Quilter's Irish Death - Iron Horse Brewery

jeffeljefe

Washington

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A-- Black-brown. Clear? Hazy? Would need some kind of laser to tell. Thick, lasting cream-colored head, some lacing.
S-- Sweet caramelly chocalate (a little stuffed up, that's the best I can do.)
T-- Lightly sweet, roasted nuts. A little bit of brightness coming through. get the whiskey barrel in the finish
M-- medium-to-full-bodied, creamy
O-- Nice, not overly sweet in my opinion, drinkable. Not overly malty for a strong ale. Balanced and not one-note. Wouldn't drink this all the time, but it's a pleasant 22oz attitude adjustment.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:25:52 | More by jeffeljefe

Murrhey

Montana

3.81/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from starndard pressure-cap bomber to pint glass in high elevation Libby, Mont. Reviewed live.

A- Half-finger mocha head with long retention. Thin, opaque, mocha lacing. Color of reddish-clay, very hazy, only clarity comes from the edges.

S- Chocolate fudge, roasted malts, some brandy.

T- Strange flavors. Alcohol comes much more into play here, tastes like dark chocolate liqueur or a white Russian almost. Some fruity hoppiness (surprisingly) at the end of the drink as well. How peculiar. After the initial dark, roasted flavors, finishes very sweetly. Quite nice.

M- Smoooth. Finishes rather dry and tight.

O- Surprising beer. I liked it. It isn't drop-dead wonderful, but a nice roasty sort of ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 02:08:13 | More by Murrhey

searsclone

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

review is from notes. unfortunately, I did not note the glass I used.

poured cloudy root beer color with a creamy tan head that was gone almost immediately. good lacing though.

smell was roasted malts and clean. not a lot on the nose.

taste was roasted malts, earth clan hops, spices, alcohol, with a toffee sweet finish. alcohol is very well hidden.

mouthfeel is great, smooth and creamy with a light carbonation. almost like a nitro. medium body with a wet finish.

overall, highly drinkable due to the mouth felel and great balance. If this were readily available, I would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:03:24 | More by searsclone

Kevin73

Washington

2.83/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a partially transparent ruddy brown with a very thin head that disappears quickly with almost no lacing. The smell is dark chocolate and indistinguishable fruit that was not quite orange citrus which, darn it all, would have been nice. My first sip tasted distinctly like green olives, that put me off a bit. Fortunately the flavor changed and I was able to savor the sweetness of the bready malts balancing the high ABV. Still it's a thin ale with a watery back end. I guess you would classify this as a malty porter, where as porters are normally hopped, but definitely not a stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 23:33:14 | More by Kevin73

KajII

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Nonic Pint]

The pour was a murky dark brown with a small (less than 1 finger) light brown fizzy head that diminished in a matter of seconds, down to just a small collar with fair light lacing.

The aroma was somewhat mild with a roasted chocolate malt and a light doughy yeast with notes of dark fruit (raisins and dates), coffee, cola, molasses and a mild alcohol tinge.

The taste was a bold malty sweet with a good strong dark fruit presence and a hint of molasses and maybe chocolate from the beginning, and then took on a nice bold roastiness with a touch of coffee and a nice mellow alcohol ending. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow, and what was left behind is still somewhat of a tasty mystery to me.

Mouthfeel was just about medium in body with a thin dry texture and a fizzy carbonation.

Overall the brewer is correct, I just can not put this one into any one style category. All I know is it is damn tasty and I like it...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 18:33:03 | More by KajII

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared with a friend and poured into my Dogfish Head chalice. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours a hazy, ruddy brown with a one finger off white head that faded to leave a nice light side lacing and a wispy blanket.

S - Sweet, bordering on too sweet, with lots of figs and dark fruit and caramel.

T - Taste is similar to the nose with more malty sweetness and dark fruits (mostly figs), caramel, and toffee. Its not bad...

M - Mouthfeel is pretty good. Nice carbonation keeps this from being heavy or syrupy thanks to the sweetness.

