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Kilt Lifter

Four Peaks Brewing Company
United States·Scottish Ale·Rank 9 of 50 · The Best American Strong Beers
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Four Peaks' flagship and the beer most associated with Arizona craft brewing — a Scottish-style strong ale with pronounced caramel and roasted barley, earthy floral hop aroma from UK varieties, and a clean dry finish. Silver at the 2013 GABF. Accounts for over half the brewery's total production.

ABV
6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber17
PaceTwo or Three

AWARDS

Silver · 2013
Great American Beer Festival 2013
★Silver — Great American Beer Festival 2013
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedcaramelearthy
roasted
caramel
earthy
floral
malty
clean
Aroma
Pronounced caramel and roasted barley lead the nose, layered with earthy undertones from UK noble hop varieties.
also:hoppy,bready
not found:juicy,chocolate,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Kilt Lifter

◎ Appearance

Deep amber to copper-brown color with a translucent, clean clarity. A dense, off-white head forms readily and clings to the glass with fine Schaumhaftung. Carbonation is moderate and steady, supporting the full-bodied presence.

deep amberdense headclean clarity

◌ Aroma

Pronounced caramel and roasted barley lead the nose, layered with earthy undertones from UK noble hop varieties. Floral and herbal notes emerge from the Edelhopfen, creating a balanced, non-aggressive aromatic profile. A subtle bready character rounds the bouquet.

caramel, roasted barleyearthy, floral hopsherbal

◐ Taste

Caramel sweetness and roasted malt dominate the palate, establishing a rich, vollmundig mouthfeel from the start. Mid-palate develops earthy, slightly bitter hop character without harshness. The finish transitions toward dryness, with restrained bitterness (35 IBU) and lingering malt complexity.

caramel sweetroasted maltearthy hopsdry finish

◑ Finish

A clean, dry finish emerges with subtle roasted and caramel notes fading gradually. The aftertaste remains smooth and malty, free of astringency.

clean, drysmooth malt
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
84
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 12–16°C

Serve at 12–16°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 Kilt Lifter

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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 roasted, caramel, earthy character as Kilt Lifter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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