The Scotch in a very local brand I discovered four years ago in a café in Sankt Vith, where it is created - and stumbled upon again during a recent revisit to the German speaking part of Belgium. Thick and foamy, pale yellowish beige, frothy, moussey head on top of a dark and deep chocolate brown robe with burgundy-ruddy glow. Aroma of caramel candy, dry forest floor, fried oyster mushrooms, dried figs, toast, prunes, overripe medlar (pronounced), damp earth, clove, 'jenever', tea, dry moss. Sweetish onset, dark-fruity, hinting at prune, medlar and pear, medium carbonated with smooth mouthfeel, quite full in comparison with many other examples of this style - but not in a satiating or 'heavy' way of course. Caramelly core with brown- and eventually bitter toasted-bready edges, the latter reinforced by a dose of leafy hops; dried fruitiness lingers along an earthy touch, a glimpse of phenolic clove and a very subtle accent of warming, 'jenever'-like alcohol, but everything remains quite gentle and well tied together. Technically well made - Scotch ale is still relatively popular in Ostbelgien, I have noticed, and this certainly is one of the better examples of the region, if not the best.

33cl bottle from Delhaize in St. Vith, Belgium.
F: big, tanned, quick gone.
C: dark, opaque.
A: dark malts, caramel, dark fruits, bit whisky.
T: medium malty base, light caramel bready, bi dark dried fruits, cocoa, smoked touch, medium carbonation, good for the style, enjoyed.