"there is little evidence suggesting that traditionally made strong Scotch ales exhibited peat smoke character"

Then, All About Beer states: 

"Historical Scottish beers were very "peaty" in many cases."

Hmmm.  Which should be believed?  Well, I consulted the blog Shutup About Barclay Perkins.  I like reading it now and again because of two reasons.  1) Mr. Pattinson seems to be a cynical, sarcastic jerk and I love it; he does not hold back anything.  2) He researches old brewing books or something; anyway, the info he has is reputedly from old sources and since the brewer's of antiquity had no Internet we can certainly believe whatever they say.  Here's a comment from that blog on Scotch ale:

" ...from "An Encyclopædia of Domestic Economy" by Thomas Webster, William Parkes, 1855, page 598.

"Scotch Ale- The Scotch, particularly the Edinburgh ales of the present day, made partly on the old plan, are esteemed equal, if not superior, to any in Britain; and certainly some of the best Scotch ales have a flavour extremely vinous, and approaching the nearest of any of our ales to some of the light French wines. They are particularly mild in their flavour and pale in colour, and the taste of the hop does not predominate."

 
Ah, fabulous.  No mention of peat in that encyclopedia.  From the little bit that I read, I'd say that the original Scotch ales were pale in color and not peaty.  As they migrated to Britain, the peat started appearing.  Either way, they are palatable beers. 

Let's talk about Sam Adams' version.  It was dark brown, more so than I anticipated, with shafts of ruby rays skewering the body.  It had a brownish collar that sticks to the glass.

I expected it to be syrupy, like McEwan's.  Not so, though.  Sam Adams version had a maltier side to it.  I think the wispy smokiness contrasted the sweetness, too.  According to the label, the special peat-smoked malt utilized in the brewing process gives it the darkness and the smokiness.

Well, cool, I loved it.  And garlic sauce really makes the peat smoke stand out.  A lot.  No, really, I mean it's like drinking liquid smoke.  Cool.

Until the next pint ...  take a few moments and check out some of the other pints.  That's right, just look over the sidebar there and find a beer style you like.  Read away.

I have at this particular juncture, however, managed to have another pint. It is an authentic Trappist product. It says so right on the label. This quaff is a Belgian Ale weighing in at 9.2%. More specifically, it is the Trappistes Rochefort 8, the Green Cap. In 2004 and 2006 this brew took home the Gold Medal from the World Beer Championships. To really get details about this fine import you might visit their website: http://www.trappistes-rochefort.com/. I must warn you, if you are French impaired you will gain little from the visit. Since it originates with Trappists, I did a little web search. According to a well known internet source: A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. … Only these seven breweries are authorized to label their beers with the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates a compliance to various rules edicted by the International Trappist Association. Right. I am not going to pretend to know anything further about the brewers of my pint. (Saying that, I have probably offended a great many readers and completely alienated those of you out there who really appreciate the art and craft of brewing. My apologies.)

The head was quite ferocious in its arrival. It was an off-white colour with many tiny spheres that dissipated leaving large orbs that collapsed into a film of foam upon the surface of the chocolately hued potation. Although a nice dark brown (very fitting for a Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale), I swear I could see a tinge of fire red as the light pierced the glass directly. The bouquet did not hint at hops, but had a spicy note that I can’t quite pin down. My first down hit my palate like any good Belgian should, a nice tart mouth awakening pop that spoke of the alcohol it contained. Smooth. As it glided down the gullet the sweet malt flavor took up abiding about the tongue. Skitting between my teeth like a gnome flitting between trees was a fruity presence. There! Did I just get a bit of slight hop flavor? Maybe, maybe not. Give this beer a check mark in the “complex” column. It is spicy, sweet, smooth, medium bodied, mouth awakening, and yet all the while comfortable.

I like it. It is that perfect end to a long day. I feel the heat in my ears. As I sit and try to describe the various qualities I realize that my glass is empty. So is the bottle. I do not regret spending $4.99 for these 11.2 fluid ounces one bit. I did not purchase the “6”. I am an idiot. Perhaps it will be there when I return. I don’t know what the monks do when they are not brewing, but I dare say they should spend less time doing it.

The thing that drew me to this brew was the unique bottle. Isn't that judging a book by it's cover? Probably so, yes. But, you have to look at the cover if you want to read the book. Sometimes the title doesn't really do anything to make you choose it, but if it has a cover that perhaps draws you into the possibilities of the storyline... So, I saw the flask shaped bottle and thought, “Hmm, what is this?” “This” happened to be St. Peter's English Ale. The label is simple and unassuming; a light green oval bordered with a gold band. It claims to use organically grown hops and barley and have Soil Association Organic Certification UK5. Evidently, the bottle is a replica of a bottle used in the New England area circa 1770.

St. Peter's Brewery Company Limited, United Kingdom creates it's brews in a medieval hall in a remote rural corner of Suffolk, England. Well, I liked the cover and the summary on the back puts it soundly in my genre of choice. I won't copy the description from the website, I'll just give you the link: http://www.eurobrews.com/stpeters/organicea.html.

The aroma of hops seemed to fade quickly as did the thin head. It is a light golden color and quite clear. The presence of hops is noticed throughout with a small bite of bitterness as it rolls down the throat. Floral notes float gently through the nostrils as clean crisp liquid passes the edge of the glass. It would seem that I fairly accurately tasted what the website says I was supposed to taste. Well, score one for me! Examining the style guides, I would place this particular beer in the Classic English Style Pale Ale category. Although this is not really my favorite style, this beer is an excellent example. Of course with most hoppy brews, as this one warms a bit the bitterness becomes more pronounced. Would I recommend this beer? Yes. If you are a hop loving, pale ale sucking, bitter lover then you will like this brew. Will I regularly seek it out and become a regular devotee? Not likely. When in the mood, however, I would purchase this English Ale and like it.

That's it. That's the first of hopefully more beer reviews by me, Royal, the other half of Bottled Llama Brewing.