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 malty warmth and restraint, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale if you want oak complexity and spirit depth. The Scotch Ale leans into that classic caramel-and-toffee backbone with barely-there bitterness—it's built for sipping slowly and feeling the alcohol gently. The Kentucky version is playing a different game: it's got those vanilla and bourbon notes layered over the ale's amber body, and the extra 10 IBUs actually matter when you've got wood tannins in the mix. Both clock in around 8% ABV, so alcohol-wise they're cousins, but the flavor architecture is completely different.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick ILA Scotch Ale when…

→You want something traditional and malty without modern complexity
→You're settling in for a long conversation, not a quick drink
→You prefer restraint in bitterness and oak influence

Pick Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale when…

→You're curious about barrel-aging character and wood influence
→You want more flavor-forward intensity and layering
→You appreciate bourbon/vanilla notes and aren't afraid of oak

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

This one tastes like what a Scotch Ale should—bread crust and dark honey upfront, with this subtle waxy, almost mineral finish that the Perugia brewers nailed. The 20 IBUs are almost invisible; there's just enough bitterness to keep it from being cloying, but honestly, you're drinking this for the malt character. It's warm, slightly creamy, and feels heavier than 8.5% suggests. There's something almost spirit-like about it, but in the old-school way, not the bourbon-soaked way.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

OakVanillaRich

The barrel work here is immediate and convincing—you get vanilla, a touch of caramel, and that woody dryness that bourbon casks bring even when they're not front-and-center. The ale base is solid amber stuff, maybe slightly lighter in body than the ILA, which actually lets the oak speak louder. Those extra 10 IBUs create a framework that prevents the whole thing from sliding into dessert territory. It's definitely engineered to showcase what happens when you marry American amber ale technique with bourbon barrel aging.

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