings.