Last Kiss - Pipeworks Brewing Company

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a tulip glass.

Man, there's a lot of really bad music out there, apparently. Thanks a load, VDubb... Anyway, this is about beer, and this one pours a brackish black-brown topped by a finger of wan tan foam. The nose comprises sweet caramel, maple syrup, and light vanilla. The taste brings in more of the same, with even more vanilla, this time in full bean form. Maltiness reigns supreme here, sugarlumps! The body is a lithe medium, with a very light moderate carbonation, a smooth feel, and a sorta/kinda dry finish. Overall, a very nice brew, something any malthead would likely drool over.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 06:43:16 | More by TMoney2591

MasterSki

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled shared by Jason. Served in a Hill Farmstead tulip.

A - Tan foam settles to a thin collar, wisps, and tiny specks of lace. Dark brown body with a hint of transparency at the edges of the glass.

S - The aroma is a touch strange. While the expected notes of treacle, bread, brown sugar, and caramel were present there was an odd corn tortilla aroma that muddles things up. There's also a hint of alcohol, but it's not inappropriate for the style.

T - The taste is an improvement, with more sweetness and less flatbread. Burnt sugars, caramel, toffee, a touch of chocolate. There's almost no smoke or peat, which isn't entirely unwelcome but is a bit unexpected in comparison to other American-made Scotch Ales.

M - Medium body, with a smooth, slightly chewy, texture. Light stickiness in the finish, and only mild alcohol warming. Surprisingly easy to drink for a Scotch Ale.

D - The aroma is a bit odd, but otherwise this is pretty solid beer. The lack of smoke and peat has this verging into barleywine territory, but that's not a negative in my book. I'll revisit in a few weeks to see if the corn tortilla flavor has dissipated as I think there's a really good beer waiting to come out.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 17:06:26 | More by MasterSki

emerge077

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pours placidly into a tulip glass, a finger or so of foam rises and falls quickly, leaving behind a scant amount of random spotty lacing. Dark and murky mahoghany brown, a patchy veil of skim parts across the surface.

Rich caramel and english toffee aromas, dry roast, brown sugar, subtly blended and wafting slowly off the glass as it warms.

Tastes like tiramisu, straight up. Pretty impressive. Hints of roasty malt, espresso roast, fried plantains in caramel sauce, and a very light trace peat smoke. Smooth and full bodied with a mellow feel, lightly carbonated. Treacly molasses, sticky on the lips, a warming hint of alcohol, but well integrated. Some light residual bitterness in the aftertaste. Reminds me a little of another favorite Scotch Ale, Kuhnhenn A Few Schillings Too Many.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 02:06:19 | More by emerge077

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass)
Batch 47
A- Pours a dense walnut brown body with a thin tan head that soon fades to a thick ring and has a gentle carbonation pushing through the murky body.

S- The full deep brown malt aroma leans only a fraction toward the sweet side with some nice molasses notes and dark nougat hints blended in.

T- The dark taste of rich brown malt has some molasses notes but not metallic or iodine and a nougat note in the finish and some vinous pot caramel character that isn't tannic. There is a gentle black bitterness that hints in the after taste.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a thick texture in the finish and no real alcohol heat.

D- The delicious big malt flavor has some nice caramel notes without being sweet but it is a bit one dimensional to drink several glasses of.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 21:57:01 | More by rhoadsrage

Florida9

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Very dark brown, not quite black. Still slightly translucent. Forms a very small, light tan head doesn't stick around for very long. No lacing. Aroma is very malty: dark caramel, molasses, and raisin. Taste is similar, but not quite. Mild caramel
Sweetness, molasses, and then there is a rather metallic fenugreek flavor that dominates. Overpowers really. Finish is rather thin. Body is medium light, lower carbonation, very mild syrup quality. Eh, not a bad beer, but not a great one either. The fenugreek really throughs this off for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:29:43 | More by Florida9

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a 8 oz snifter.

A- pours a murky dark brown with a 1 finger tan head. Some trails and blotches remain on the glass.

S- sweet toffee, caramel, dark fruits, bread.

