Originally published in BEER January 2006
ABV 5 per cent
Origin Munlochy, Highland, Scotland
Buy from local Tesco, specialist beer and organic shops
Mail order 01463 811871, www.blackislebrewery.com
Black Isle Organic Scotch Ale
There’s something of a beer renaissance going on in Scotland, with a vibrant micro scene busily innovating as well as reinventing the country’s own distinctive traditional styles. Bottled beers are also playing their part, perhaps unsurprisingly given the cachet of the words “produit d’Ecosse” in the export market.
But sadly, real ale in a bottle remains a rarity. The current Good Bottled Beer Guide lists only three brewers north of the border bottling live beer and one of those, Isle of Skye, offers only a seasonal summer wheat beer.
The second, Bridge of Allan, is responsible for the fine Brig o’Allan 80% which won praise in this column back in 2002 and has gone on to win awards at the Scottish beer festival. The brewery has now added several new organic RAIBs including a porridge oat stout and a ginger-flavoured beer, but sadly sample bottles weren’t available at the time of going to press.
Several other brewers north of the border are also serving the organic market: the only other brewer offering a range of bottled real ales is a dedicated organic specialist. The “intensely independent” Black Isle Brewery was founded by David Gladwin in 1998 at Allangrange, right up in the north near Inverness, on the Black Isle between the firths of Moray and Cromarty.
It now offers four bottle conditioned beers: a wheat beer, a blond and the two review bottles. Organic Scotch Ale and Organic Porter. These are beers you’re as likely to see on the shelves of trendy organic supermarket Fresh & Wild as in a beer shop.
Over the years I’ve found the beers distinctive and vivid but also sometimes a little raw and sharp-edged. The yeast in the sample bottles simply wouldn’t settle and the Scotch Ale came out a very murky, muddy colour, though with a rich off-white head and an attractive aroma with banana milk shake notes.
If you’re hoping for a real bottled version of a traditional malty heavy, you’re in for a surprise: the unusual flavours result partly from the use of whisky-style peated malt and bog myrtle, alongside pale, crystal and wheat malt and Challenger and Goldings hops. The sweetish, gingery palate has acidic orange flavours and a curious herbal cough sweet note, leading to a roasty finish.
There’s a similar sharpness to the Porter but here it’s more appropriate to the style. A complex grist contains malted wheat and oats alongside pale, crystal and chocolate malts, Challenger and Goldings hops.
The result is is a dark brown beer with a black coffee aroma and a gravy-like malty palate with roast and liquorice notes. The finish is roastier still with chocolate, malt syrup and faint burry hops.
Read more about these beers at ratebeer.com:
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/black-isle-organic-scotch-ale/16468/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/black-isle-organic-porter/16268/
Leave a Reply