United Nations of Beer

Alley Kat Kiltlifter

by Trevor Prosser
(Beer Delegate, AB, Canada)

Alley Kat Kiltlifter

You can sum up this review with an anagram of Alley Kat's Kiltlifter Scotch ale: I heckle kitty, call lots a falter.

I've always been a fan of a dark beer, Guinness in particular. So much so, in fact, that I named my dog Guinness. Not relevant, really, but it gives you an idea of my fondness for a brew you can't see through.

So, in keeping with my theme of reviewing beers from my own province, I brought home a case of Alley Kat's special edition beer, Kiltlifter. (Note to Alley Kat - that name's already being used by Four Peaks Brewery.)

It's a limited edition, which means that they only had it available through the winter months. At 7.5% ABV, it was certainly a good way to stay warm.

Now, I have to get something out of the way. I do have a bias here, since I'm from Calgary.

In my humble opinion, not much good comes out of Edmonton: riots, Peter Pocklington, nets over the roads at the airport and civic planning that made the roads as straight as a roller coaster. This beer can be included in that list.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not horrible. It was certainly a darker beer, but the robust flavour that I would expect from a scotch ale was missing.

They claim that it should start with malt, smoke and toast, through more malt, caramel and hazelnut, finishing dry.

Sure, it had a touch of nice smoky flavour, but just a touch.

It was more like the Coors Light of dark beers.

Alley Kat Kiltlifter might be a good introductory beer for people who have spend the better part of their drinking lives on Molson Canadian or Budweiser and want to join the dark side.

But those who are already converts might quickly forget this beer once its special edition run ends.