Style: Scotch ale
Brewery: Westerbotten Bryggeri
Origin: Umeå
Size: 33cl
Alcohol: 7.4%
Price: 30kr
Systembolaget: 31026
Westerbotten Bryggeri sprung up from home brewing roots back in 2014 and has continued to be a fixture of the Umeå beer scene since. This is the most recent beer they have released, originally coming out in December 2020. This is produced using barley malt, cane sugar, yeast and traditional English East Kent Golding and Pilgrim hops. As I wanted some darker beers in the tasting, I thought this would be the perfect fit. It is also a relatively rare style in the Swedish beer market, which is always fun to show the guests. I had tried this before the tasting and I knew it was a winner, so it seemed an obvious choice!
This was red to toffee coloured with a cream coloured head which had great retention. The aroma was light but pleasant, with an enjoyable raisin, prune, tobacco and molasses blend in the nostrils. The body was thick, with a boisterous dried fruits note dominating the sweet fudge and tar upon tasting. The 7.4% was hardly noticeable, which could be slightly dangerous given how easy it is to drink! It really coated the glass and palate well, with a slightly sticky edge to it. The aftertaste was fairly long, with a pronounced sweetness that was balanced nicely with the earthy hops.
This is definitely a sipping beer to be enjoyed over a long period. It is best described as a blanket in liquid form. Thick, decadent but still light enough to be enjoyed without fuss, this is a really well-made Scotch ale. I think this may be my favourite beer from Westerbotten currently, and I really should buy this more often. This was a favourite among the guests and I can understand why!