Innis & Gunn Winter Beer 2012 - Innis & Gunn

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

11.2 oz beer was poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a small off white head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a pitch dark brown and copper color with some clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Oak, vanilla, toffee, molasses, bready, and maltiness.

Taste: Same as above. Not getting much but get the wheat and crystal malts for sure. Any hint of chocolate got lost in the cask.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, a little dry, light bodied, medium carbonation, and boozy taste even though it is only from the oak cask aging.

Overall: For an English porter, this one was tasty. It seems as if any oak aging will ultimately improve a beer and give it more complex flavors like this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 07:03:00 | More by Flounder57

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

A: Translucent copper with an ephemeral, tawny head; not a good look to this, as it's a porter.

S: Rumcake, butter, prunes, and dark cherries. A bit better than its looks.

T: And it gets progressively better. Boozy cherries, rum notes, grassy hops, and amaretti cookies (almond). Some dull, charred malted barley on the finish. Still not very true to porter form.

M: This beer is definitely a stepcousin of the traditional porter, and its shunning of tradition continues in the feel. Watery, a touch of spiciness, and some light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 03:22:21 | More by Heavenisbeer

dacrza1

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

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 ...

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 05:00:41 | More by dacrza1

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.26/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass

Appearance: light brown in color, 1/2 inch head, high carbonation, clear

Smell: smell is amazing: brown sugar, oak, rum, vanilla, and light chocolate

Taste: oak, vanilla, toasted malt, and some holiday spicing--cinnamon is in there for sure.

Mouthfeel: high carbonation, light body, sweet with oakiness

Overall: I am a fan of Innis and Gunn beers. This one does not disappoint. The smell is amazing and complex. This has just enough holiday spice in the taste to make me think winter, but not enough to distract from the oak or make me think spice bomb. I will look forward to next year's winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 13:51:54 | More by tigg924

scootny

New York

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A somewhat dense creamy head rising up from a firm pour. Clear chestnut brown fluid. Decent lacing here and there with a light covering remaining after a few minutes. Aromas of dark fruits and a bit of overripe banana. Sugary molasses and brown bread. Taste is much the same with a toffee tinged dark roasted malt flowing through. Notes of vanilla, a bit of oak, and a subdued mineral edge in the light, earthy hop bitterness. A touch of alcohol that is well integrated and gives a sweetness in the finish. A velvety feel over the tongue and a light syrupy consistency giving a nice weight. Carbonation is spot on with a mild effervescence. A vibrant and dynamic taste that brings many traditional flavors to the fore while melding them into a highly drinkable ale. A really nice overall beer for the colder months with a full flavor and satisfying drink experience.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 21:44:56 | More by scootny

Foam

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Got a single bottle to try as it was on sale for $1.50 . Hard to pass up.
At first sniff and taste, reminds me of a "jack & coke" cocktail . Whiskey & cola, in other words... Definite soda-pop like sweet-ness and oak-barrel essences. The molasses is evident, as well . I'm eager to try Innis & Gunn's other offerings . Not a session beer for sure . Something to pair with beef or other heavy food as far as i'm concerned .

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:06:51 | More by Foam

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.79/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Best By SEP2013

A: Pours a mahogany color with almost no head that quickly reduces to absolutely nothing

S: Lightly roasted malts, toffee, bready malts, banana, molasses, lightly spicy, light oak, and vanilla

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with huge notes of toffee and banana, followed by lightly roasted malts, vanilla, cinnamon, molasses, and oak

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: I usually don't expect or see such huge banana notes in a porter, but it works with this beer. The 39 days in barrels imparts a light oak which compliments the beer nicely. At less than $2 for a single, there's no reason why you shouldn't try this beer

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 21:30:32 | More by BEERMILER12

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 330ml clear glass bottle with a BB of Sept 2013. Comes in a decorative box. Picked up a little while back from Trembling Madness in York. A limited edition beer for the winter months - I&G seem to be doing more one-offs like this recently.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A dark, clear reddish-brown colour with medium carbonation. Forms a small, off-white head of foam that lasts for a minute or two before dissipating. Aroma of fruity malt mingled with spirits and tannins. Notes of banana, fruity yeast esters, oak, vanilla, solventy alcohol (rum-like), brown sugar, aged malt and stewed leaves. Somewhat herbal and medicinal, with a lingering sweetness. Complex but not great.

