This one is just starting to come into its own. Beamishish has come out somewhat different to what I expected, with all the choc malt I was expecting a sweet cocoa overload, but instead it is sympathetic to its dry irish stout roots. Tasting is similar to Dawsons version (from which this was taken) but I’m missing the toffee fruit he describes, my use of dry yeast lets me down in showing this dynamic.
Aroma
Lots of roast coffee/choc on the nose, completely lacking any esters here.
Appearance
Black with a garnet in the light, has dropped clear and there is a nice, slightly brown, creamy head to pour with.
Flavour
Nice roast sharpness to start off, mellows into a choc and finishes with a bittersweet note. Dissapointing that I’m missing the creaminess I like in stouts to balance the solid flavours from the malt. Thinking this would be a brilliant base for a milk stout.
Mouthfeel
Definately on the light-medium for a stout, lacking creamy character (poor). Carbonation is nice a low. Astringency is definately there, the lack of body/cream makes this not quite as smooth as it should be (though a good drinker)
Impression
My notes may sound worse than this beer is, it would be perfect if it had the mouthfeel to balance out all of the solid appearance of the malts. We’ve got the dark, roast, bitter, but not the creamy I like in a stout.
garden of eden brewing 