July Beer of the Month: Traquair House Ale

It’s been some time between the last Beer of the Month and this one, so much so that I’ve actually got a few to catch up on. There’s always the fortnightly Beer O’Clock posts on Not PC, for those of you who are missing a recommendation.

July’s beer was the smooth 7.2% House Ale from Traquair of Scotland. Not bad for a bunch of old Jacobites. Enough with the guff, here’s the low-down:

Tasted 10/06/2006. 330ml bottle from Rumble’s, Wellington.
Dark brown with ruby highlights. Tan foam rises, then diminshes to a soapy film with light lacing. Carbonation minimal. Mild port-like nose of poached plums - both sweet flesh and some sharper skin notes - with old fashioned oranges. Nicely balanced in the mouth: fruity esters, lightly tannic wood notes, toasty specialty grains, late season bitter oranges, and a sweet caramel base. The flavours come and go, mingling perfectly, getting better as I get through it - until it’s gone.... Woody notes linger, with a slight peppery note late on. Full and soft. Here’s tae us. (4.2)

Other highly recommended beers from a dark and delicious month of July:

• Emerson’s Bourbon Porter (4.3)


• Scotch Silly (4.3)


• Limburg Porter (3.5)