Innis & Gunn Original

Innis & Gunn
Brewed at Wellpark (C&C Group)
Style: English Strong Ale
Edinburgh, Scotland

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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Clear bottle but since the beer is new to Alberta that should not matter. The description on the bottle has me anticipating a real treat. Head starts out thick and merangue-like. Settles into a thick foam looking like heavy cream. Thick film left around the glass. Lots of bubbles. Honey-hued is correct or golden amber. Aroma is light and a mixed bag of soft scents. Thin but very creamy body. Alcohol is noticeable as is a definate liquor-like note. Either the oak overpowers the beer or there wasnot enough beer to start. Taste is best described as a watered down rum andcoke.

Bottle. Copper colour with a white head. Sweet malty woody aroma and a sweet malty citrus taste. Medium body and a sweet finish.

Bottled. Orange coloured with a small off white head. Malty aroma with notes of grain and alcohol. Sweet malty flavour with notes of alcohol. I can’t taste that it’s oak aged.

Brilliant copper brown with a tight white head leaving nice lacework. WOW! what a nose, rich,bursting with loads of vanilla, and fruit with sweetish malt in the background. Quite lightweight but packed with crisp citrus hops, smooth malt on the finish...lingers on the tongue for ages, an unusual "love it or loathe it style" An interesting marketing ploy that has worked. Bottle from Morrisons.

Clever marketing concept that leverages off the international passion for Scottish whisky. The presentation, clear bottle, beer colour, "handwritten" brewer’s authentication and reference to barrel aging all mimic the whisky industry. The concept of aging ales in whisky barrels has potential but it would help if the whisky saw the barrels first and the beer chosen for aging had more character. Which is not to say that this beer is without merit, just that there’s ample scope for improvement. It poured a clear amber colour with a rocky 2cm head that laced well but didn’t last. Could only find the faintest whiff of oak in the aroma. Otherwise the aroma is dominated by pale malt, vanilla and - I hate to say it - corn. Interesting palate, initially medium-bodied but developing an oily texture in the finish. Flavour profile is malt-driven and rather simple, with honey notes to the fore in a warm, sticky finish. To be honest, it brings to mind a honey ale on steroids. Bit too sweet and sticky. To use a whisky comparison, this is more like the Stags Breath liqueur than a single malt. (Bottle, best before 23/7/05)

Amber coloured, thick white head. Wooden/tar nose. Sweet, smooth, honey, vanilla flavour. Fresh bitterness. Smoky palate with hints of whiskey. Malty, medium bodied.

Dark orange color with hints of brown. Little white head, some lace in glass. Sweet, toffee, vanilla, mild coconuts, also mild whiskey in aroma. Flavor has strong whiskey tones with lasting vanilla, toffee and smoke in the end. Medium bodied. Very dimensional and original brew.

UPDATED: MAY 11, 2005 pours a honey golden colour with a moderate head. Nose of malts, caramel and vanilla, the oak barrels used to age the beer also come through here and add a bit of interest, but it does smella little skunked. a little thin in the mouth, has a light grassy finish.

Nice fancy,important looking bottle. Dark golden/amber coulored ale, nice sized frothy white head. A quite strong and distinctive aroma,hoppy and backed by strong malt, with very woody tones. This is a rather strange beer to taste, it is sweer,honeyish mostly with very woody,whisky and sherry like undertones, slight hop bite and aftertaste. Wonderfully smooth on the palte,impressive. An unusual beer but very nice I would recommend it.

Clear amber red colour with reasonable head. Sweet malt floral aroma. Bitter flavour with an aftertaste like being hit in the head with an iron bar. Fizzy palate. NEVER AGAIN!