Allan McLean

History Recorded: 01/09/2016

Main Business: Something Brewery

Information

Brewed with licorice; a proprietary, hand-smoked malt; and almost a pound of East Kent Goldings hops per barrel. Opaque brown in color, with muddy brown edges and a cola-colored head that drops quickly to a ringed lace. Strong and dominating licorice aroma with an underlying robust molasses-ness and highly roasted malts. Thick-ish, deep blackstrap molasses character (sweet, tangy nectar), quite robust. Licorice is assertive and smacks of herbal flavors. As the beer warms, both flavors become very intense, overpowering the palate a bit with some cloying action. Hop presence is masked; however, there is some and it peaks with a tannin feel and semi-citric sharpness. Rough and long-lingering finish with molasses, and soft anise residuals sticking to the palate. A tough one to drink. The use of molasses and licorice is simply overwhelming and without balance.