What They Say: “Kilt Lifter is brewed in the long tradition of smooth, full bodied Scottish ales. It is marked by a warm balance of hop and malt, with the slightest hint of peat-smoked barley. A traditional touch for a fine ale whose merits are many.”

Website: The overall web design leaves something to be desired. Everything is nudged to the left resulting in an odd amount of empty space that takes up 40% of the screen. The intra-site links lead to the usual array of newsletter sign-ups, an infrequently updated blog, men/women’s apparel and a way-too-short synopsis of their beers.

Why I Picked It: During That Bootleg Family’s visit to Arizona, we spent an evening with the Mysterious Mr. & Mrs. S, who recently relocated to Glendale from San Diego. Always the gracious hosts, they offered us two different homemade appetizers followed by an entrée of bacon n’ blue cheese sliders. A bottle of Kilt Lifter hit my hand the moment I walked through the door.

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Presentation (5): The logo is deliciously risqué without ever crossing over to ribald. The “Kilt Lifter” name isn’t all that original – as I’ve since discovered – but, considering this is one of Four Peaks’ signature lines, the branding is clever enough to attract young drinkers and familiar enough to keep ‘em coming back. 5

Originality (5): It’s a Scottish Ale with a Scottish-tinged logo and the word “Scottish” in its name. If my random Google search for “Scottish ale” is any indication, then these are traits the beer industry requires of ALL Scottish ales released in America. 1

Body (10): It pours a slightly cloudy amber with a thin head not unlike the color of a comfortable pair of khaki pants. Decent, but unspectacular, lacing. Very similar to the mass-produced amber ales out there, which isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I’d put this slightly ahead of the mean. 6

Taste (10): Toasty with a level of sweetness that might be too strong for some, but was pure liquid Goodness to me. The caramel and toffee gradually give way to a malty, creamy, smoky mouthfeel that finishes with light citrus kick. I know the words “crisp” and “clean” are usually synonymous with commercialized light beers, but when the adjectives fit… 10

Efficiency (10): I finished three bottles over two dinner courses. Truly one of the more drinkable beers I’ve had in that the higher-than-average ABV isn’t the least bit noticeable until you’re well into a six pack. Its smoothness and minimal aftertaste only help its case. 10

Versatility (10): Simple enough to be enjoyed by the pitcher at happy hour, with just enough complexity to be appreciated by more tolerant beer snobs. It’s fitting that Kilt Lifter is only available in Arizona, as I can’t imagine a better beer for the state’s eight months of 212° weather. 9

Grade: 41 (out of 50) – Great beer

“Founders flagship beer. Dirty Bastard is an absolute beautiful beer to behold. Dark ruby in color and brewed with ten varieties of imported malts this beer continuously lives up to its reputation as a bold and powerful ale. Dirty Bastard is complex in the finish with hints of smoke and peat paired with a malty richness, finalized with a good bit of hop attitude. This beer ain’t fer the wee lads.”

Website: The main menu of the site is a montage page with a cycling photograph of the brewery/beers/etc., a calendar with events listed, a list of what’s currently on tap at the brewery, and a quick paragraph about the brewery. Links for Beer Styles, Tour, Taproom (essentially an on-site bar with all of their beers), and the like are at the top. For each beer style, Founders tells you the ABV, IBUs, serving glassware, and how long they age it before bottling, among other tidbits. The pages are somewhat small, though, and the whole thing—while not noisy—looks like most microbrewery websites: an afterthought.

Why This One, Show?: Easy—it’s a strong ale aged in bourbon wood. I can say with certainty two things—one: I will try this beer, and two: I will enjoy it. Plus, as I’m trying to position myself as the wood-aged expert of Those Beer Snobs, I figure I better get to writing about as many of these as I can. Preposition.

First Thoughts:

Head: rapidly dissipating dark reddish brown/brown.

Nose: Molasses, fruit, maybe a little vanilla?

Color: Dark, dark, red-stained brown.

Presentation (5): This beer comes in a squat brown bottle, with a picture of a grizzled, Merlin-bearded man on it. On his head is a wide-brimmed hat and slung over his shoulder is a double-bladed axe. This is the kind of man that looks like he’s going to skin you if you come near his prospecting camp…even though it’s 40 years after the mine dried up. It pours out a nice dark color, with a good aroma of sweet molasses and fruit, and a ruddy brown head that quickly fades away. Can’t turn down a quality wood-aged beer. (4)

Originality (5): This entry in the growing field of wood-aged beers (this one is done in bourbon barrels) has been around for at least two years. It’s a wood-aged Scotch Ale, as opposed to the usual stouts and barley wines. Wood-aging beers is still the territory of the most passionate brewers, so originality is still claimed here. (4)

Body (10): The sweet flavor spreads out in the mouth, tingling across the tongue. It’s a bit heavy, and that’s to be expected from this type of brew, but it never overwhelms or feels like you’re drinking three-course meal. There’s a slight thickness, and a tad syrupy due to the virtually no carbonation. Body lasts from start to finish of the sip. As the beer warms in the glass, it loses the syrupy bit. (7)

Taste (10): There’s a taste of sweet molasses, a bit of dark fruit (think raisin, dates, etc.), and as the sip passes through the mouth, the bourbon essence is revealed. It’s subtle, yet pronounced, and the flavors are a great blend. There’s the usual alcohol kick at the end of the sip that’s common in strong beers, but due to the wood-aging it’s much smoother that one would think. Hop bitterness is faded due to the wood-aging as well, and Scotch Ales are malty by nature. Thumbs up. (8)

Efficiency (10): With a deceptively sweet taste and an ABV of 10.2%, this old bastard will axe you long before your body decides you’ve had enough. But in this case, “enough,” will be about three. This isn’t something you can drink a lot of, but you won’t need to, either. The taste creeps into too-sweet territory the more you drink; you’d be hard-pressed to get through three of these at a time without something in between (water, different beer, etc). Bottom line: it’ll get the job done, and pretty quick. (9)

Versatility (10): As with most strong beers, there’s a little versatility here. If you’re looking for something to have one or two of in an evening, this is great. In addition, the sweetness of the beer makes it an easy go-to option for pairing for a rich dessert or cheese plate. This isn’t an all-nighter, it’s a good-nighter. (5)

Final grade: 37 (out of 50) – Really Good Beer