Aroma: cherries, Appearance: clear red with a small head. Flavour: lightly sour cherries. Palate: lightly carbonated but medium to full mouthfeel.

Well, it seems like these Braidwood beers are a bit of a lottery. After getting a stable bottle of the milk stout, I was hoping for another one with this. Unfortunately it was way too overcarbonated - not a gusher but it froths up enormously on pouring, and also as soon as it hits the mouth. It’s a lovely opaque deep brown with that excessively frothy beige head on top. It’s not too bad on the nose with some caramel malt and some appley bbq sauce. On tasting it’s a different story though. It’s full of metallic bitterness, the alcohol is too volatile and raw, and the froth and carbonation make it an unpleasant drinking experience. It’s really disappointing that what could be a very decent beer turns into a lottery, and that is something that the brewer really needs to work on.

Bottled. Had none of the overfizzing issues I’ve had with other Braidwood beers or that others complain about. No way this is a mild, it packs way too much flavour - doesn’t seem like a brown to me either. Red colour, fruity tastes at first with some toasted woodiness, like nice hardwood burning on a campfire, creamy palate - reminiscent of a red ale. Hold on though - in creeps a big burnt malt flavour, caramel/toffee tones and fairly heavy feeling finish - it’s gone stout! So... a "red stout"? Is there such a thing? Whatever it really should be called, I liked it.

Bottle: Ok... I’ve just had to stand by the sink for 5 minutes while this bottle has fizzed up almost half of its contents... Lifeless looking hazy rust-amber with just about no head. Slightly sour, musty, fizzy caramel aromas with woody and herbal notes. Very dry, puckering toasty malts and fruity yeast notes (some hops too??). Firey and acidic (infected?). Bordering on vile.

bottled. pretty excitable. unpolished but with some pleasant caramel and red berry flavours. passable