Monday Night Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale Review

Name: Monday Night Drafty Kilt
Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
ABV: 7.2%

Tonight I'm trying out some beers that were sent to me via beer mail and the next beer on my list is Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale from Monday Night Brewing. Like Red Brick Brewing before it, this is another Atlanta-based brewery, which is where the guy who I received the beer mail is from. Since my first exposure to Georgia-based beer was a very good one, I'm curious to see how this turned out.

Drafty Kilt pours a dark brownish red color with a thin khaki colored head. The lacing is rather sparse and I'm not picking up on any visible carbonation.

The aroma starts off quite smoky, even by scotch ale standards, with a solid caramel malt base. Added in are some mild roasted barley notes just a touch of dry hops on the back end. Interestingly enough, I'm not picking up on any peated scotch in nose.

The flavor starts off very similarly to the aroma as it possesses a fairly smokey and roasty profile at first. However this gives way to a nice peated scotch and caramel malt sweetness with some dry hops and  a slight yet encompassing oaky taste.

The palate possesses a medium weighted body and some light carbonation as well. I would say this strikes a pretty good balance as far as texture goes.

After having this beer, I can more easily say that Atlanta knows how to make some good beer. The flavor does start out a bit roastier than usual but once you get passed that, the rest of the flavor really starts to shine through. If I'm ever down in Atlanta, I will be sure to check out more of Monday Night's offerings. As for anyone who has access to their lineup, I would say that this is definitely worth checking out.

Monday Night Drafty Kilt - 8.5/10

Red Brick 3 Bagger Review

Name: Red Brick 3 Bagger
Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.5%

Last week, I received some beer in the mail via beer trade and have slowly been working my way through all of them. For this review, I'll be looking at 3 Bagger, part of the Brick Mason Series from Red Brick Brewing Company based out of Atlanta, GA.

This is a Tripel-style ale but with a twist: It's aged in rum barrels, much like Capital's Jobu. Since this is my first time dabbling in anything from Atlanta's Craft Beer Scene and having never had a rum barrel-aged Tripel before, I'm very curious to see how this turned out. Plus in addition to drinking beer, I just so happen to enjoy rum.

3 Bagger pours a hazy golden color with a snow white soapy head. The visible carbonation is on the moderate side and there is no lacing left behind to speak of.

The nose starts off with a very strong vanilla and belgian yeast aroma with some notes of oak, rum raisin, butterscotch and caramel malts. Sure enough, it smells like someone took a shot of Sailor Jerry rum and and poured it into a Tripel.

The flavor is comparable to the nose. Upfront you have some very pronounced vanilla, Belgian yeast and oakiness notes with some rum raisin, butterscotch and caramelized malts on the back of the palate. The aftertaste is a mix of caramel malts, belgian yeasts and vanilla-oak. There is also some mild hoppiness here but it's almost completely eclipsed by everything else.

The palate is fairly moderate in terms of body weight and the carbonation is also fairly moderate. Considering the flavor as a whole, it fits in quite well and adds some dimension to what I consider to be an already complex tasting beer.

This is truly unlike any other Tripel that I have ever had before and I love it! It gives a great first impression in the nose and the flavor is wonderfully robust and complex. Any diehard Tripel fan will love this beer as well as anyone looking for something off the beaten path in terms of style.

This may be my first beer (hopefully not the last) from Red Brick, but to anyone in Atlanta reading this, you guys are lucky to have Red Brick in your neighborhood!

Red Brick 3 Bagger - 9.5/10