Greetings, dear readers! I hope you're staying warm on this frigid day in Arizona.
It's been a while since I did a beer review, and today's selection is a Scottish-style ale from Four Peaks, a Tempe-based brewery. Appropriately enough, the brew is called Kilt Lifter. I purchased a six pack of Kilt Lifter after trying one in a sampler six-pack, deciding that I liked it. I was lucky to purchase the six pack when I did, as a few weeks ago, I read on the news that Four Peaks was bought out by Anheuser-Busch. We all know what happens when a conglomerate corporation like Anheuser-Busch eats up a craft microbrewery like Four Peaks: the quality of the craft beer goes right down the toilet.
In light of the buyout, I'm enjoying this beer for what may well be the last time it's produced here independently. At first taste, my mouth picked up immediately on the high level of yeast in this beer. It tasted like a loaf of good bread. There are hops and malt to level things out, though. The hops are not great in number, as the beer is not very bitter, but the malt picks up where the hops drop off and ensure a great degree of palatable drink. It's color is a very nice amber brown, and a relatively low alcohol content of 6% makes this a pleasant beer to enjoy.
Four Peaks's website describes Kilt Lifter as having an aroma of "Sweet Malt, Caramel, Toffee" and the flavor as being "Malty Sweet, with Toasted, Smokey Notes". I did not detect any of the notes mentioned in the aroma, most likely because I am still a novice beer drinker and the various subtleties of taste and odors still elude me. But to their credit, I did detect a hint of toasting in the taste of the beer. My palette is learning to discern different tastes.
As for what kinds of foods pair well with Kilt Lifter, the brewery's website recommended BBQ and wild game in addition to strong cheeses like Gruyere and Jarlsberg. I had this beer with a bowl of chili made from tamale meat (beef chuck roast) and while it was not exactly BBQ, it was close enough for me. It was not bad, but I do NOT recommend drinking this beer with tamales (of which my husband and I have been flooded with thanks to our good Mexican neighbors who sell us bags of tamales for $15/dozen). Kilt Lifter will end up distorting the the taste of the corn masa and fillings.
As it stands right now, I'm pretty pleased with this brew. I will buy another six pack of Kilt Lifter after the buyout is completed and see how much the formula has changed, if at all. As my husband likes to say, "science must be served"
For more information on Four Peaks Brewery, check out their website here.
As always, please drink responsibly.
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| Kilt Lifter beer. Pic found here |
It's been a while since I did a beer review, and today's selection is a Scottish-style ale from Four Peaks, a Tempe-based brewery. Appropriately enough, the brew is called Kilt Lifter. I purchased a six pack of Kilt Lifter after trying one in a sampler six-pack, deciding that I liked it. I was lucky to purchase the six pack when I did, as a few weeks ago, I read on the news that Four Peaks was bought out by Anheuser-Busch. We all know what happens when a conglomerate corporation like Anheuser-Busch eats up a craft microbrewery like Four Peaks: the quality of the craft beer goes right down the toilet.
In light of the buyout, I'm enjoying this beer for what may well be the last time it's produced here independently. At first taste, my mouth picked up immediately on the high level of yeast in this beer. It tasted like a loaf of good bread. There are hops and malt to level things out, though. The hops are not great in number, as the beer is not very bitter, but the malt picks up where the hops drop off and ensure a great degree of palatable drink. It's color is a very nice amber brown, and a relatively low alcohol content of 6% makes this a pleasant beer to enjoy.
Four Peaks's website describes Kilt Lifter as having an aroma of "Sweet Malt, Caramel, Toffee" and the flavor as being "Malty Sweet, with Toasted, Smokey Notes". I did not detect any of the notes mentioned in the aroma, most likely because I am still a novice beer drinker and the various subtleties of taste and odors still elude me. But to their credit, I did detect a hint of toasting in the taste of the beer. My palette is learning to discern different tastes.
As for what kinds of foods pair well with Kilt Lifter, the brewery's website recommended BBQ and wild game in addition to strong cheeses like Gruyere and Jarlsberg. I had this beer with a bowl of chili made from tamale meat (beef chuck roast) and while it was not exactly BBQ, it was close enough for me. It was not bad, but I do NOT recommend drinking this beer with tamales (of which my husband and I have been flooded with thanks to our good Mexican neighbors who sell us bags of tamales for $15/dozen). Kilt Lifter will end up distorting the the taste of the corn masa and fillings.
 |
| Kilt Lifter is not bad for an Arizona brew. It's one of the few ales I've actually enjoyed drinking! |
As it stands right now, I'm pretty pleased with this brew. I will buy another six pack of Kilt Lifter after the buyout is completed and see how much the formula has changed, if at all. As my husband likes to say, "science must be served"
For more information on Four Peaks Brewery, check out their website here.
As always, please drink responsibly.
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