The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2019 Day: 6 Kindred Spirts Imperial Stout Barrel aged in Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey Barrels

Beer # 506 Kindred Spirits  Tullamore dew Irish Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Brewery: Innis and Gunn Brewing Company

Type: Independent Brewery    Est.:  2003

Location: Edinburgh, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

ABV: 6.1%      IBU: 40

Format: Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 330 ml

Cost: $4.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

innisandgunnca

    @innisandgunn

Back to Edinburgh for another sample from Innis and Gunn's never-ending tickle trunk of barrel-aged beers. This version is an Imperial Stout aged in Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey BarrelsI like stouts and I like Irish Whiskey... so this should be pretty good.

Onto our beer..

Pours a dark chestnut with an off tan head. The aroma is malty Irish whiskey and tropical fruit. The first sip is whiskey and tropical fruit giving over to wood and smoke and char. Sandwiched in the middle is coconut with rum whiskey phenols. Aeration gives us some tobacco, smoke, pencil box, and wood shavings.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

A very complex and a decent tasting beer. not a real standout but good enough to share one with someone special during the holidays.

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 5:Maple and Thistle Rye Red Ale

Beer # 395 Maple and Thistle Rye Ale

Brewery: Innis and Gunn Brewing Company


Type: Independent Brewery    Est.:  2003

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Beer Style: Flavoured Rye Red Ale

ABV: 5.9%      IBU: ?

Format: Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 500 ml

Cost: $9.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

innisandgunnuk

    InnisandGunnUk

 For interesting beers, one can always look to Innis and Gunn. The Scottish brewers tend to play with their beers, specialising in ageing beers in barrels and attempting unusual combinations. Each year there brew a beer for Canada Day which usually includes Canadian ingredients or Canadian Whiskey Barrels. This year, as it was Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation they brewed the Maple and Thistle Rye ale to celebrate Scotland and Canada's long friendship. The beer was brewed with malted Canadian rye and then aged for 150 days in 150 Canadian Oak casks. When maturation was complete they added maple syrup and Scottish thistle before bottling.



The result is a very rich rye beer with deep herbal notes and a touch of sweetness. I was trying to get this one done for #Canadabeermonth but it got overlooked, so I wanted to make sure it got the attention it needed in this special year for Canada.

Onto our beer.


Pours a dark chestnut with a generous tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is rye bread, sweet malt, some chestnut and hints of bitter greens. First sip gives us sweet honey/ maple syrup with notes of smoke. Rich rye bread and distinct herbaceousness. whisky is evident on the finish as is a light woodiness.Aeration brings out the taste of new oak, woody, whisky, malty, light caramel and vanilla.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Innis and Gunn always makes a solid beer, and this one is no exception. Well rounded very drinkable. (Possibly better in the summer when it was released...) These may be finally sold out or my still be in select LCBOs... You may have to hunt a bit, but it is worth the search.

CJT

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The 2-4 Days of Christmas Day 6: Innis and Gunn Limited Edition Highland Ale

Beer # 254 Innis and Gunn Limited Edition Highland Ale

Innis and Gunn Brewery

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Independent Brewery
Oak Aged Ale 7.4 % ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 330 ml.
$5.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @InnisandGunnCA


Another beer for the holidays. Innis and Gunn from Edinburgh is a great brewery for coming up with one shot and limited edition beers. This version has been aged with Highland Scotch whisky barrels.

Onto the tasting...

Pours an orange/amber, the colour of a nice honey. The head is off-white, short and made up of small to tiny bubbles. The aroma is very scotch-like. Notes of honey heather, spice, figs vanilla caramel and fresh baking. There are also woody notes, sharper than if it was aged in a barrel more like if chips were added.first sip is sweet and creamy. Honey is very present as is some toasty vanilla and bread. If we poured some maple syrup into this we could call it "French Toast" beer. Aeration gives us a nutty toasty fig and honey finish.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer:  5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

Much of what you would come to expect from an Innis and Gunn beer. Toasty, smooth, slightly creamy. The scotch notes work well with the style of beer, and the overall beer is very good. Mind you, there is where I start to run into some problems. This taste almost exactly like every other Innis and Gunn beer. It's starting to become too hard to tell them apart. Perhaps it is time to take this beer in a new direction? Other than that the beer is definitely worth the price of admission.

CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 24: Rare Oak Pale Ale Innis & Gunn

Beer # 188

Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Independent
Oak aged Pale Ale 5.8 % ABV Clear Glass Bottle 330 ml.

$3.25 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @InnisandGunnCA

Back again to Innis and Gunn... The oak aged beer people. They age all of their beers in oak barrels. This one is aged in Scottish Oak. 

Finally This is the last post of the 2-4 Beers of Christmas. I have a few Pint Jockey Adventures posts coming up for you and then we return to our regularly schedule beer blogs. 

Onto the Tasting:
Pours a bronze-gold colour with an off white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is smoky and meaty with some light toasty grain. First sip is rich and sweet like fresh maple sap before it is turned into syrup. Woody, with some light smoke, a hint of caramel and vanilla, but very clean. Very delicate flavour. Aeration brings out some citrus and a hint more caramel/maple.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6 PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS
Christmas Spirit 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Certainly one of the lightest and most refreshing of the Innis and Gunn beers. But to me it is lacking something... not sure what. a little too thin, perhaps.



Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 5 Innis and Gunn Rum Finish

Beer # 168 Innis and Gunn Rum Finish

Innis and Gunn Brewery

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Independent
Oak Aged Ale 6.8 % ABV Clear Glass Bottle 330 ml.
$2.75 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter: @InnisandGunnCA


As the weather turns significantly whiter, and the holiday season approaches, my thoughts turn to rum (and eggnog, and of course both... in large  quantities). So when I saw Innis and Gunn's Rum Finish beer I knew it would fit in with my 2-4 Beers of Christmas. Innis and Gunn if you are not aware is a Scottish brewery famous for oak ageing all of their beers. And several times a year they put out a special series. Around Canada Day they do a Canadian Whiskey aged beer, and they also do a vintage beer each year that is suitable for ageing. Now I did look back and I have done Innis and Gunn "Rum Cask" but the the tasting for it was very different to this one and this is "Rum Finish" So I will call this two separate beers.

Onto the Tasting...

Pours a dark honey amber with an off- white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is oaky, sweet molasses, fruity with a hint of spice.first sip is woody and smoky with a big hit of rum. Dark to caramel malt comes of after and the hops are little herbal and spicy right at the end. There is some vanilla and dark sugars, some toasty caramel. Aeration amps up the rum and woodiness. finish is slightly tart and citrusy.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  2/6 SO-SO
Experience:  4/6 PASS
Christmas Spirit 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Innis and Gunn is a good beer but it never sits well with me. I never seem to enjoy it as much as I would like. While quite tasty and flavourful... I just never seem to want to drink one. However, do not let that stop you. Try this beer, especially if you are a rum fan.

Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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