Trout River Hoppin' Mad Trout

I sampled this last week along with Trout River's Scottish style ale. I was not exactly impressed with either of the beers, of which were purchased at the Winooski Beverage warehouse just two weeks ago. Thanks to Janna and Dan to having me down at their cottage in Ludlow, VT. I was still able to take a few notes and sample some good beers during my weekend getaway.

Alcohol Content: ~5.0% (not verified)
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: $9.00/ 6-pack
Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a Shaker pint glass

Aroma: Toasted malt body is semi-sweet, like cereal grains such as a grainy bread-crust. Hops are not the showcase, perhaps too cold or due to aging. They hide a light floral, perfumey aroma. Diacetyl noted as caramel (not from grain) or toffee/ butterscotch notes and are unwanted. Fruity esters potentially mask the hop character as well, but the malt backbone is still apparent.
Appearance: Crooked label and no brew date. Effervescent bubbling subsides after about a minute. Moderately hazy golden amber with an orange glow. Off-white head with poor retention. Bubbles stick to the sides of the glass - dirty/ dusty.
Flavor: Toasted malt sweetness. Balanced more towards malty sweetness, with notes of caramel and toasted grain. Diacetyl distinguishable from the caramel malt flavors. No real hop presence in flavors, besides light perfume-like character/ geranium flowers. Slightly unpleasant metallic off-flavor from bottle.
Mouthfeel: Light body with moderate carbonation that falls out of solution and makes the beer seem flat after a couple of minutes. Diacetyl slickness about mid palate and lingers on the roof of the mouth. Mildly acrid or harsh bitterness from hops. Finish and aftertaste are dry. Not quite clean, probably from lack of balance and off-flavors.
Overall Impression: A lighter style ale for the warmer months, with not as much of a hop presence as the name suggests. Bitterness is still very apparent but I feel the hop aroma and flavor may have been altered with potential age. No date on the bottle label. Brewing date is a must (not a fresh by date, as some beers are appropriate for aging).

Trout River Scottish Style Ale

This version of a Scottish ale is brewed with nine different malts, providing lots of depth and character for a style that should showcase its malty side while keeping hops low - because hops are not native to the region and were traditionally expensive to buy. Trout River brews are typically hard to find on tap with the exception of Rainbow Red. Bottled versions can be found at the Winooski Beverage Warehouse or comparable. The bottle labels are somewhat obscure but attractive.

Alcohol Content: ~ 5.9% (not verified)
IBU: ?
Malts: (nine)
Hops: ?

Price: ~ $2.00/ individual bottle
Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a small water glass


Aroma: Chocolate malt strikes the nose first, followed by a moderately roasted grain with deep caramel and bready notes to follow. Truly a great deal of depth but its likely some malts are clouded or do not contribute as much as others. Fermentation character is strong, house-like (in other words distinct to the brewery). I get dried fruit and raisiny esters. No hop aroma. Some butterscotch/ buttery character of diacetyl - may be confused with kettle caramelization.
Appearance: Tan/ light brown head, of which I poured very thin to top off the small glass. Agitation creates for some retention. Effervescent bubbling suggests high carbonation. Dark copper to mahogany. Good clarity. Bottle labels are crooked and peel off easily.
Flavor: Malty sweet on the front and finish, displaying dried cranberry/ raisins/ dark fruity esters. Slightly cloying. Metallic off-flavor when sipped from the bottle but not noticeable in the glass. Light alcohol notes. Bitterness remains in the background, appropriate for a malt accentuated beer. A slight roasted grain finish struggles to clean up the malt sweetness and does not particularly aid in drying out the beer. Chocolate, dark caramel, toffee, and light roast can all be used to describe the malt character. No hop flavors.
Mouthfeel: Served warm, accentuating more of the depth of flavors. Carbonation is moderate with an oily smooth character. Tends to be on the fuller side, with a thicker body appropriate for the style. Sweetness is cloying. Rich melanoidin malt flavors contribute to the body or rich texture.
Overall Impression: I would have liked to see more of a drying finish to reduce the cloyingly sweet flavor and body. Perhaps if it was a little colder it would hide the sweetness a bit and thus be more enjoyable for me. Fruity esters are also more pronounced with warmth. Carbonation would also stay in solution longer and would help lift some of the sweetness in the finish. I noted a higher alcohol for the style, which I later found to be around 6% but I'm unsure of this. This would rank above a Scottish export strength beer but less than a strong scotch ale/ wee heavy.

Trout River Rainbow Red

Trout River Rainbow Red Ale is the Brewery's flagship since 1996, an easy drinking American-style red ale more commonly known as an Amber Ale. All of their offerings are unfiltered with no adjuncts added. I sampled it at Ake's place.

Alcohol Content: 5%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: $5.00
Medium: On draught poured into a (chipped) pint glass

Aroma: A pleasant earthy hop aroma that's not too strong but complements the malts very well. Malts consists of a toasted and somewhat grainy character accompanied by some nutty aromas. Possibly a small amount of chocolate malt presence.
Appearance: Full, off-white/ tan head with a very still, creamy head. Deep amber brown color with some  copper and red tints. Pretty good clarity for an unfiltered ale. Strong looking carbonation, especially on the surface.
Flavor: Pleasant grainy malt profile with a sort of toasted profile and nutty presence upfront. Also some light caramel notes. Bitterness comes in late and represents an earthy hop - not too assertive and balances the malts very well. Semi-clean fermentation with a slight degree of fruity esters.
Mouthfeel: Moderate body and a strong carbonation combine with a soft, clean finish - not too dry with a pleasant graininess. Certainly leans towards a more fuller experience.
Overall Impression: Balance was certainly important and made for a great experience, although it was served a little too cold. It lacks any direction towards a specific character such that its not very unique or complex, and perhaps overrated/ overpriced.