Madcap Liquorice Madness

Brewed by Madcap
Style: Imperial Stout
Annan, Scotland

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle. Pours totally flat, but it’s so beautifully inky that I give it a 4 for appearance. The aromas are very nice and not so much liquorice. Really there is some Panda natural black licorice but also mellow coal and subtle roast. Smells enticing. Palate is too thin, devoid of the body it deserves. Yet it is incredibly smooth for a 10% and no alcoholic harshness whatsoever, even as it sits. The flavors have become a bit tart. The licorice is not anise-like, it’s more just astringent and salty. Reminds me of Chinese sour plum candy. Interesting.

33 cl bottle @ Edinburgh hotel room.
Rated on 20110728.
Pours pitch black color with no head. Aroma of strong liquorice and some berries, especially bilberries. Flavor of liquorice, bilberries and some chocolate. Completeley stale brew which hides the ABV surprisingly well. Still, quite awful.
4222

Bottled. Pours thick black with no head. Woody sour licorice nose. Full bodied with soft mouthfeel, Intriguing sweet and sour flavours of raw licorice, sour wood white pepper and dry mead. Rich and warming. Whether or not the sourness is intended I don’t know, but I certrainly like the end result.

Date: July 24, 2010
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: black with clear brown edges, frothy tan head
Aroma: roasted aroma, dark chocolate, touch of fruity sweetness
Flavor: rich roasted malt flavor, licorice sweetness brings out a chocolate character, light touch of dark fruits
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+ /4

Bottled. A black beer which pours completely and utterly flat. A bit of sweet and sour in the nose. All wet and wussy in the mouth. A bit milky. Shows no depth of flavour or alcohol. A salty hint. No stout notes and little liquroice. Pretty poor really.

Bottle 500ml. Deep brown. Completely flat and sour, tastes like licorice kilju. Terrible stuff, I can only hope that this was a broken bottle.

Bottle from Cornelius. Faint pant when I popped the top and out came a flat black liquid. Good nose. Taste is raisiny and liquorcey. Tangy and essentially a misfire. This would really have benefitted from some carbonation. I poured most of it away.

Bottle@Home. Loads of chocolate and licorice aroma. Opaque, firm brown head, good lace. Very sweet, chocolate, licorice, light bitter. Full and sticky. Flavourful. Overly sweet but somehow it blends well. More like a dessert beer.

Bottle at ChrisO’s Pre-GBBF Shindig 2011. Pours rich brown with a slight bubble head. Coffeeish nose. Somewhat astringent flavor, roasted malts, brown sugar, ripe fruits a bit tart, some liquorice in the background. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. OK.

At chriso’s Pre-GBBF Shindig ’11. Very dark brown. The sweet and sour liquorice aroma and taste was quite startling. Some dryness to follow. Unusual and quite appealing.

Chris pre Gbbf shindig 2011. Black beer. Some sour liquorice aroma. Its got some deep malts touch of liqurice stout. Decent