O'Shea's Traditional Irish Stout - Carlow Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

2.98/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This is a beer brewed for Ireland's Aldi stores. I purchased mine in the Harvest off-license in Galway.

A: Pours a very dark amber-black with a three finger head that holds up over four minutes and has a fair amount of cream. Nice thickness. Appealing.

Sm: Chocolate and toffee hints. A bit of caramel. Mostly roasted barley. Nice for an Irish stout, but unremarkable. Worse than Guinness anyway.

T: A mediocre opening to a decently built body with a wonderfully roasted finish. Well-balanced albeit one-note. I wish it were more complex like Guinness (or even Beamish). The note that is there (roasted barley) is done well. This is not a bold beer, but it makes a nice session stout.

Mf: Nicely coarse and dry at the climax, but lacking in the open and body.

Dr: At this price (1.99 Euro), it's actually decent. Just don't expect the quality of Guinness. For stout lovers like me, it's worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 02:46:07 | More by kojevergas