O - Overall this was a good beer, albeit too sweet for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 19:41:06 | More by rudzud

PEBKAC

New York

2.3/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bottle from LetsPour. Ommegang chalice to try & keep everything compact.

Cream-colored flimsy head. Muggy, dark brown body. Light sleeping sediment; I tried.

Smells like a like a brown ale with some cacao nibs & cherry juice added. A bit medicinal.

Some toasty grain on the taste, but it honestly tastes how it smells. Some licorice. Curious nuttiness on the trail end. Not really all that sweet, just sloppy.

Frothy tongue. Really low carbonation, barely a tickle. Rough alcohol. This is not 7.8%.

At least the shipping was free.

/shrug

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 03:50:38 | More by PEBKAC

Brenden

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Irish Death is almost black but not quite, though even at the edges light has trouble sneaking in. A light-medium brown head reaches a finger in height and shows some resilience, though it does fade off. Lacing is above average, going spotty for the most part.
This isn't exceedingly complex, but it isn't simple either. A sturdy malts base with only enough hops for balance make for a brew on the sweeter end, but it's by no means too sweet. There's a bit of caramel and vanilla and a touch of something like candy sugars. A gently peppery bite is one way to add character and complexity. There's also a strong breadiness, giving the impression of something like fruitcake, as there is a fruity element, particularly as it warms. It's not so much dark fruits as berries. There's even a touch of peat detectable in the background. Alcohol is well-masked, peeking out in the finish and more so as it sits. All in all, it works together nicely.
The body is medium, and this beer is rich on the tongue and velvety smooth. There's just a very light crisp nip, as smoothness seems to be the intent, but smooth it absolutely is and makes for very nice drinking.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 14:00:31 | More by Brenden

ZachStone625

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

If you love malty brews, don't care for the bitterness of a double IPA and love a starch-heavy beer with a near 8% ABV, look no further.

This is your malty "beer candy" as the brewer proclaims. Almost no bitterness to balance and finish it, there's a prominent malty front and middle with a surprisingly clean and warm finish to wrap up this strong ale. This is a great beer if you're a fan of amber, red, or brown ales - malt heavy but laying back on the hops. There are only malt and alcohol flavors here, and the 7.80% abv is deceptively approachable, you won't even notice how strong it is until it hits your face like a boxer punch on your third pint.

If you love red, ambers, porters, and brown ales, but want the desired effect of an American Strong ale without the groin punch of bitterness a triple IPA serves up, go for this.

My only complaints with this beer is the sweetness and the carbonation. It goes flat worse than a warm diet Coke - unless you get and drink this from the tap at BevMo and slam down two pints pronto, you're looking at a fizzless beer. The sweetness might be from the yeast getting tired of producing huge amounts of alcohol and dying off from their byproduct, yielding an approachable brew, but I like the bubbles coalescing from my tongue. What happened? Don't buy a 22 bottle and go on a road trip from Portland to Seattle, head and lacing will vanish in seconds. Again,. maybe the yeast couldn't handle it, but more carbonation would definitely make this beer world-class.

Serving type: growler

08-12-2012 03:58:47 | More by ZachStone625

lwillitz

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22-oz bottle into Samuel Smith "Tulip" pint glass

A - cloudy dark brown body under a finger of medium tan bubbles, beautiful cascading bubbles

S - caramel sweetness, roasty malt, dark fruits, alcohol

T - roast malts predominate, dark fruits, hint of vanilla, almost a wooden flavor, alcohol, semisweet finish with an aftertaste of alcohol; alcohol hides pretty well until the finish

M - thick, chewy, smooth full body; meduim carbonation; alcohol warmth, especially in the finish

O - This one's great if you're looking for a dark malty ale on the sweeter side.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 02:45:27 | More by lwillitz

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a pint glass.

