Small Batch Hoarders: Black Tuesday Islay
The Bruery

A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer which is topped by a dense and slightly rocky finger of light tan head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells like a campfire mixed with a tire fire along with a touch of brine and iodine. Hints of chocolate
T: Taste is iodine and a campfire with a touch of chocolate, hint of oxidation, along with a little brine. On the swallow there's more iodine and brine along with more campfire with a whisper of chocolate and coffee.
M: This beer has a body which is on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is light and slightly prickly while the beer has a drying finish due to the ABV.
O: This beer tastes about how I'd expect it to. Islay scotches have some very strong flavors and I was hopeful that BT would be able to hold its own. In my opinion this one spent too much time in the barrel as the whiskey has beaten BT nearly into submission.

375ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours black in color with a one-finger foamy light khaki colored head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- the peated scotch barrel takes center stage on the aroma, but doesn't overpower. Aromas of smoked pork, campfire, ash, brine, band-aides, salty, grassy and herbal. Undertones of the base beer provides aromas of chocolate, caramel, malty booze and a hint of vanilla

T- Initially sweet with that classic BT malty kick up front, followed by notes of chocolate, caramel, toffee, dark fruits and molasses. The scotch barrel kicks in right at the mid-palate, providing a bit hit of smoke that gives off flavors of slow smoked pork, salt water, brine and some earthy and grassy notes. The finish gives more of that boozy and malty BT flavor, with toffee and dark fruits, the barrel lingers long after the finish, with the smoke sticking around long after swallowing

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that continues into a boozy warming finish

O- an Islay lovers beer, if you don't drink Islay scotches, this isn't the BT for you. The boozy sweetness works well with the smoke from the barrel, well done

 

I really don't want to rate this beer because I knowingly don't like Scotch and I think its unfair for me to give my opinion on this beer for that reason, but I have to in order to count this as a 'had'.

Deep dark brown hue. No head. Mild lacing. Smell is roasted malts and heavy peat. Flavor is just a peat bomb with the smelly sock flavor I just can't appreciate. Mouthfeel is prickly with medium body.

Overall, if you are a Scotch lover, this would be your jam. I managed to get through about half the bottle, but had to pour out the rest. Luckily these are small format bottles, so I didn't feel too bad. Now what to do with the second bottle? Gotta find a Scotch-loving friend.