Tastes of sweet, boozy malt with a woody, leafy character and a dry finish. Notes of oak, tannins, fruity yeast esters, banana, brown sugar/molasses, dark malt and stewed leaves. Slightly sweet with a fairly hot, alcoholic kick. A rather harsh woody/herbal bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and lightly spicy, with prickly carbonation. A bit thin for the style - body could do with amping up somewhat. Quite astringent, with an aftertaste of bitter herbs/leaves, oak and molasses.

Interesting idea but subpar execution. It's surprisingly light-coloured for a porter; it more closely resembles a strong ale. The treacle doesn't seem to have much presence - just a hint in the flavour. Overly woody and boozy. What this needs is a sturdy malt backbone to which other taste components are added; instead we get the reverse. The result is unbalanced, in addition to having a watery body that doesn't match the flavour. It does have a degree of complexity going for it, but that doesn't make it a great beer. Nothing too special - no need to seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:27:06 | More by jazzyjeff13

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.19/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

On the box, it came in, it says best by Sep 2013:

Into the Innis & Gunn tulip (I purchased along with the other two beers):

A: dark brown body with a slight transparency along the edges, half finger white head concaves slowly in the middle, no lacing

S: molasses up front, malts come forth once the beer warms a bit, slight brown sugar

T: sweet and toasty through previously mentioned flavors

M: medium, sessionable, carbonated just right, slick sweet aftertaste and finish

O: yup, its an English Porter, alright, good for the style, but kinda sweet for me, unsure if I'd have this again

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 20:07:33 | More by kangarooAdam59

brureview

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first Innis and Gunn beer. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The key to this beer is serving it a the recommended temp: 39-42F(4-6C). I put it in the freezer for 15 minutes, and then in the fridge. The temp was at 41F.

The beer poured a nice dark tea color in a stein. A stein can bring out a fuller flavor with this style of beer.

Oak, (rum?) molasses in the smell which was more pronounced with a bit of warming.

Mouth feel was lightly carbonated.

Taste was excellent and complemented the aroma. Oak, molasses, (rum?) some tartness.

This is a damn good beer served in the right glass and at the right temp.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:34:24 | More by brureview

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a few of the Innis and Gunn beers last year and liked them a lot, because of how smooth they were and easy to drink for someone like me who isn't into Rum that much. While this beer continued along those lines, I just didn't feel that it was a Porter in any way, shape, or form. Sure, there was some booze to be had here, but this wasn't anywhere near as dark, roasted, or thick as I expected it to be and even as I finish this up, I'm still at a loss for words as to what exactly this is categorically.

This poured a clear, chestnut brown with a fair amount of head and no lacing to be seen. There was hardly any carbonation to be had here and the aroma was that of burnt sugar. That could be felt in the taste along with some spiced rum, alcohol, a hint of caramel and oak for good measure. Sure, this was smooth, relatively thin, and had a nice spicy aftertaste but there wasn't any roasted notes to be felt here. This just seemed like a less intense version of some of their other beers.

Even the alcohol seemed light, even though it was heavy for an English Porter. I probably need to have more on the most popular list to see if it's just me but for now, the jury's out on this. As a winter beer, it's fine and easily enjoyable but it just feels like something is missing from here, even if I can't detect it with any of my senses.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 09:50:21 | More by JerzDevl2000

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Uncanny I found this in the 10 dollar mix a six collection.

A - Very un-porter like it pours a deep dark hard wood brown with a 1/2 inch of opaque colored head.
S - Not very much roast or molasses either. Getting the usual caramel,toffee, oak, and rum smells though.
T - Well it's not off putting I am getting some molasses but very little porter. Its like any of the other beers they make, malt forward with caramel and toffee, but it does have a hoppy twang that may be a shred of dark malt.

M - Slick, oily, medium to thick in body.

Overall totally better than the rum cast version but far from the original. Worth picking up for a fair price.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 07:30:40 | More by DrDemento456

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.74/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Clear bottle... aaahhhH!!!, Well I grabbed this directly from the box, and it hasn't seen light since.

Pours a light fizzy head that looks like a 10% abv beer, fades fairly quickly, no lacing, mostly clear dark amber color with hint of molasses color to it, doesn't look anything like a porter.

Nose brings plenty of molasses, as promised, syrupy almost corn syrup like, light nutty like spices that seem to come with most Innis & Gunn beers I think from their yeast, and a bit of sweet toasty oak but not much, a touch of phenolic booze, caramel, toffee, a light earthy root like tannin aroma as well, and lots more candy toffee as it warms.

Taste starts with a light licorice root like flavor, then right into molasses and sweet malt flavors, syrupy candy corn syrup and molasses a plenty. Also bringing toffee and nutty flavors, and light caramel, a touch biscuit. Phenolic and slightly fusel booze really hammers, it reads at 7.4%abv, but between the head and flavor burn it seems more like 9+%. There is light toasty oak in there in the background, but not much, with a hint of wood dust flavor, and hints of alcohol esters too. Finish is drier but still a bit sticky sweet, another tingly warming booze kicks in right at the early finish, then lingering buttery flavors probably from the oak, little molasses and candy toffee lingering.

Mouth is med to slightly fuller bodied, little syrupy, nice carb, way too much booze.

Overall an OK beer, but not great. I do like the molasses flavors, and light barrel characters, as well as the toffee, candy, etc. However, way too boozy and phenolic, that light earthy root flavor is meh, not enough overall barrel and no hops. Also, this isn't anything remotely close to a porter, despite they even write porter on the label. But hey, at least it's not skunked.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 03:06:37 | More by jlindros

IllNate

British Columbia (Canada)

3.61/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an appealing deep red copper with ample off white head and good retention. Aroma is familiar to other innis and gunn offerings with big oak and vanilla. Some darker roast pokes through but it misses the mark if they were aiming for a porter, not detecting the treacle they mention either. Taste is the highlight for me. Comes in with big oak and vanilla again, but dark roasts are more pronounced and detecting some of that treacle they were talking about. Could use a bit more bittering or dryness in my opinion, but it's fairly well balanced. Overall a little twist on what Innis and Gunn do well, but nothing revolutionary here.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 04:51:11 | More by IllNate

srhoadsy

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured slightly chilled into a fluted tulip.

Pours a rich amber color with about half an inch of airy, light tan head that slowly recedes leaving a thin surface layer with moderate lacing.

Aromas of carmelized sugars, vanilla, dried fruits. As it warmed I also picked up a light aroma of leather.

Flavors follow through the aromas. I also noticed some light smoky and mineral background flavors. I did pick up on the banana(ester) notes that other reviewers mentioned, but did not find them quite as cloying as they did.

Medium body with light to moderate carbonation. Lingering aftertaste.

Overall a nice beer. Not my favorite by I&G but a nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 04:16:08 | More by srhoadsy

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.89/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle (best before Sept 2013) poured into a Innis & Gunn branded fluted snifter (not sure how else to describe the glass).

Appearance: Clear Ruby red to deep copper color. Thin white head across top - tiny bit of persistent lacing (little islands) noted.

Smell: Tiny bit of molasses, some roasted malt, but mild overall.

Taste: Quite nice. Molasses, roasted malt, whiskey, some buttery toffee, and a bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, but sometimes a little bit much. Sticky on the teeth, good thickness.

Overall / Drinkability: Really digging the color on this beer. Tasty, but surprisingly not as deep in aroma as you would expect with the taste. The barrel aging is here, but I think blends better with all the other flavors. I could see myself having another one this evening.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:02:01 | More by damndirtyape

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle acquired at a gift exchange as part of a mixed 3 pack. Poured ~4C into a Duvel tulip.

