Epinions.com 
Join Epinions | Learn More! | Sign In   
           
HomeHome and GardenSpirits and BeersPortland Brewing Co Mactarnahans Ale
Opinion Summary
The best of both worlds
by andaryl | Sep 07 '01
Pros: Smooth, malty, fine hop bitter balance
Cons: A tad more smokiness might have completed it

Return to opinion


OVERALL RATING
Product Rating: 4.0



Have something to say?
Write your own comment on this review!
Comments on The best of both worlds" (4 total)  
  Comment Sorted by
Date Written
Now wait a minute... (Reply to this comment)
by beerfly
If you want a center of British-type ales in America, you need to go to New England, not the PacNorthWest. In New England, they actually attempt to brew true to Brit-style, as proved by Shipyard, Geary, Tremont, Ipswich, et al. They're not all hopped to hell and back again!
And another little quibble: what true Scottish (not American Scottish) ales do you know of that are smoky? Belhaven, MacAndrew's, the Caledonian line, Skullsplitter... I don't taste any smoke there. This is an American-derived myth!
Good review, though.
Cheers,
Lew Bryson
Sep 07 '01
7:30 pm PDT

I have had . . . (Reply to this comment)
by gungian
. . . more than one McTarnahan's.

[The unit of issue is CASE isn't it?]

Nice posting.

Write On!
Sep 08 '01
7:05 am PDT

Re: Now+wait+a+minute... (Reply to this comment)
by andaryl
I haven't much knowledge on the Scottish stuff but isn't it peated malt that give some a smoky flavor. I'm sure I remember it in Belhaven, but will have to drink again and check. I really don't remember McEwan's which is the only other I can recall tasting. As for this one I thought a couple of reviews mentioning smokiness were a stretch and probably just the roasted malt.

I have next to no knowledge of New England ales but just teamed up with John (bruguru) to do some east/west trades.

Cheers
Andrew
Sep 08 '01
11:32 am PDT

Memory. (Reply to this comment)
by macresarf1
Dear andaryl: Some years ago, while staying at the wonderful ancient Hotel Belmar in Mazatlan, one night the bartender Eugenio produced some coasters, inscribed McTarnahan's Ale, to put under our Pacifico's. I asked him where they came from, and he told me an old man off a cruise boat had stayed at the hotel a few weeks before. The man told him he brewed this beer in Norte Occidentales de Estados Unidos. I inquired if Eugenio had ever tasted the beer. No, he said, but the man had also given him a case of the beer as a tip. Would we like to try a bottle? He produced a couple of Mctarnahans from his cooler, which he offered to us free, saying that he had paid nothing for them. And so, we had our first McTarnahan's.

Salud.

[Macresarf1]
Oct 05 '01
1:51 pm PDT
   

Help | Member Center | Message Boards | Site Rules | User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Site Index | Topic Index  
About Epinions | Careers | Contact Epinions | Advertising  

Epinions | Shopping.com | Rent.com | Free Classifieds | Price Comparison UK

Shopping.com Network © 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc. Trademark Notice

Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources,
so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.