Before we start off talking about this
beer, one thing needs to be set straight. It’s not really a Scottish ale,
not in the traditional sense of the word anyway. When you lift a Grant’s
Scottish ale to your lips, you won’t be reminded of Belhaven,
Golden Promise, or Caledonian, all true Scottish ales from the
mother country whose name the style bears. Those beers all feature a
slightly darker, sweeter maltiness to them, while Grant’s version has
more of a rich, candyish crystal malt character.
No, when Bert Grant set out to brew a Scottish ale, he did it in his own
idiosyncratic fashion, as was his habit in most things. He reasoned that
since he was born in Scotland and he brewed the beer, it was therefore
Scottish ale. Not exactly perfect logic, of course, since if followed to its
logical conclusion all of Bert’s beers would be Scottish ales. Given
that the beer is as good as it is, however, we will allow Bert his flight of
fancy.
Especially since Grant’s Scottish Ale is a beer that got Bert into a
spot of trouble with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF).
You see, beer is food. And though most people don’t consider that to be an
axiom, I do and so did Bert. As such, Grant decided back in 1993 to include
nutrition information on the labels of his Scottish Ale, much the same as
you see on a box of cereal or can of soup. A 12-ounce serving of Scottish
ale would yield the drinker the following percentages of their daily
requirements:
Vitamin B2 4.6%
Vitamin B12 170%
Niacin 14.6%
Folacin 62.5%
In addition, the label informed the drinker that beer has no fat or
cholesterol, listed carbohydrate content at 12.7 grams and calories at 145.
All this is very useful information that a drinker should have the right to
know, right? The BATF didn’t think so. They put intense pressure on Grant to
stop the practice, and forbade the sale of any of his Scottish ale bearing
labels with nutrition facts.
I don’t know about you, but I put beer in my body, making it no different
from any other food or drink. Why, then, can’t I know the nutritional
information about my favorite brew? Unfortunately, because the BATF says I
can’t. Cheers to Grant for battling them as much as he could.
He paid for it dearly, both in legal fees, time and resources, and
harassment from BATF that included orders to change the label for his
Spiced Ale, and reclassifying Grant’s Cider as a wine.
One fact that appears on the label (and still does today) is erroneous. It
calls this a rich, real, ale in the tradition of Scotland. This is a
rich ale, but it is not real ale. Real ale is defined as ale
conditioned with yeast in the container from which it is dispensed. Grant’s
Scottish ale would need to be bottle conditioned for this to be true; it is
not.
Today, Bert Grant is no longer with us, but his Scottish ale lives on. It’s
a delicious American take on the style with a very loose interpretation. It
may not be a great Scottish ale, but it is a very fine ale indeed
when taken on its own merits. It’s a favorite brew of mine that frequently
holds a place in my refrigerator, right next to the hot dogs with 150
calories each, 15 grams of fat, and less nutritional value than any of
Bert’s brews.
Grant’s Scottish Ale pours to a bright orange color with a huge,
thick and creamy head formation and an enticing candy-malt nose. The
mouthfeel is full and rich with lots of caramel malt body. The caramel
hinting palate is infused with a light floral Cascade hoppiness, then
gradually gives way to a bitter, lingering citric hop finish. Immensely
drinkable, this is a great beer to accompany a rib eye steak, nicely
seasoned, or any red meat dish.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler