Traquair House Brewery
Microbrewery in Innerleithen, Scottish Borders, Scotland 🏴
Established in 1965
Contact
Description
Traquair House is the oldest inhabitat house in Scotland and dates back to 1107 and has been lived in by the Stuart family since 1491. Traquair House Brewery lies in the wing of the house directly underneath the Chapel. It dates back to the early 1700’s and was originally a domestic brewery serving the house and the estate. It was disused in the early 1800’s but never dismantled. It gradually filled with the family junk until it was completely forgotten.
Peter Maxwell Stuart rediscovered the brewery in the early 1960’s and began brewing again as an experiment in 1965 using all the original equipment and fermenting the ales in the original oak tuns, some of which were over 200 years old. In 1990, following Peter’s death, his daughter, Catherine, took over the running of the brewery and it was expanded in 1994. Traquair employs 2 full time brewers and its rich dark ales are now exported all over the world although production remains tiny at only 1,000 hectalites a year.
Peter Maxwell Stuart rediscovered the brewery in the early 1960’s and began brewing again as an experiment in 1965 using all the original equipment and fermenting the ales in the original oak tuns, some of which were over 200 years old. In 1990, following Peter’s death, his daughter, Catherine, took over the running of the brewery and it was expanded in 1994. Traquair employs 2 full time brewers and its rich dark ales are now exported all over the world although production remains tiny at only 1,000 hectalites a year.
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bouteille. Nez malté de caramel toffee bien sucré aux notes fumées et terreuses, de réglisse noire, fruité (confitures de prunes sucrées, notes de raisins), épicé (coriandre) et herbeux avec des notes d’alcool doux liquoreux et de chocolat. Rondeur moyenne en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture crémeuse et légèrement liquoreuse. Goût fruité très légèrement sûr (prunes et léger de raisins aux notes vineuses avec des notes de pommes vertes et de mûres), assez épicé (coriandre, notes de gomme de pin et de poivre) lors de l’entrée en bouche suivi d’un goût malté de caramel toffee sucré (rôti et notes fumées, notes de bonbon sucré) parallèlement à un goût d’alcool moyen-doux liquoreux, léger de réglisse noire et de chocolat noir qui aboutit à une finale assez herbeuse, un peu sèche de noix et légèrement amère de houblon herbeux (petites notes résineuses) et avec de faibles notes de café. Arrière-goût moyen-long et un peu sec, légèrement amer de houblon herbeux et d’alcool doux (avec des notes de rôti et de chocolat), avec des notes sèches de noix et une légère aigreur fruitée (moût de prunes, de raisins et pelures de pommes) et épicé. [notes 2005]
Tried
on 06 Mar 2016
at 22:38
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bouteille. Nez malté de caramel toffee sucré (légèrement rôti et terreux, aux notes fumées) avec des notes de chocolat et de sucre brun, légèrement fruité (notes de raisins, de dates et traces de cassis) et avec des notes de houblon herbeux, d’alcool très doux, de noix et boisées. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture crémeuse. Goût fruité légèrement boisé (dates, léger de raisins, traces de prunes et de cerises noires) avec de faibles notes de vanille et d’épices (faibles notes de clou de girofle?) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût malté moyennement sucré et terreux de caramel toffee (présence de rôti-brûlé) avec un léger goût de chocolat noir puis vient enduite une moyenne amertume asséchante de houblon herbeux, d’alcool très doux ainsi qu’un léger goût de fumée boisée et des notes de noix. Arrière-goût long et un peu sec, moyennement amer de houblon herbeux, de rôti, d’alcool très doux avec des notes de noix, de fumée boisée et fruité (moût de raisins). [notes 2005]
Tried
on 06 Mar 2016
at 22:36
6.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
*Old rating from 2010. Nice dry but roasted beer. Ale, dark roast, round. Easy to drink, round and nice.
Tried
on 28 Feb 2016
at 14:34
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Review based on the BJCP2015 guidelines (style 17C). Bottle 33 cl - Batch unknown. AROMA: prominent alcohol aroma mixed with moderate malt presence with toasty notes and mild dark caramel. medium-low presence of esters remembering dried plums and grapes. no hop discernible. no diacetyl. APPEARANCE: dark brown color and translucent. moderate-low dark ivory head with medium-low to loe retention. some leg formation. TASTE: malt flavor with notes similar to aroma with medium intensity (toasty, caramel). peppery alcohol present in balance with the malt. esters very faint of dark raisins and plums. low bitterness with a semi-sweet finish. no hop flavor discernible. PALATE: medium-low body with medium-low carbonation. alcohol warmth present but in moderate strength. OVERALL: a wee-heavy with a nice blend of aromas and flavors, with a present alcohol note. would benefit with a bit mode body, carbonation and caramel aroma.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Feb 2016
at 15:06
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from Connollys Wines, Solihull. Poured a clear medium brown with a thin broken off white head. The aroma is sweet malt, creamy caramel toffee. The flavour is moderate sweet with a rich red berry fruit, light alcohol bitter palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Feb 2016
at 15:49
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Bottle at home thanks to ShivanDragon who gave this to me for Secret Sinterklaas. Dark brown almost black beer, small head. Aroma is malt, caramel, fruit, wood. Taste is the same quite sweet.. nice one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Jan 2016
at 14:45
6/10
Tried
on 03 Jan 2016
at 09:31
5.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Bottle from Legacy Liquor, Vancouver
Dark brown color with compact beige head, not persistent. Mild aroma, some sugar and some vegetables, not well developed. Lean body, with very light residual sweetness; quite smooth; it has a nice flavor of dark caramel with a nutty touch; but the malts are shy overall; in the final there are tiny traces of vegetables, fennel, liquorice, and the feeling is weaker; low bitterness.
Unachieved.
Dark brown color with compact beige head, not persistent. Mild aroma, some sugar and some vegetables, not well developed. Lean body, with very light residual sweetness; quite smooth; it has a nice flavor of dark caramel with a nutty touch; but the malts are shy overall; in the final there are tiny traces of vegetables, fennel, liquorice, and the feeling is weaker; low bitterness.
Unachieved.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2015
at 19:13
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Great balance. Tastes like a Belgian dark. Light smoke and some tobacco. Light floral and a hint of peat. Dark brown pour with great head and lacing. Light tangy and sweet finish. Bottle at the strath.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2015
at 19:52
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Mørk brun med rødskjær, to fingre høyt lys brunt skum. Lukter nøtter, mørke frukter og lett brent karamell. Middels fylde. Smaker bittert, kakaobønner, kaffe og bent karamell, noe salt. Den salte litt brente karamellen sitter igjen.
Tried
on 18 Dec 2015
at 10:35