While I have yet to find an Innis & Gunn product I don’t like, anything’s possible in the wild and crazy world of beer, particularly during the winter season. I’d hazard a guess that I probably won’t be too keen on at least half of what I have in my fridge but the fun’s in trying and you’ll never see my pass up a new brew.
So, on to the Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Finish Oak Aged Beer… I was blown away by how goddamned good it looked; I’ve always been a sucker for boxed beer (even if it is a waste of packaging). Some folks like to serve Innis & Gunn slightly chilled but I don’t bother. It was quite cold coming out of the fridge but I find it warms up a bit in an unchilled pint glass and by the time you take your last sip, it’s generally opened up quite a bit.
Right at the start, I was blown away by the lovely aroma of rum; it was very noticeable and not anything similar to a cheap white rum. It reminded me more of Gosling’s or even Pyrat (which I still sorely miss… Although what’s up with the those two websites? I don’t mind Flash but the floating links are really annoying and not intuitive at all. Whatever happened to a good sidebar menu?)
Taking my first sip, I could pick up on the caramel and molasses notes. The oak and rum have changed what I would imagine is a fairly standard Scottish ale into something special. In fact, I think I like it better than the Whiskey Cask which is saying a lot as that’s one of the best beers I’ve ever had.
There’s also no hops bitterness apparent which is fine by me ‘cos I’m not a hophead at all. Give me something smooth and mellow and I’m in heaven… this is definitely my kind of beer.
I hope this sticks around for a couple more months; I’m going to have to go back for seconds.
Does Innis & Gunn get distributed in New Zealand? I can only hope…