Pours very dark brown, very little foam. Some tan spots start out but fizzes out. Very malty nose. Some milk chocolate. Opens a sour malty taste. Very light carbonation leads to a creamy malt. If there is a hop in here, its buried in the thick wash of the malt. Ok.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 11:54:13 | More by KTCamm

homebrew311

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle poured into Russian River -tion glass. Appearance is a deep chestnut brown with auburn highlights. A thin layer of head sticks around to form a collar. Not much in the way of lacing. The nose features some sweeter notes of vanilla and cherry along with notes of caramel and toffee. Not getting anything in the way of hops. The taste is pretty sweet, just as the nose suggests, with lots of vanilla and caramel paired with dark fruits. The sweetness is strong but never becomes cloying. The mouthfeel features mellow carbonation with a moderate to heavy body. Overall, this is a malty treat that is balanced well and is deceptively strong.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 04:25:00 | More by homebrew311

GNWBC

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz Bomber

Pours a mirky dark brown reddish color

Smells of roasted malt burnt/brown sugar and booze

Taste follows the nose, but it really leaves a lingering taste in your mouth.

Mf. pretty smooth and silky

OA: not to bad, good with heavy rich foods.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 03:32:26 | More by GNWBC

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours a dark burgundy, with a 2 finger tan head. Small waves of lacing remain.

S- sweet dark fruits, toffee, caramel, some roasted malts.

T- sweet figs, roasted malts, some faint bitter chocolate.

M- medium body and carbonation. Easy drinkability with a slight acidity at the finish.

O- meh. Just an average beer. If you like sweeter beers with some roastiness you will enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 03:00:03 | More by kawilliams81

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours black with a 1 finger head of off white foam and has some nice lacing.

It smells roasty with a hint or 2 of fruit, but the nose is very light and I'm serving it at room temp. And then, I take a few more whiffs and I get lots of alcohol with an almost cognac like aroma.

There's some roasted malt in the taste, a touch of fruit, a light tartness, and quite a bit of a milky flavour with some notes that resemble something that has been barrel aged. That being said, it's tasty and brings quite a bit of warming.

On the edge of being full bodied with a light amount of carbonation, it certainly IS a smooth one. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 22:59:10 | More by Bitterbill

harrymel

Washington

2.3/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the brewery.
Hazy brown ale with a slight caramel hue. Done sweet Esters or banana and clove. Smells of smooth milk chocolate and hints of molasses malts. Nice brown ale flavor is then upended with some sweet what I think are off flavors in the beer, but this is the flagship beer so must be their intention.medium body and low carb and semi dry finish.I don't really care for this one.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2012 22:09:37 | More by harrymel

djbreezy

Washington

3.93/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap in a 12 oz glass at By the Bottle in Vancouver, WA.

appearance - dark with some transparency, some lacing

smell - candy and sugar, malts

taste - very sweet, candy and sugar notes mixed with a malty backbone

mouthfeel - a bit on the creamy side, smooth but oily

overall - i really dig what they've done with this...it doesn't really match a set style but that's just fine. it's an interesting beer and worth a try. fatigues after too much but worth a glass!

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 17:58:42 | More by djbreezy

live2ride

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Who cares what style it is. If you like dark beer; porters, stouts or hefty browns, you'll love this one. Head is substantial but doesn't last long. Leaves nice lacing. Best consumed borderline room temperature for greatest aroma. Delicious fall evening campfire sipper. Good roasty, chocolatey notes with a subtle hint of fruit.

Recommended serving: Around a campfire at sunset with 3 good friends and a faithful dog.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 02:44:19 | More by live2ride

NWer

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Generous pour into my brandy snifter yields darkness and an average head for a bold ABV beer. Settles down to nothing. No lace. No bubbles. Nothing.
Lots of discussion as to style. I see it as a Scotch Ale. Suits me.
Sweetness, chocolate, bold notes.
A very slight cloyness made me drop the score a little on the mouthfeel.
A very enjoyable beer just slightly off to keep it from being rated higher.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 23:32:15 | More by NWer

Franch

New York

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

billed as a "stout" incorrectly by the bar i was at, it was instead a strong dark ale. hides its ABV deceptively well, very drinkable, but very forgettable. VERY sweet through a cherry/plum/raisin-y note. where its ABV is hidden by the lack of heat, perhaps it comes out in this sweetness. the sweetness, however, was not accompanied by a thick or syrupy mouthfeel - it was rather thin.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 05:34:33 | More by Franch

Docer

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: (3.5)
- Pours a dark murky coffee brown.. can't see through it. Minimal light tan to off-white head.. maybe half a finger if lucky. Settles to a nice sized ring of lace making goodness. Light solid dusting on top.

