ILA Scotch Ale vs Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale: Which Should You Drink?

HOPIQ FACEOFF

ILA Scotch Ale

Fabbrica della Birra Perugia

Italy · Scotch Ale

hopIQ rank #1331

71%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

Alltech's Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.

United States · American Amber Ale

HOPIQ TAKE

ILA Scotch Ale if you want malt-forward warmth and restraint, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale if you want oak vanilla complexity and a bit more bite. The ILA is a classicist's play—those low IBUs mean the caramel and subtle peat notes actually breathe without getting trampled. The Kentucky version is a hybrid beast: it's got enough hops to keep things interesting, but the barrel aging is doing the real work, adding leather and vanilla that wouldn't be there otherwise.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick ILA Scotch Ale when…

→You want something contemplative that won't overwhelm your palate
→You're into traditional Scottish brewing without the gimmicks
→You want to taste the actual malt and yeast character, not wood influence

Pick Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale when…

→You're chasing that barrel-aged, vanilla-oak experience
→You want slightly more hop definition and bitterness for balance
→You're in a bourbon-loving crowd and want something that nods to whiskey culture

SIDE BY SIDE

	ILA Scotch Ale	Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
ABV	8.5%	8.2%
Bitterness	Lightly bitter	Noticeably bitter
Colour	Deep amber	Amber
Style	Scotch Ale	American Amber Ale
Origin	Italy	United States

WHAT IT TASTES OF

10 shared · 2 distinct

Both beers

maltyboozyoakrichcaramelsmoothtoastysweetchocolatedark fruit

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

ILA Scotch AleKentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

ILA Scotch Ale

MaltyBoozyRich

The ILA hits you with this deep amber pour and immediately you're getting toffee, maybe some light smoke if you're paying attention. There's a peppery warmth that builds but never shouts—at 8.5% it's got weight without being a sledgehammer. The finish is clean, almost dry, which honestly surprised me given how sweet the front end plays. This is a beer that wants you to slow down and think about it.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

OakVanillaRich

The Kentucky Bourbon is darker, richer, and immediately you taste oak—not aggressively, but definitely there. There's vanilla, a touch of bourbon char, and underneath it all those caramel malts doing their thing. The 30 IBUs give it just enough edge to keep it from becoming dessert-like. It's a beer that feels heavier in your mouth, and by the finish you're getting that slight bourbon burn that lingers.

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