4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
date reviewed: 1 February 2013...
glassware: innis & Gunn tulip...
occasion: prep for Quiz Bowl tournament at Phillipsburg...
appearance: velvet purple body that bolsters a soft, short, creamy white head; cloudy smears of head move down the glass...
aroma: sweet, almost minty (!) freshly syrupy scents; a complex bouquet that wine enthusaists would claim as their own....
palate: a bit of a burn at the finish; dryish and smoother than expected; the alcohol is palpable,, not put-offish...
taste: hops are winey, with a grapelike pucker; some toasted flavors and the malts are peaty; worthwhile investment...
overall: another strong offering for the oddity that is Innis & Gunn; this is fuller but more subdued than the others in their lineup--uniqueness is a draw,, but this brewery’s substance has outstripped its niche and nuance ...
2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
(11.2oz bottle) clear deep amber, ring of white bubbles. Nose of molasses, spirit, light wood, mostly malt and oxidation. Taste is very malty, no complexity, wort, sugar water. Medium syrupy body. Sweet linger.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Clear glass bottle. Beautiful tawny color with a tan head. Nose is heavy oak and vanilla, really to the detriment of everything else. Medium body full of malt slick and oak- and vanilla-drenched barrel effects. Even seems light/watery at times. There’s a bit of caramel, a bit of tarry earth, but those flavors are effectively backgrounded the whole way. Semi-dry, faint bitterness, and so a balance achieved, smooth but not particularly worth of searching out.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Aroma of vanilla and molasses. Still, ruby colored beer. Very sweet sugary flavor, like a coffee based drink. Elements of rum, whiskey, mead and even wine are present. Thick, dense body. Doesn’t seem like a porter, but does seem like other ales made by Innis & Gunn.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Pours dark amber brown with an off white head. Aroma is oak, vanilla, earthy and slight roast coffee. The whiskey flavors dominate. Taste is sweet with subtle hints of bitterness that are quickly taken over by sweetness. Medium bodied with some stickiness.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
12 oz bottle pours a dark brown color with an off white head. Aromas fo caramel, sweet malt, oak. Medium bodied, with a slightly sweet finish.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
The last beer I’ll rate today, this was pretty good. The beer wasn’t overly spiced but a little molasses was evident. Drank these and the Heavy Horse together on Wednesday. Ended up pretty tanked.
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Pours reddish-brown with minimal head. Aromas include vanilla, molasses, and a hint of bubblegum. No carbonation to speak of. Very light mouthfeel. Flavor is molasses and oak, but not enough of either. Not bad, but could be better.
2.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 9/20
Potatoes and carrots on the nose. Seaweed? Dark brown, but clear color, a bit thin looking for a porter. Small head. More carrots and sugar throughout. Very drinkable. Loses some overall points for not really seeming like a porter.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Sampled from a 12 oz clear bottle this beer poured a nut brown color with a small soapy tan head that faded quickly and left a bit of lacing. The aroma was caramel, toffee, cherry, wood and brown sugar. The flavor was semi sweet, tart and a bit astringent with notes of berries, wood, brown sugar and tobacco. Medium length tart berry, wood and tobacco finish. Medium body. Pleasant.
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