Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

Today's beer: Oatmeal Stout by Samuel Smith

I picked this beer up the other day along with the previously rated beer, Siren. I've had it before, but the liquor store I used to go to before I moved hadn't had it in months and I hadn't seen it here. Needless to say I was quite happy to find it.

Oatmeal Stout pours into the glass a very dark brown, but not quite black like most stouts are. It produces a moderate dark tan head. My first sniff revealed the rich smell of toasted malt and the slight scent of coffee. My first sip brought the familiar flavour of malt, and toasted malt. There is also a slight flavour of coffee. Unlike with many stouts there is no chocolate flavour. There is also the very faint flavour of caramel. There isn't a lot of hops in Oatmeal Stout, but there is just enough to balance the malts for a stout. The hops are not upfront at all. Oatmeal Stout is very smooth to drink. If you can find it, I highly recommend buying it.

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May your glass always be full of good beer!

Lighthouse Siren

Today's beer: Siren by Lighthouse

Wow, I haven't updated in quite a while. December is always a busy month, plus an infected tooth meant I couldn't drink for over a week. I actually drank this yesterday, but was too tired to write the review. I picked this up at a private liquor store along with several others yesterday. The art on the bottle really caught my eye, and when I saw that it was an imperial red ale, there was no way I could say no. It's a little hard to find international beers here, but the store I went to seems to have a decent selection. I'll have to go there more in the future.

Siren pours into the glass a deep red with a moderate off white head that dissipates quickly. With my first sniff, I caught the unmistakable  strong, crisp smell of hops. There was also the slight odour of fruit. My first sip hit me with a massive hit of hops. Siren is packed with hops. It almost tastes like a strongly hopped IPA, something I was not expecting. There is a very slight taste of sweetness of malt on the back of the tongue, just as you swallow.  I might buy this beer again, but only during the heat of the summer, where the large amount of hops could be enjoyed more.

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May your glass always be full of good beer!

Salt Spring Island Ales Heather Ale

Today's beer: Heather Ale by Salt Spring Island Ales

First an apology to my international readers as this beer may not be available to everyone. In fact, I had never even seen this particular brand of beer until I moved to BC. I saw this beer at a private liquor store and was intrigued by it. Upon reading the blurb on the back I discovered that this beer is following in the footsteps of ancient Scotland, where beer used to be brewed with heather flowers and drunk for courage in battle. I also realize that it has been quite a while since my last post and I apologize for that too. It has been quite busy a month.

Heather ale pours into the glass a cloudy golden yellow with a small off white head. The only thing I could distinguish in the scent was a slight smell of honey. My first sip revealed a very unique taste with a slight taste of pepper. There is also a taste of honey; a slightly sweet flavour. In an effort to replicate the original, Salt Spring Island Ales uses very little hops in this brew, but that is not a detriment to the beer, it is a good thing. This is a very good beer and I would not hesitate to buy it again.

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May your glass always be full of good beer!