Robin Shepard
Brewmaster Rob LoBreglio figures he and his staff at the Great Dane have made more than 2,000 different beers since opening in 1994. Madison's oldest brewpub celebrates its 25th year in business this month by releasing a bold, barrel-aged Scotch ale.
What is it? 25th Anniversary Scotch ale from the Great Dane Pub and Brewery.
Style: Scotch ales are a showcase for deep, rich, malty character. They are reddish brown to dark bronze, often with hints of caramel, chocolate and bready sweetness. Above all, smooth roasted notes come from dark, bready malts. Hops are usually not a major factor in the style, with just enough to balance the sweetness. Some brewers make Scotch ales with peat-smoked malts; these contribute a roasted background accent. However, too much smoke and the beer will fall into a Rauchbier category. Scotch ales can be quite strong, ranging from 6.5-to-8.5 percent ABV.
Background: The Great Dane’s 25th Anniversary Scotch ale is based on its popular Stone of Scone Scotch ale, LoBreglio’s oldest recipe. He created it during his first job as a brewmaster at Kidder’s Pub and Eatery in Fort Myers, Florida, in the early 1990s. That style, says LoBreglio, “has always had a cult following of those looking for big malt-forward beers.”
For the big anniversary, LoBreglio ramped up the recipe of Stone of Scone, showcasing the English Maris Otter malt. “I’m a malt guy,”admits LoBreglio, “and I’d be dammed if I didn’t do something with a deep malty base that pushes things to an extreme.”
LoBreglio brewed the beer to 25 degrees Plato (a measure of density and amount of sugar available to ferment) in a nod to the brewery’s birthday. Generally Scotch ales fall around 16-18 degrees Plato. LoBreglio made this Scotch ale closer to the strength of a strong barleywine.
This milestone beer has been in the works for some time. It was brewed back on November 14, 2018, on the brewpub’s previous birthday. It fermented for five weeks before it was moved into oak barrels that had been used to make single malt Scotch in the Speyside region of Scotland. LoBreglio had them shipped from Scotland to Wisconsin. When they arrived, they were still wet with Scotch.
LoBreglio specifically looked for barrels that had been used to make a mild, clean, single-malt Scotch, without peat-smoked malts. “I wanted the pure oak of the barrel and the smooth mild Scotch,” he says. The beer remained in those barrels for nearly 11 months before it was bottled in 22-ounce commemorative bombers.
The Great Dane’s 25th Anniversary Scotch ale finishes at 11.6 percent ABV. The beer is being released on the Great Dane’s Anniversary, November 14, beginning at 4 p.m. All Great Dane locations should have bottles; a limited amount will be served on tap. It sells for $25/bottle and $10 for 12-ounce snifters.
Also to mark its anniversary, The Great Dane will pull other well-aged and unique beers out of its cellar. You’ll find special releases at all of their pubs. LoBreglio says he’s not pre-determining what comes out of the cellar other than he guarantees surprises. Furthermore, The Great Dane will be offering other specials to mark the occasion including a pub crawl of all four Madison locations on November 15.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Inviting rich maltiness. Hints of chocolate, caramel and subtle touch of Scotch.
- Appearance: Deep bronze to black color. A medium soft tan head.
- Texture: Full-bodied round softness, with alcohol warmth that builds over a glass.
- Taste: Layers of malty complexity. Caramel notes are up front; these give way to chocolate and toffee. It all blends smoothly with the oak, vanilla and mild warm Scotch.
- Finish/Aftertaste: The warmth of the 11.6 percent ABV lingers, mixing with the softness of oaky notes and the sweetness of Scotch and supported by the bready semi-sweetness of the Maris Otter malt.
Glassware: The brandy snifter will focus the malty aroma and encourage a slow savoring of the malt and warmth from the barrel.
Pairs well with: hearty dishes featuring sweet meats and stews; soft, buttery cheeses. It’s also excellent on its own to gain a sense for its rich malty complexity. It goes well with hearty dishes featuring sweet meats and stews, and quite nice with soft, buttery cheeses.
The Verdict: Wonderfully warm and malt-centric. The accent of the single malt Scotch and touch of clean oak is incredible with the Maris Otter malt in the beer. It is an inviting sipping beer — take your time to appreciate the layers of malt and barrel-aged complexity. Those flavors come in waves and change with every sip. What I like most is that the barrel’s woody vanilla and warm spirit flavors remain as an accent, as opposed to some bourbon barrel aged beers where the bourbon overwhelms everything else. This beer is definitely a candidate for aging. However, it’s so rich and balanced right now, it may be at its best right now.
