Best Beer Ever!!!!

[Baldybrown]

While on the Royal Mile we stopped near the castle to have lunch in a wonderful restaurant in the Whiskey Museum. They served me a local beer that was the best beer of my entire life! It had a creamy, full-bodied flavor without the usual bitter hops finish. It went really well with the smoked salmon sandwich I ordered to go along. In color it was a darker amber, and it had enough alcohol in it to almost put me under the table. For the life of me, I can't remember it's name! I know this is asking a lot, but do any of you rabble have any idea what beer I'm referring to?

[brewerpaul]

While in Scotland this past June, with my girlfriend, we worked our way through many a good pint of ale. The best question asked me by a local was "Do you like a beer or a lager?" The beer equated to an ale which I am most fond of. I found in Edinburgh the smooth ales were very popular. John Smith's Extra Smooth may have been the ale you quaffed. Or perhaps it was one of the fine Belhaven smooth ales. Those are two of the most popular ones I found in Edinburgh and along our bike tour journey.
slàinte mhath

[Gryphon57]

Don't know which ales are served at the Museum. However, when I was on the Mile, I was served several good dark ales from the Cairngorm Brewery. The Wildcat and Black & Gold could be likely candidates. visited the breewery while we were in Aviemore and they have several excellent products.

[Baldybrown]

Sigh, I guess I'll just have to go back there and ask. How's that for a good reason to visit Scotland?

[English Bloke]

Did it look like this?

[Lime]

"it had enough alcohol in it to almost put me under the table" - would an ale usually do this to you? If not it may be the key to your problem as most ales will not be that strong. Do you know if it was *actually* strong or if it just tasted strong? If you can remember the percentage (and it is a high percentage) your search will be significantly reduced!

The next question is was it served on tap or from the bottle? If from the bottle it may well be an Innis & Gunn (I'm pretty sure they only do it from the bottle - I've never seen it on tap anyway). It would also seem to match the rest of your description.

It may well be worth giving the restaurant a ring; places usually have a few regular beers and a limited amount of guest beers. Finally if anyone has a copy of the good beer guide they may be able to have a glance (if the Whisky Museum has an entry) and this will tell you which beers they usually have on.. but won't help if it was a guest beer.

[Baldybrown]

Did it look like this?

Most emphatically yes! The name doesn't ring a bell, but that was definitely the color. It was also served in a similar glass.

[Grizzly]

Most emphatically yes! The name doesn't ring a bell, but that was definitely the color. It was also served in a similar glass.

The problem with this is that 90% of beers (bitter) in this country looks like this and also the glass is a generic shape known as a sleever. So unfortunately we are no nearer solving this puzzle. I suggest that you come back over with some XMTS friends and we will go on a pub crawl along the Royal Mile trying every beer on route until we find it or pass out whichever comes first. Sounds like a plan to me.

regards
Simon

[flyingshamrock]

Did it look like this?

I'm always in the mood for a Belhaven!

[Baldybrown]

The problem with this is that 90% of beers (bitter) in this country looks like this and also the glass is a generic shape known as a sleever. So unfortunately we are no nearer solving this puzzle. I suggest that you come back over with some XMTS friends and we will go on a pub crawl along the Royal Mile trying every beer on route until we find it or pass out whichever comes first. Sounds like a plan to me.

regards
Simon

I'm in! We'll be in Edinburgh the 2nd week of August for, you know, the Fringe, the Tattoo, the BEER!

Cheers
Ron