Scotch Barrel Aged Peated Scotch Ale
Moody Tongue Brewing Company

 

12oz bottle labeled 2019 vintage and purchased recently when it hit shelves locally, 11.8% ABV per label. The beer pours medium brown in color with khaki colored head. The aroma is malty and fairly intensely earthy. The taste is semisweet toffee malt with trailing notes of salt, seaweed, and earthy bog peat. Mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, pretty rough. I get none of the Scotch barrel and a mouthful of salty, boggy earth.

 

 

12 ounce bottle, 2019 vintage. Served in a thistle glass, the beer pours a mostly clear reddish/copper color with about an inch off-white head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like peat, caramel, toffee, tea and brown sugar. For the most part the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some molasses, herbal/earthy and peppery spice flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's a bit coating with a moderate amount of carbonation. Overall I thought this was good, but at the same time I wish it was peatier because I'm a fan of peaty Scotch Whisky. Still, it's certainly worth trying if you're into wee heavies and/or scotch barrel aged brews!

Oh wow. I love peaty islay whiskeys but am not sure I've ever had a good peaty beer.

This one is magnificent.

 

Really didn’t pick up the Scotch barrel.

 

In the vein of all-things-smoky, Moody Tongue opens up the notorious and polarizing flavors of scotch barrels and unleashes them on an imperial strength Scottish-styled peated Barleywine.

Opening with a dimly lit mohogany depth of color, the tawny browns, rusts and reds float a thin but withstanding froth of ivory. Hovering just above likes a rich and rife medley of smoky sweetness, earthen char and fragrant maduro. Peppery, fruity and woodsy, the campfire perfume leads into a slathering sweetness of toffee, caramel, sorghum and brown sugar in a lavish spice cake display.

The rich malt sweetness coats the tongue with nuances of horehound candy, sarsaparilla, licorice and maraschino cherries all laced in the honey tar and light molasses that stems from the early palate. Peppery, spicy and heated on the tongue, the alcohol and barrel influences reinforce its cigar tendencies, passing by fruity flavors of grape, raisin and fig on its way to a spicy and bitter char to close.

Full bodied, pleasantly and cloying, the linger of smoke, peat and whisky eventually wears the tastebuds out, especially with little reprieve from the persistent sweetness that's unrelenting in its linger. Whisky smoked woods and peppercorn are lasting reminders of why scotch whisky has such a niche audience.