Saranac Shilling Ale is a Scottish Ale from Saranac Brewery that is advertised as being done the Irish way. The beer came as part of Saranac’s Irish Roots Pack which features four different brews and is new for 2019 from what I can figure.
Shilling Ale pours a burnt orange color, just a tad off of copper. It has a nice, thick, slightly eggshell foam that rose to two fingers at its height. The nose offers notes of malt, biscuit, and a hint of caramel. It has an overall toasty aroma that is welcoming and familiar.
The first taste follows the nose with malt and biscuit popping to the forefront. There is a touch of caramel at the back. Again, there is a slightly toasted warmth to the flavor that is welcoming and comforting just like it was in the aroma. There is just enough carbonation here to tickle the tongue.
In the mouth the beer feels a little into the medium side of the scale but not by much. There is a little creamy touch on the tongue from the nice head that accompanied this beer. The finish is very smooth and a little dry which leaves you desiring another sip. This is a little different from other Scottish Ales in that it didn’t quite have that bitter backend.
The beer laced the glass fairly nicely. Not quite enough to make a bride happy but certainly enough to make a grandmother feel at home. The taste stayed even throughout the session.
Overall, Shilling Ale is a decent take on Scottish Ale. It can be an easy session beer and at 5.6% ABV it doesn’t have a lot of bite. This is worth checking out if you are looking for something new.