Pours a clear brown body with a nice head that drops but leaves little to no lacing. Nose is full of fruity notes and a ton of banana... Yuck. Body is a little cleaner with caramel and molasses notes though quite subdued and the damn banana shows up again. No real oak notes. Banana porter? Meh. I've had two of the three bottles in this pack filled with banana esters. Awful.`

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:04:10 | More by kjyost

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330 mL bottle from the LCBO. I used to be a big proponent of I&G, but in recent months I've begun to tire of their offerings - there's just too much overlap between most of them. I like oak and vanilla and all, but let's see some more variety, huh? I went out on a limb and purchased this one anyway.

Pours a deep, clear, brownish-amber colour with ruby highlights, topped with slightly more than two fingers of dense, creamy, light tan-coloured head that seeps away over the next few minutes. Besides the soapy film left behind on the surface, its only remnants are a 1 cm-wide collar of foam around the edge, and a continuous swath of lacing stuck to the glass above it. The aroma is very reminiscent of most I&G offerings, with the oak, vanilla and toffee notes making themselves very apparent, but with the extra addition of a sweet, syrupy, almost roasted note from the molasses/treacle.

Decent flavour, but as I suspected this comes across more as a tweaked version of their flagship oaked ale (or maybe their rum cask) than an entirely new beer. Caramel, toffee and oak come through at first, leading into the powerfully sweet molasses notes. Together, the treacle, with the dark fruit (dates or figs) and buttery feel, give off a bit of a maple syrup vibe. Finishes with some pleasant toffee sweetness and a weak hint of ethanol; the aftertaste is lingering oak and earthy hop dryness. Medium-bodied, with a decent thickness/chewiness to the body. Leaves a slick feel on the palate after swallowing, and the mild carbonation helps facilitate this. Not especially well-balanced, in that I could see the treacle sweetness becoming annoying after more than this serving.

I still feel that I&G makes good beer, but I have come to terms with the fact that they are a one trick pony. It's not that these oaked beers don't taste good, because they generally do. Rather, it's that they all kind of taste the same, with only a few discernible tweaks with each new specialty release. This bottle was a relatively cheap pick-up, and thank goodness for that because I might have skipped it if it were one of those bottle-in-a-carton deals that cost an extra 2-3 dollars.

Final Grade: 3.48, a serviceable B-. Innis & Gunn's Winter Treacle Porter is pretty much what I expected - a sweeter, boozier version of their base oaked ale. I&G fans with a sweet tooth may wish to give this one a try, but anyone who doesn't fall into that category (and isn't a big I&G homer to begin with) probably wouldn't be missing much if they skipped it. I could go either way on this one; I don't like it as much as their flagship oaked ale or their rum cask, but it's still a decent brew - just not one where the tweaks were tailored toward my preferences. The porter name is also fairly misleading, as I'd be more inclined to stuff this into the "English Strong Ale/Wee Heavy" box than the "stout/porter" one.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:35:49 | More by thehyperduck

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clean orange-ish to brown color with a light tan head. In the aroma, oaky and a sweet molasses stickiness. In the taste, oaky, a small stickiness and a note of roast. A small bite and a medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry sticky molasses and a small roast in the aftertaste. Oaky and sticky molasses, definitely adds more to an English porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 18:19:14 | More by OWSLEY069

Kromes

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear dark brown/ruby color with a thin line of bubbles on top.

Caramel, vanilla, butter, oak, and alcohol notes in the aroma.

Very strong oak and butter flavors up front. These carry through to the finish with a weak caramel malt flavor. It finishes with a bitter alcohol bite and lingering oak.

A little bit thin at first, but the carbonation helps round it out. Slight burn in the finish.

