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Tonight is a milestone, our first reader-requested review. A few weeks ago, reader Dan D. sent me an e-mail saying that he really enjoys Moylan’s Kilt Lifter Scotch-Style Ale and suggested I review it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; if you want to read it, let me know, I’ll write it. I like doing reader-suggested reviews, because it’s hard for me to decide what beers to cover all the time and it also gets me to try new beers I’ve never had before, like Moylan’s Kilt Lifter. 
The Scottish style of ales break down into Light, Heavy, Export and the strongest versions called Scotch Ales also known as "Wee Heavy." In Scotland, in the 19th century each version was referred to by the cost of a pint respectively in the contemporary shilling currency, i.e. 60 shilling (light), 70 shilling (heavy), 80… (export) to 160+/- for the Wee Heavies. As has been common in many different cultures throughout the history or brewing and commerce, beer was priced according to alcohol content, so for example, you could order a pint of the 60 shilling which might be around 4% alcohol or the 160 shilling Wee Heavy which like Moylan’s Kilt Lifter hits 8% abv right on the button.
Kilt Lifter pours into my glass (a good old standard pint glass) just about the brownest, brown I’ve seen, pretty thoroughly opaque as well. A small head fizzles out quickly, leaving almost nothing behind. The smell is like a sweet puree of raisins in maple syrup. Scotch Ales traditionally get boiled for extended periods of time in order to caramelize the wort, which makes the beer darker and leaves behind a higher percentage of unfermentable sugars which produces a more rich and malty beer; and that becomes obvious in a beer like Kilt Lifter. This definitely a beer for people who don’t quite like that delicious hop bitterness. This is all about the malt. Kilt Lifter is full and sweet. The flavor profile is packed with that same raisin and maple combination. This is followed by a light sugariness which, amazingly, is sweet, but never cloying or unpleasant.
As a background note there’s a smokiness which is common to Scottish style ales, it creates another layer of flavor, giving this beer a mild complexity, enough to keep it interesting. There are many theories as to why Scottish Ales have this smoky flavor; some people think the long boil does that, others think it has to do with the ubiquitous peat moss in Scotland which might be present in the water used to traditionally brew these beers or any other aspect of the process. Some modern breweries try to emulate this through the use of peat-smoked malt. In my opinion, this generally doesn’t quite hit the mark. The smoke character is Kilt Lifter though is subtle and satisfying. At 8% abv you don’t taste the alcohol at all, which is nice as long as you know what you’re drinking, so pace yourself. Kilt Lifter comes in 22oz bottles or “bombers” as us nerds like to call them and I was able to finish it off myself, but over the course of about an hour and a half, so I could keep typing this.
Kilt Lifter is delicious; smooth, sweet and satisfying. As a Wee Heavy it is on the bigger end of the style, so it is fuller and higher in alcohol. If you like your beers thinner and more light-bodied look for lower alcohol versions of the style. A bomber of Kilt Lifter clocked in at about $6.50 for me and I’d tell you, if you like Scotch Ales, or think you might, it’s absolutely worth picking up. Moylan’s has pretty wide distribution, but if you don’t get them in your area there are plenty of Wee Heavy’s to be had, as due to their pleasant sweetness and fairly light body comparatively, many breweries produce their own versions of the style. A few common Wee Heavy’s are SkullSplitter from Orkney Brewery, McEwan’s Scotch Ale, Belhaven’s Wee Heavy, Arcadia Scotch Ale and Oscar Blues’ Old Chub. I’ll say it again, I’ve NEVER heard someone say they don’t like Old Chub, if you see those 12oz green tartan cans, don’t be apprehensive, go for it. If you think the lighter, lower abv Scottish Ales might be more up your alley, look for: Belhaven’s Scottish Ale, Odell’s 90 Shilling, Hibernator from Long Trail Brewing Co. or Robert The Bruce Scottish Ale from Three Floyd’s Brewing Co. An excellent choice throughout much of the country is Founders’ Dirty Bastard, a Wee Heavy at 8.3% abv, but retaining the lighter body of a standard Scottish Ale. Founders also makes a version aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels called Backwoods Bastard, and if you see it when it comes out in October, buy it. Backwoods is one my favorite beers I’ve ever had. Scottish Ales are great paired with a real meat & potatoes kind of meal, especially all sorts of game meat and birds. The bigger Wee Heavy’s are great with dessert or even AS dessert, as a nice night cap to relax with.
Scottish Ales bring a lot of big flavor and often complexity without having too much roastiness, bitterness, fullness or viscosity which are often the acquired tastes in the beer world. This balance is what makes Scottish Ales always such a good decision; they’re big and complex enough for any beer geek to dig their teeth into, but accessible and palatable enough to be shared with friends. I had never tried Kilt Lifter before tonight, and it definitely won’t be the last time, now. Dan, I want to say thanks for suggesting Kilt Lifter, I’m glad I tried it and I hope you enjoy the review as much as I enjoyed the beer!
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