Brau Brothers Brewing Company - Scotch Ale; Sheep Head Ale; Old No. 56 Light Beer; Forgotten Flem Farmhouse Ale; Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale

Brau Brothers comes from Lucan, Minnesota, population 220 according to the bottle.  I tried several of the Brau Brothers a few years ago and frankly was very unimpressed.  They have some new beers out so I thought I would give them a try again.  I am glad I did.  Overall, the new ones were good.

Scotch Ale-  This  pours a dark copper in color.  It is very malty and there is a hint of smoke in the aroma.  The taste is roasted malt forward without being sweet.  There is a peaty, smokey taste and it has a long lingering finish.

Sheep Head Ale- This is also a dark copper in color.  It has a floral hops aroma.  It is hop forward in taste with a nice malt balance, but it is ruined by a strange sour finish.  I did not like this one.

Old No. 56 Light Beer - This is an all malt light beer named after the 1956 fire engine they have in Lucan, Minnesota.  This beer pours a very pale straw and golden in color with a slight white head that leaves light lacing down the glass.  The aroma is very slight, a little grain and a bit sour.  No more going on in the taste than in the aroma.  For a "craft brewed all-malt premium light beer" this is a big disappointment.  Stroh's Light, Schmidt Light, Old Milwaukee Light, just to name a few are way tastier than this.

Forgotten Flem Farmhouse Ale - This bottle-conditioned beer pours light orangish-brown and copper in color.  There is a quarter inch of creamy foam that is barely off-white and leaves heavy lacing down the glass.  The aroma is yeasty, bubble gum, a hint of banana and some caramel malt.  The flavor follows the aroma.  There is a strong after taste bitterness at the back of the throat.  If you like yeasty beers you will probably find something to like here, but it doesn't appeal to me very much.

Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale - This beer pours medium brown and ruby in color.  There is a slight head.  The aroma is smokey, peaty, with scotch whisky like qualities.  There is also detectable malt, both sweet and tangy.  The taste follows the aromas.  This drinks like a nice Scottish brown ale with a smokey peatiness.  The smokiness is not overdone and leaves a pleasant aftertaste, like Scotch whisky without the alcohol burn.  This is a very interesting beer.