McAuslan Brewing
Imported by Eurobrews
Ashland, MA
Available: NY, RI, VA, PA, KY, MA, OH, MD, CA (USA); QC, ON, NS, AB, BC (Canada)
This stout, first brewed in 1990, is newly available in the United States.
ABV: 5
ABW: 4
Color: black
Bitterness: n/a
Original Gravity: n/a
A 5% ABV beer with a dense cappuccino head and a jet black body—not even the statutory “ruby edge” you expect with a stout. There’s a massive aroma of bitter chocolate and espresso coffee with hints of licorice and vanilla. Bitter hops, burnt fruit, roast malt and coffee coat the mouth, with a luscious creamy note from the oatmeal. The long, bittersweet finish has a big, spicy, hoppy note balanced by creamy oatmeal, burnt fruit, chocolate and coffee. A sumptuous beer and, given non-Francophone Canada’s Scottish roots, the ideal companion for a haggis supper or high tea with bannock cakes.
Bière noire, indeed—it passes no sunlight as it pours into the glass, raising a rocky brown head. The aroma shows good dark chocolate and Italian coffee with an overlay of earthy hops. The bitterness is brisk and right up front, combining roast and hops in a sharp attack. The palate is dry and minerally, with just enough malt to hold the whole thing together. Bitterness lingers. If you’re looking for the oily smoothness that oatmeal stouts are known for, this might not be for you. But if you want a very tasty, dry, snappy stout, you’ll find it great with oysters or good hams.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.