Not bad....The oak flavor is very strong and overpowers the beer. Can't say that I was able to pick up anything other than a sweetness under the oak.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 20:05:54 | More by Kromes

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle poured into tulip 8/12/12

A clear dark amber with no visible bubbles and just a thin film for foam that leaves a lone patch of lace

S brown sugar, molasses, and banana bread mix with some faint woody notes and vanilla, smells pretty good

T some coco and a little more wood then the smell but I felt the nose had more going on and I was liking the banana bread I'm not finding in the mouth

M has some body but not enough bubbles to back it up, a little slick and a woody, spicy, earthy finish lingers

O not quite a porter in my opinion but not a bad beer if you ignore the classification, well concealed booze and a solid nose

I'll admit I don't know what Treacle is, or how to pronounce Treacle for that matter. Stay in school kids, stay in school.... Hey at least I'm a role model

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 07:36:39 | More by wordemupg

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle, called 'Winter Treacle Porter' in shipments to Canada, where it comprises part of the usual I&G giftpack, and is now sold separately, like batteries, I suppose.

This beer pours a clear, dark ruby amber hue, with two fingers of foamy, bubbly beige head, which leaves a low fuzzy rise of lace around the glass as it subsides at an even pace.

It smells of dark, rummy sugar, banana liqueur, a bit of semi-sweet chocolate, a subtle oaken woodiness, some mildly astringent orchard fruitiness, and marshmallows. The taste is musty molasses - restrained in their sweetness - dark black fruit, a twinge of besotted wood graininess, nicely evolving Christmas cake notes, some additional soft, warming alcohol, and a touch of earthy hops.

The bubbles are generally quite tame, and barely supportive, the body a sturdy medium weight, just a tad clammy, and generally smooth. It finishes off-dry, the molasses (I suppose that's actually treacle, but having no cultural experience there, I'm going with what I know) doing well to not overstep its guest role - the fruit, hops, and booze all lending a hand.

Well, I&G usually leaves me with a case of the blahs, usually from the overwrought oak sweetness - here, however, that is leavened a fair bit, and the unusual sugar adjunct adds a bit of seasonal whimsy. Nothing revelatory, but worth a try, if only to check back in to this particular brewer's wares.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 01:53:21 | More by biboergosum

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz bottle served in the Innis & Gunn "tall glass".

L - clear chestnut brown with a bubbly beige head that thinned to a ring.

S - whiskey wood and brown sugar.

T - oak and lots of sweetness with just a hint of bittering before finishing sticky sweet.

F - medium bodied with mild carbonation.

O - decent, worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 22:33:49 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type - Bottle

Appearance - Copper tan/brown, minor 1/4 inch creamy head with some decent lacing.

Smell - Oaked whiskey, molasses, honey, sweet spices. Some vanilla, toffee, banana, band aid aroma.

Taste - Pretty much starts out like a light whiskey barrel aged scottch ale. Some mollasses and banana add a bubblegum flavor. Some added spices, light dark fruits add more flavor. Mnor malt backbone with some alcohol warmth. Not sure were the porter is.

Mouthfeel - Light whiskey scottch notes coat tounge. Some mollasses, and spices in the finish. Palate gets some whiskey, fruits and malts. The aftertaste is whiskey flavored and actualy pretty light.

Overall - Not bad, light, a good starter into the barrel aged world. I dont get any porter other then the added molasses. Maybe the barrel masked the porter flavors but nothing at all about this, the flavor, the color, the feel and malts remind of of a porter. Worth a drink but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 01:47:02 | More by wvsabbath

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Purchased at the Sainsbury supermarket, presented in a colourful, wintry-scenery themed paper case. BB 09/2013, served lightly chilled in a Gulden Draak’s branded glass.

A: dark mahogany in colour, with good clarity and a thin beige foamy head which dissipates fairly fast.
S: chocolate cake plus orange liqueur, banana, vanilla and, yeah, treacle! The nose is pleasantly sweet with plenty of impact from dark malts in the form of fruitiness.
T: sour-sweet dark fruity tastes dominate first, but quickly, the dry-ish touch from the oak-barrel ageing catches up with a chewy palate; the aftertaste has black cherry, bitterness, lingering cocoa flavour/aroma, amongst other things.
M&D: the mouthfeel is quite light, not heavy at all, the carbonation level is right, and the beer never tastes heavy-bodied despite the alc. level. All in all a likeable product but not very special.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 21:33:54 | More by wl0307