Style: Oatmeal stout
Brewery: Innis & Gunn
Origin: Scotland
Size: 33cl
Alcohol: 6.1%
Price: 21kr
Systembolaget: 11756
Based in Edinburgh, Innis & Gunn was founded in 2003 by Master Brewer Dougal Gunn Sharp. It has gone on to achieve incredible growth, currently selling 2.5 million cases of beer per year in over 35 countries. Used whiskey casks have been broken up and placed into the tanks when brewing to bring forth the flavours of the barrel in a quicker method than regular barrel ageing would take. Brewed using Extra Pale Ale, Amber and Chocolate malts alongside roasted barley and oats, I knew this oatmeal stout would be a great way to start the darker side of this tasting.
This beer was dark chocolate brown with a hint of deep amber in colour, coupled with a beige head that held well. The aroma was delicious, with massive cream notes working nicely with tones of milk chocolate, sweet licorice and oak. The body appeared to be quite thin when swirled, but it didn’t seem to affect the overall experience of the beer. The taste continued the theme from the aroma, with the cream mellowing and a burnt coffee note appearing instead, along with some vanilla spices. A hint of smoke was detected in the aftertaste, as the bitter malts clung to the palate for a long time after swallowing.
For 21kr, this was rather exceptional. The whiskey barrel edge that was present added an extra dimension to the beer without overshadowing the lovely dark malts. A great everyday stout to have in the fridge!