Hoo-ray! I can't even tell you how long I've been trying to acquire some cans from Kettlehouse Brewing Company. I finally managed to acquire some these past few weeks and I am stoked. Cold Smoke is their most popular canned offering and thus I decided to begin my sojourn through the world of Kettlehouse cans with that one. Cheers!

From the Kettlehouse site:

"Cold Smoke^® Scotch Ale earned a gold medal in the 2007 & 2009 NABA brewfests, respectively, a bronze medal in 2009 at the GABF and a silver medal at the 2010 NABA brewfest. Formulated with Montana grown 2-row barley, northwest Goldings hops, and lotsa love, this hearty ale drinks very smooth. Not bitter at all and not too sweet either. Novice beer drinkers have been known to take a taste and then say, “WOW! That’s not what I expected… that’s GOOD!” A hint of roasted barley lends a slight coffee-like smoky finish. With a 6.5% abv, this beer is perfect after a day of rippin’ lines on area or your favorite back country getaway."

Here we go...

Pour - the can very clearly reads "Canned on Sept 3 10". Love that! I wish more canning breweries made it that easy to see when they filled their cans. Anyways, this one pours a very, very dark amber with a inch of thick, yellowish-white head on top. This looks great, I am ready to dive in.

Aroma - brown sugar, brown bread, molasses, caramel, honey...all the sweet things in life basically. Rich and malty smelling as a good Scotch Ale should be.

Taste - smooth on the lips and tongue with a good bit of malty sweetness clearing the palate...for more malty sweetness. Like most other Scotch Ales the malt is the dominant flavor. Plenty of that biscuity flavor associated with malty brews as well as caramel and honey. As it warms I get some fruity apple cider-y flavors as well. Very tasty stuff. 

Overall - sweet but not cloying. Actually, this is more of a juicy, malty brew if that makes any sense. Its refreshing like a lighter brew might be. Sort of hard to explain. Its easy to see why this is their flagship brew, its easy to drink and even easier to enjoy. If you like Amber Ales, ESBs or Brown Ales (or other Scotch Ales obviously) you'll certainly enjoy this beer.

Would I buy more of it? - hells yes. Great stuff in a great, big, awesome-looking can. Loads of malty goodness and just about perfect on a cold night in front of the fireplace. 

Note - If you happen to live in the Missoula-area, where Kettlehouse is found on draught, you might be lucky enough to try "Cold Smoke^® on Nitro"!