Smell: (4.0)
- Pleasant sweet malt aromas. Quite unique. Light cocoa, grainy husky red ale-like quality. Touch of smoked wood, smoked and/or roasted grain. Slightly grassy and herbal.

Taste: (4.0)
- Sweet cocoa, biscuity, bready dark malt. Smoked roasty flavor. Very herbal and grassy hop. Pretty darn good. Bitterness shines towards the finish. A nice sweet aftershock of sorts hits the palate after the swallow as well. Perhaps a touch of ginger and molasses.

Mouth Feel: (4.5)
- Devilishly smooth. This is a perfectly carbonated, medium bodied brew with a silky smooth and creamy texture. Very high marks on this for the feel. Bitterness leads to some slight drying, and a chewy quality.

Overall: (4.0)
- This is a great brew. If you are looking for a perfectly drinkable creamy smooth dark ale.. this is it. This would be gold on nitro I am guessing.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 05:50:23 | More by Docer

ferrari29

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beer poured from bottle into a stemless Tulip shaped wine glass

A - Dark smooth ale color; beer poured with a one finger foam; bubbly carbonated look; moderate amount of lacing formed on the sides of the glass; head held very well; visible amount of yeast sediment sits on the bottom of the glass

S - Malt scents with a tangy nose; grape; biscuit; sour fruit notes; subtle hints of chocolate or coffee or roasted malt

T - Sweet malt tastes like caramel; some tangy notes of sour grapes; smooth and nice aftertaste, not very bitter; light touch of coffee

M - Frothy and bubbly; good solid body; slightly effervescent

D - Nice; I dig this beer; I would have a another, but not too many

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 17:04:58 | More by ferrari29

kola

Virginia

4.72/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: A very dark brown ale. Leaves a lot of tracing on the glass. I got plenty of gold colored head that lasted longer than I expected.

S Decent chocolate and caramel. Not overpowering, but it's there and is good.

T This beer hit the spot for me. Lots of malt, coffee, and caramel in the mix, and a nice sweet touch that kept me coming back for more. Notes of dark fruit in the background. If I didn't know the alcohol content before hand, I'd never have guessed how much was there until after trying to stand up.

M Not too thick (this is an ale, not a stout), but plenty of body. Quite satisfying.

O If there was ever a reason for me to want to live in the Northwest, this beer is it. One of the best comfort ales I have run across. Yum!!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 22:50:31 | More by kola

beerandcycling88

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this from a cask at the micro-pub in downtown Ellensburg.

A This beer is dark in color as you would expect with a slight reddish tint, however it is still a little translucent so nothing spectacular. The head was fairly short lived but there was a good bit of lacing.

S The nose of the beer is faint, there are hints of coffee, fruit and malt but nothing strong enough to stand out.

T The taste of this beer is pretty good. The 7.8% is hidden pretty well by massive amounts of malt, a hint of coffee and a slight fruity background which kind of reminds me of cherry cough syrup but in a good way, like if cough syrup actually tasted good.

M This beer is very smooth but kind of light for a darker beer.

Overall I say this is a good beer that is quite unique and well worth trying, it is an enjoyable drink and at 7.8% it will put you in a good place. So if you are in Ellensburg it is worth getting a bottle.

Serving type: cask

03-22-2011 06:43:30 | More by beerandcycling88

Liberaldrinker

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is the best brown ale I have ever drank. Superb flavor and drinkability. The beer has a wonderful almost chocalately sweet smoothness. I had it out the bottle for the first time last night and it was almost as good as it is on tap. Pricey, but well worth it.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 15:36:50 | More by Liberaldrinker