T- sweet dark fruits, toffee, candi sugar

M- medium body and carbonation. Slick and syrupy and drinks very well.

O- good beer but different from a typical wee heavy. More sweet dark fruit characteristics then smoke, toasted malts.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 05:15:45 | More by kawilliams81

Treebs

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in a Midnight Sun chub. Batch # 47

A: Pours a dark brown color with semi clear edges where the light hits. A thin tan head forms on the pour and dissipates to a thin ring.

S: Nice roast with some smokey peat as well. Malty sweetness as well.

T: Creamy, smokey and sweet. Light chocolate with some nice bitter roast. Incredibly smooth and rich. There is a slight underlying fruitiness as well. A little alcohol to boot.

M: Medium bodied with a medium low carbonation. Creamy and oily mouthfeel.

O: Great mouthfeel with nice complexity in the flavor department. Definitely one of the best Non-BA Scotch Ales I've ever had. Will enjoy again!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 01:09:48 | More by Treebs

Etan

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 52. 22oz, red wax, into a tulip.

A: Pours a brown-tinged black with a small light tan head.

S: Caramelized grain, roast, slightly burnt molasses, subtle vanilla, raisiny sweetness.

T: The taste brings molasses, boozy heat, raisin, brown sugar, vanilla. There's some earthy, lightly peaty, mildly bitter malt notes as well.

M: Medium-bodied, almost no carbonation.

O: This tastes really good, although some more carbonation would be nice (probably just a matter of fixing up the bottle conditioning). I have a feeling that putting this in bourbon barrels would make something magical.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 03:33:54 | More by Etan

tectactoe

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Batch #47, shared at a tasting (thanks to whomever brought this one along). Pours a deep brown with some light ruby highlights, a dark-beige, nearly tan head forms and settles to a thin skin atop the brew for at least half of the pour. Aroma is packed with deep, sweet, dark fruits; apple skins, red grapes, plums - almost as much on a bitter "rind and pith" side as it was on the sweet and candied side. Some light spice on the nose, although it's a bit too faint for me to start calling out actual spice names. Something's definitely in there, though.

The taste is full of a blast of sugar-coated plums and more red grapes. Nice sweetness and a smooth maltiness with a bit of toasted caramel and toffee. That damn spiciness is back again and still ambigious to me as to what exactly it may be, but it certain provides a different flavor. Halfway though, I start tasting a sweet and sugary flavor, very similar to "sugar in the raw" (that brown, granulated stuff). Lots of dry, dark malts everywhere. Some light booziness throughout, with a very faint hint of smoky flavors, most noticeable near the tail end. Finish is sweet apple skins and plums. Medium body with average carbonation.

Decent wee heavy, lots of flavors althought the sweetness was a touch unbalanced. Still pretty drinkable and overall easy-going for a 9.5%-er.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 20:01:27 | More by tectactoe

barnzy78

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber shared with a friend, pours dark brown with a thin, tan head that fades to a foam atop the ale. Aromas are plenty of molasses and very malty with peat, earth, caramel, kind of woodsy. Tastes are again, plenty of molasses, cream, peat, earthy, smoky. Mouth-feel is full bodied; super creamy and smooth with just enough carbonation. Overall, a nice Scotch ale that teeters on being too heavy on the molasses, but everything is just held in check with a nice balance of flavors. This was my first experience with Pipeworks, and I have to say that I'm impressed.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 02:47:54 | More by barnzy78

vic21234

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

22oz bomber poured into a snifter. Batch 47.

A- Pours a dark brown with literally no head to speak of and a few lonely bubbles. Lacing is noticeable along the sides of the glass.

S- Dark fruits, mostly raisins, are big on the smell for me. I also get an overall spiciness and some booze.

T- Initially I get a spicy malt presence. Dark fruits and some vanilla is also noted.

M- Little to no carbonation, rather boozy.

