Beer #169 - Highland Ambush Scotch Ale - Bridgeport Brewing Company, Portland, Oregon

Part of the always tasty Bridgeport Big Beer series, the Highland Ambush is 33% ale aged in oak bourbon and 67% ale. Wow, enough said. Let's pour. Now.

It pours a cloudy brown with a big head.

The aroma holds strong vanilla and sweet oak.

It starts smooth with distinct vanilla. The smoothness holds through the full body with oak and caramel malts. The ale develops some subtle backbone flavors of rich malt as it warms.It finishes bitter with alcohol tones and vanilla malt - the strong backbone and full body keeping it from being overly sweet.

The aftertaste is quite smooth with vanilla balanced with bitterness and alcohol tones.

Cheers!

Fallen Friar, Bridgeport Brewing Company, Portland Oregon

Bringing it home with the Fallen Friar, one of Bridgeport's "Big Brews". It is a Belgian Style Tripel Ale with 35% aged in oak wine barrels. It is available in the 1 pint 6 fl. oz bottles all around (Portland at least) and a sturdy 8.2%.

It pours a thick but bright amber with a thin head.

The aroma is complex and offers up tones of white pepper, yeast, honey and coriander with slight orange peel.

The taste is crisp at first. White pepper and yeast greet the tongue. Hop and mild citrus build in the medium body. It finishes dry with honey and white pepper dominating the palate.

The aftertaste keeps the palate lively with white pepper lingering.

This is a great Tripel Ale and I highly recommend it both to new-comers and those of us established in the style. It is a great introduction into the style without being too intense on it's flavors while still offering up a complex bouquet for the experienced.

Cheers!

Raven Mad Porter, Bridgeport Brewing Company, Portland Oregon

Bringing it all back home. I tried this beer a month or so ago - then lost my sampling notes. I just came across them yesterday, so let's give it a go. This beer comes with 3d glasses that enhances the label, especially after sampling.

This is an interesting beer - 59% Porter aged in Bourbon barrels, 33% aged in oak wine barrels, and 8% Porter...

It pours opaque with a caramel colored head.

The aroma is big roasted malt. Tones of chocolate and coffee are also in amidst a mild sweetness.

It starts mild, which quickly gives way to roasty and robust in the medium body. It has a slight hop character. It finishes smoky and the malt is characterized by a deepness that has to come from the barrel aging. It is robust and the sweetness is patient, only arriving in the end of the finish.

The sweetness dissipates in the aftertaste, leaving a roasty smokiness lingering on the palate.

This is a big robust beer that is definitely worth catching while it's around. It's available in the 22oz bottles - look for the blue and red glasses around the neck -

Cheers!

Ebenezer Ale, Bridgport Brewing Company, Portland Oregon

Bridgeport Brewing Company's Holiday offering is the Ebenezer Ale. This is my first year of trying the beer, so let's see what it's about...

It pours a dark eep brown - nearly opaque with a thin head.

The aroma is mostly hoppy freshness with a hint of malt.

It tastes sweet and malty, initially. There is slight bitterness, which breaks through the malt. It finishes light with a subtle citrus. It has a medium body, with a hop finish. The hop plays an interesting roll in the beer - it's good, but stands out a little like the "wacky" character at the holiday party. There is a little bit of brown sugar with it.

The aftertaste is maltiness and it lingers with a general spice.

All- in - all it is a solid Holiday offering. There isn't the overt unique character that is offered up by some of the other Holiday beers, but it holds it's own and has enough to offer those who look for solid winter warmers.

Cheers!