Scotch Irish John By Imperial Stout

Brewed by Heritage Brewing Limited
Style: Imperial Stout
Carleton Place, Canada

Oh my, this is great. Midnight black with a frothy mocha head. Gives off luscious aromas of dark chocolate with a hint of berry. Tastes smooth and full. Strong with a cocoa and coffee tang offset nicely by some maltiness. Aftertaste is superb, a lingering light bitterness. Not overwhelming like some Imperial Stouts, but definitely full bodied and delicious. I’m going to get a case.

[1006-20071225] 341mL (Black Cap stubby bottle; c/o tuqueboy). Really faint grainy roast malt aroma. Dark black brown body with a medium-lasting foamy tan head. Dry roasted coffee malt flavour is quite roastily smoky. Full body is dry throughout. Excellent with Christmas pudding! (7/3/8/4/17) 3.9

[1086B-20080207] 341mL (Red Cap stubby bottle; w/ jerc). Sweet percolating woodsy roast aroma holds light hints of fresh tupperware. Black body with a medium-lasting foamy light brown head. Flavour hints of a burnt log sprinkled with coffee grounds soaked in lakewater. Full body has a bitter watery feel. Interesting bitterness. (7/4/6/2/13) 3.2

Deep black color, with a frothy tan-colored head, leaving laces, with a mochaish, roasty nose, with some black chocolatey and coffee accents, a subtle cappuccino, vanilla note in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a toasted, roasted, black malt character, with a faint fruitiness, some smooth black coffee bean, dark chocolate, mocha and cappuccino flavors, with a hint of flowery hop leafiness, leading towards a roasty, bitterness finish.

Bottle. I’ve drank quite a few of these lately, it’s time sit down and actually rate it. This is one fine looking beer! Pours a very dark brown, pretty much black, with a large long-lasting fluffy light-brown head. Looks perfect. Very nice, rich aroma of roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, molasses and floral hops (8+). Flavour follows the aroma and is just as good: Dark roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, just a hint of alcohol and some floral hops. Nice and long roasty bitter finish. Medium bodied. Fantastic stuff, I’m glad I still have many of them. Way to go Scotch Irish!

Bottle from the LCBO. Very, very dark brown with a large mocha head. Luscious aroma of dark, sweet roasted malt, strong coffee, dark chocolate, molasses - just fantastic. Full, rich mouthfeel. Flavour starts with bitter coffee, developing sweet malt notes in the middle, and a long bittersweet chocolate finish. As Slacks notes below, this beer pairs just perfectly with good quality dark chocolate. A fantastic beer all around.

341ml Bottle: I’d say this comes in a great little stubby bottle, but I sadly must admit I passed right by it last week. Went back and found it today! Pours black as a beer can with a good brown head that lasted about halfway down. Espresso grounds, roasted malt, molasses, and dark chocolate aromas; so rich and inviting, can’t wait to taste! Right off the top it’s bitter, but not in an overpowering fashion, and rich with coffee and grassy notes. Second wave offers roasty malts and chocolate. As it warms it just gets smoother with more dominating espresso and bitter hops. I tried pairing it with some 86% dark chocolate to see what that brought out, and found some incredible sweetness became more prevalent. Perfect pairing, give it a try! Excellent work by Scotch Irish on this one, I really hope this becomes an LCBO mainstay.

LCBO sample- Pours jet black, topped with a thick mocha froth. The head is foamy and long lived. Excellent coffee and roasty aromas, dark chocolate as well as a touch of dark fruit. Very bitter, lots of cocoa, dark chocolate, black coffee, roasted malts, and the perfect amount of bittering hops. A touch of currant in the finish. Not as big and bold as some of the crazy impys out there, but I guess that makes this one a little more approachable. Well done.

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a huge brown color head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of black chocolate is quite intense with some subtle notes of coffee. Taste consists of a well balance mix between some black chocolate, coffee notes and some light sweetness to balance the mix. Body is full with some great carbonation and no alcohol was noticeable. I thought this was a very well balance example of the style and was easily drinkable.