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Back Country Scottish Ale

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Lewis & Clark's most popular dark beer, named for the expedition's journey through Montana's backcountry. Rich, smooth and malty — toffee and light smoke character with a clean finish. Brewed at the historic brewery in Helena, the state capital, this is the definitive Montana dark ale.

ABV
5.8%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark30
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltyroastedsmoky
malty
roasted
smoky
caramel
toasty
clean
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced malty sweetness, revealing toffee and caramel notes backed by subtle smoke.
also:bready,dark fruit
not found:hoppy,chocolate,fruity,spicy

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Back Country Scottish Ale

◎ Appearance

Deep amber-brown color with a reddish tint, characteristic of the 30 SRM specification. The beer presents good clarity with a modest cream-colored head that settles to a thin ring, showing stable lacing along the glass. Carbonation is gentle and unobtrusive, appropriate for the style.

deep amber-brownclearcream headgentle carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced malty sweetness, revealing toffee and caramel notes backed by subtle smoke. Light roasted grain character emerges beneath, with a faint suggestion of dark fruit. The overall impression is warm and inviting, without sharp or aggressive aromatics.

toffee, caramellight smokeroasted graindark fruit

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and full-bodied, with rich malty backbone dominating the mid-palate. Toffee and toasted grain flavors build naturally, complemented by restrained smoke that frames rather than overwhelms. Bitterness remains low and measured at 20 IBU, allowing the malt character to remain the focal point throughout.

malty, full-bodiedtoffee, toastbalanced bitternessclean, smooth

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and medium in length, fading with lingering toffee and a whisper of smoke. No harshness or astringency interrupts the departure, leaving a pleasant malty residue.

clean finishlingering toffee
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
84
Appearance
80
Finish
82
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Back Country Scottish Ale

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About Scottish Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Scottish Ale?

Scottish Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Scottish Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, smooth, rich character as Back Country Scottish Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Scottish Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →