Kilt Lifter Scottish-Style Ale

Four Peaks Brewing Company
Tempe, Arizona

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Very little head, thin. Brown, clear.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Clean, sweet—apple notes? All malt, no hop.

TASTE: 6.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4: Very malty, lots of caramel. Some grassy hop.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Very subtle smoke, subtle bitter, drops out fast.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Finishes clean, okay body, appropriately carbonated. Maybe a tad thin.


OVERALL: 1.75/3: Tastes like an amber, really. Scottish Ale for the masses—sweet caramel, crystal malt, not the Scottish Ale we'd hoped for.


TOTAL: 12.5/20–I'll Try A Pint


NOTES:
Matt: Not an awful beer, but more like an amber than a Scottish—I'd take a 90 Shilling over this in a heartbeat.
Ben: Crystal malt makes it really caramelly-sweet. A bunch of peat-smoked malt would make it more true to style.

Nimbus Pale Ale

Nimbus Brewing Company
Tuscon, AZ

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Gold, hazy. Thin head, laces.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Subdued aroma. Malty, sweet. Some grapefruit, some earthy woodiness. Not a lot of aroma.

TASTE: 5.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4:
Woody, grassy. No real citrus or piney flavors.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Weird metallic tang. Strong bitter, increases with time—almost overwhelming.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Nice and malty, but it can't compete with the bitterness.

OVERALL: 1.75/3: This is a really bitter IPA. Needs to be much bigger and maltier to be a good pale.

TOTAL: 12.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I'm not knocked out by this pale—I appreciate the bitterness, but it's really lacking in the flavor department.
Ben: If you're really into bitter beers, you might like this. There is a weird aftertaste I'm having trouble getting past.