Dead Irish Poet
Finnegans Brew Co.

 

Had on tap. Pitch charcoal black opaque body with a full light brown head and lacing. Smell is laced with roasted malt, with faint bittersweet chocolate and earth grain. Taste is more balanced in this set up, earthy grain is now more char and earth focused, but make no mistake the roasted malt carries the load here. Feel is dry, roasty, appropriately frothy, chewy yet not heavy. This is well made even if the flavors are more monotone for style, well worth a try

Finnegan's Dead Irish Poet Feign/Export Stout, 7% ABV. Pours black with no head by the time I got it from the bar. Nose is roasty. Taste is coffee and roast malt, no sweetness, moderately bitter. Decent dry mouthfeel, overall very good.

 

Pours dark brownish black and nearly opaque. A nice two-fingered tan head gives way to excellent persistent lacing.

Excellent roasted malt aromas--nearly RIS territory.

Just a touch of molasses sweet malt on the tip of the tongue gives way to waves and waves of roasted, black coffee and cigarettes-ashy goodness. As the brew opens, bitter baker's chocolate and dark fruits join in midstream and a trace of earthy hopping shows up for the finish. Seven percent? Damn. Can't tell.

Medium full bodied and somewhat creamy, yet drying at the finish.

As flavorful as I've had in this style, and far exceeding what I expected. Almost a line-straddler, as the flavor and ABV is trending up to RIS level, but not quite.

Foam head does not last long. Higher alcohol content is noticed upon first sip. Could use a little more carbonation. Not my favorite, but not bad

 

Notes from 2016:
Finnegan's Dead Irish Poet. Extra Stout. Product of the USA. Limited Release. 7% ABV. 100% of profits go to feeding the hungry. Contract brewed and bottled by Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN.

I had a keg of this last fall/winter on tap at Acadia, but never took notes, so I bought a single bottle for this purpose. Sat on it for a bit, but this is the kind of beer that is meant for holding on to.

Full-on body, rich, cocoa-tan head, slims down in time.

Dry, malty nose, slightly grainy & roast-y. Slight cocoa and espresso in aromatics, getting stronger in time.

In the mouth: Mmmm. Cocoa is stronger, malt is rich and sweet. Smooth and easy-drinking, but substantial flavor. In a nutshell, this one is richness plus sweetness, added to smoothness. But, I said that already....what else to say? Little bits of dark fruit, raisin, plum. Delicious. Beautiful balance. Lovely. Tasty.....Mmmm.

A bitter flavor comes through a little strong, making it difficult to taste the rest of the beer as well. The malt is there, but seems overpowered by the bitterness. The other aspects are great, though, and I consider this a solid Irish extra stout.

 

 

Appearance: Pours a nearly jet black color. Zero clarity. Then with a dark, beautiful tan head. SRM of 24. (4.00)

Aroma: Relatively strong aromas. Lots of dark roasted malt. Roasted barley. Doesn't hide underneath chocolate like many stout, but really showcases the roasted malt. It's husky and roasty. Definite quality of rich chocolate though. Decent amount of smoke too. A smokey, rolled cigar. (4.25)

Flavor: Flavor follows the nose with roasty malt. Flavors mostly of dark roasted barley, tobacco, and dark chocolate. Finishes with a nice smokey bitterness. Finishes relatively dry, but with a moderate amount of dark chocolate sweetness.

Feel: Medium-bodied. Low carbonation. Feels watery and flat on the palate. The roastiness is gone, and some dark chocolate lingers on the palate. (3.50)

Compared with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout 3/15/20: Pours a similar dark color with a slightly darker head. Stronger aromas. More roasty, grainy, and dark chocolate. Similar body, but dryer, smokey, and roasty.

Overall: A nice and flavorful stout. The higher ABV adds some flavor and sweetness. Nice roasted barley quality with restrained chocolate that allows the barley to shine and not get overshadowed by chocolate like in many stouts. Nice smokey and tobacco notes too. Body is the one criticism. While it is smooth, it's flat and watery. Could use either a hop bitterness or stronger carbonation to round it out. Nevertheless, it's dark good for an Irish Dry Stout. (Final Rating: 4.01)

 

 

Appearance: Pours with a fine mini-bubble show that leads to a one finger tan head floating above the coffee colored liquid; a dancing pattern of lacing lingers

Smell: Roasty aromatics, with chocolate, black bread, oatmeal and a hint of coffee

Taste: Roast forward, with the black bread and chocolate emerging; a touch of oatmeal and coffee round out the emerging flavors; after the swallow, there is an earthy bitterness that merges with the roast; the finish is nice and dry

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; somewhat creamy

Overall: A fine dry stout from a brewery that is new to me

Thanks, Vidblain, for the opportunity

No head, bubbly, very coffee heavy nose and first taste but with very well-balanced hops. A warm and comforting beer, enjoyable, but with a weak body.

 

Incredibly pleased with this beer. Thick tan head, nice lacing and a nearly opaque black color. Stone fruit, chocolate, and roasted malt on the nose. Palate is more roasted malt, cocoa, and a bit of espresso, with the sweetness and alcohol perfectly balanced.

This little guy is a sleeper. Beautiful pour with arguably more than ample head, but that carbonation level lends well to balancing the beer. Mouthfeel is a full silk, and perfectly crisp. Will have your buddy shouting "oh captain my captain" as you take his last poker chips