Not really my favorite style, but a nice beer. It could use some more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 22:21:16 | More by vic21234

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a wax topped 22oz bomber into a snifter glass

A - The color is a deep caramel brown color with a small off white head

S - Smells of vanilla, caramel, and spice

T - I should start by saying that I think Scotch Ale's can be real "hit or miss" (in my opinion) and this one was a hit. All of the flavors come together nicely and make this a very enjoyable and surprisingly drinkable beer. The taste is a lot like the nose - lots of sweet caramel flavors and hints of other spices. Nothing is overwhelming though and the beer is surprisingly not overly sweet either.

M - For the style, I thought that the mouth feel cold have been a little thicker, but all in all I have no complaints. The carbonation was nice for such a big beer as well. I'd bet this ages nicely.

O - This and Scotty Karate are my favorite Scotch Ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 16:36:12 | More by cnbrown313

wyatt13

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch #52. Poured from a 22 oz. bomber.

A - Pours a very dark reddish brown, nearly opaque. Half finger head that dissipates quickly. Tiny bubbles.

S - Raisins, figs, tons of dark fruits here. Really sweet on the nose like cherry or cranberry juice. Caramel and brown sugar. A little hop bitterness & booze on the back end.

T - Massive malt sweetness at the front of the mouth. Ends with a really surprising spicy note that I can only assume is from the fenugreek. Very complex stuff here. Alcohol is well-hidden.

M - Rather thick mouthfeel with a pleasant sticky quality that trails it down the throat.

O - Very drinkable stuff for 9.5% & the spiciness at the end of the taste keeps making me go back for more of the sweetness that is at the beginning of the taste. Not a typical scotch ale, but good stuff. Another solid offering from Pipeworks.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 02:29:07 | More by wyatt13

Grohnke

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Smells of rich, sharp toffee, heavy molasses, toasted malt, light vanilla, indiscernible spices, and very light alcohol. There was an odd, albeit brief, copper note in the beginning of the session.

Thick caramel, bright vanilla, lightly spiced, and no hop flavor. Faint roast, and lightly fruity (fig? plum?). Malt forward with medium hop bitterness, enough to prevent it from becoming syrupy. Light alcohol on the finish.

medium full body, with medium light carbonation. Very pleasing on the palate. Slight trace of alcohol warmth

A real sipper of a beer. Perfect for a cold chicago night. easy to drink, and wonderfully layered. Mouthfeel enhances the overall experience.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 04:34:30 | More by Grohnke

TotallyHosed

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is very dark brown and only lets light through at the edges. The head is thick and foamy with a tan color that fades to a splotchy veil and leaves behind heavy lacing.

The nose is primarily caramelized malts. I also detect some subtle fig, leather and dark chocolate.

The flavor is rich and complex. At the forefront is a combination of molasses, fig, alcohol and caramelized malt. As this flavor fades, I'm left with toasted grains.

The feel is medium to heavy. The brew coats the mouth nicely with some flavor that encourages another sip.

I am a fan of the style and highly recommend this brew to other fans. Last Kiss is more complex than the average Wee Heavy, by offering a lot more than delicious caramelized malt flavor. Although the alcohol is present, it is well balanced with the molasses and spice flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 23:36:58 | More by TotallyHosed

mjc3151

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22 oz. bomber purchased at Binny's in Naperville, IL.

A - Dark brown, cloudy

S - smells roasty and sweet

T - Caramel and toffee taste. Very malty and therefore sweet, but also roasty so it ends up balancing very nicely. Being roasty, it has a slight coffee flavor in the finish.

M - not overly-carbonated, dead-on for the style

0 - Wow....amazing. Alcohol is masked very well. Very sweet, but also very roasty, so it is a very complex and balanced brew. I highly recommend this to anyone in the Chicago area. Bottle-conditioned, so watch the sediment when you pour.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 00:32:51 | More by mjc3151

atomic

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed from a 22oz bottle split between two Stella glasses.

Pours dark and thick. Almost no head or lacing.

Dangerously easy drinking Scotish Ale. At nearly 10% it also will warm you right up. Although my gf couldn't finish her glass, I had to stop myself from gulping mine down. The perfect amount of bitterness makes this a great beer for someone who is still new to drinking craft beers. I'm glad they didn't go crazy with this and kept it nicely balanced, which is probably why it went down so easy.

I think I'll pick up another and age it.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 07:48:04 | More by atomic