McEwans Scotch Ale

By on August 2, 2009 @ 6 PM (13 Comments)

Old Father Beer Love (Grandfather) had to pull a couple of night shifts at Beer Love Medical Center. At my advanced age I don’t do night pediatrics anymore and leave that up to son (Dad) Beer Love now. Tonight I’ll take over the new crop of Beer Love Interns on the night shift. What do you mean you “feel” that Imperial Stout is 55F? This ain’t sensitivity training and you’re not Dr. Phil, you have an instrument, check its temperature. The reason the head on your beer ran over the top of the glass is you’re using a pilsner glass not a weisen glass for your Hefe. People, what did you study in undergraduate school? Temperance. You should have been doing keggers. Focus!

While taking a break, I reached way back in the Beer Love larder and found a bottle of McEwans Scotch Ale. I actually bought it 1 year and 10 days ago at CPWM for $1.89 and held it maybe too long, we will see.

This style is scotch ale also called a wee heavy and brewed by Scottish Courage LTD in Edinburg, Scotland. It has an ABV of 8%. I used a pint glass and got a starting temp. of 55.0F-12.9C. I got a 2 1/2 inch large foamy light brown head that dissipated slowly with fair head lacing. There was little carbonation, the color was ruby brown that was a clear dark. Aromas were light caramel, cereal, light alcohol, light brown sugar, light smoke and light soy sauce (7). Tastes were barley, light caramel, cereal, light chocolate, light coffee, light honey, light nutty, light toasted, light brown sugar, light sherry, smoke and soy sauce (12). Initial flavors were a moderate sweet, finish flavors were a moderate to heavy sweet, a very light bitter and a light salty. Finish length was short, mouthfeel was oily and tongue hit was front to middle. It had fair body lacing and on our malt to hop scale I gave it a 2 which is almost all the way to the malt side. For the bottom line I got a yes to drinkable, so-so to repeatable due to the ABV, balance, harmony, memorable and buy again all got a yes. Wow factor got a so-so.

This beer is a malt lovers delight. The light bitterness at the finish may not have even been hops (many scotch ales use other botanicals for bitterness like heather). By mid glass I was at 62F and think this is really a 65-70 degree beer as it just keeps getting better as it warms. I also gave it The BeerFathers “Best Buy Award” for combining quality and price.

I have to check up on the interns now. The reason that the skin on your palm is torn and your hand hurts is that it is a crown cap, not a twist off. We issue you an opener and hang it on a chain around your neck (just like Cool Hand Luke) so use it. What do you mean you never heard of Cool Hand Luke? What kind of education have you had? It’s going to be a long night.

Note: In July 2008 some troll in Heineken, which bought Scottish Courage LTD and also Newcastle, “delisted” this fine ale. It is no longer available in this country. DAMM!!!!

McEwans Scotch Ale Rating: 8 out of 10 (?)


13 Comments (Add Your Comments)

  1. Nothing like a good scotch Ale :)

  2. Michael Wilson says:

    Just curious but how can you comment on a beer that you admit is over a year old? Okay so I finished your read and see that its no longer sold here but still….geesh. Any idea if Killkenney(probably butchered the spelling) is sold in the US yet?

  3. Dad says:

    Michael Wilson thanks for the comment. Google Kilkenny Beer and see the link to Wikipedia it says that it is not available in the U.S. . Sorry, but it is available in Canada. Hope this helps. Dad

  4. emesseClarl says:

    Could not find a suitable section so I written here, how to become a moderator for your forum, that need for this?

  5. Curt Indridson says:

    I live in the Buffalo, NY, USA area and cannot find a place to purchase McEwan’s Scotch ale. Can you hlep me?

  6. Ray Buckland says:

    I live in north central Ohio. My favorite beer, above ALL others, is McEwan’s Scotch Ale (stout). Suddenly it seems to have disappeared. Can anyone tell me what has happened to it? Please!

  7. Dave Hickman says:

    why is this product no longer exported to the US.

  8. I love this beer. It was the first beer I tasted, years go, that I truly enjoyed. It remains my personal favorite to this day. I’ve also found at least one petition circulating to resume exporting it to the United States: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/weeheavy/

  9. Chrissie says:

    The only way to get McEwan’s in Buffalo is to attend the Scottish Fest every year! Miss this Ale so much!

  10. martin s. says:

    mcewan’s scotch ale is the best damned drink i have ever had.
    just cant find it anymore.

  11. Scott says:

    McEwans Scotch Ale is going to start distribution in US hopefully in April 2013, Distributed by Belukus Marketing. Scotch Ale only to start !

  12. Dad says:

    Scott,
    Thanks for the info. on this great ale. I will look forward to getting this again. At least one wrong has been corrected.

    Dad BeerFather

  13. I’ve got confirmation via Twitter, McEwan’s will be back in the U.S. in April or May.

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