Highway 78 Scotch Ale by Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port Carlsbad

Highway 78 Scotch Ale. Collaboration by Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port Carlsbad. Brewed at Stone. Escondido, San Diego County, California.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
AHTOH (47) - San Diego, USA - MAR 1, 2011

12 ounce bottle. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours deep copper with an amber/ruby hue. Head is beige, about 1 finger, short to medium duration, and settles to thin film on surface.

AROMA: Most prominent aroma is chicory coffee. Light roast. Some cardboard. Subtle hops in background, which seem like earthy hops. Hint of caramelized sugar.

TASTE: Charred wood, like beech wood, which lends hint of smoke. Nutty. Wet dirt (ie, earthy notes). Light caramel with yeasty notes. Subtle peppercorn-like spice character, though without heat. Hop flavor, which seems grassy, is faint. Hint of bitterness on finish, though more of a roasted barley type of bitterness than hop bitterness.

MOUTH FEEL: Quite quaffable for the abv; alcohol well masked. Nice carbonation. Grainy, dry finish.

OVERALL: Drinks like an imperial nut brown ale that has notes of chicory, very light smoke, and earthy character. Expected bit more caramel malt. Less body than expected.