Wake Of The Medusa
Medusa Brewing Company

 

Wake of the Medusa from Medusa Brewing. Received on 9/4/21 from @Rub_This_BBQ in NBW BIF #13. 16 oz can stored at home at 42 degrees. Reviewed 21/4/21. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “02/25/21”. Served at 45.5 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 50.7 degrees.
Appearance – 3.5.
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. When rear-lite, same except for some amber at the edge.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive center pour), desert sand, high density, average retention, diminishing to a three mm crown and a thin complete cap, fed by heavy effervescence. Second pour produces a high density 1.5 cm head.
Lacing – Fair. Partial band of extremely tiny to tiny bubbles.
Aroma – 4 – Distinct coffee and some bitter roasted malt. No hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4 – Bitter roasted malted barley with no nose coffee. No hops, no esters, no yeast. No alcohol (4.2 % ABV, as marked on container) taste or aroma. No gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3 – Medium, watery, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4. Good example of a dry Irish stout but lacking some of the expected esters and hop presence but still looks and smells good. Palate seems a bit thin for the style.

 

Near black color. No light passes anywhere. There's an initial ring of lace with thin streaks coming thereafter.

Plenty of dark chocolate and a touch mocha.

The malt features a decent offering of black patent giving the taste a burnt grain flavor. Thin bodied like their Irish cousin. Lots of carbonation -- not as smooth as the nitrogen versions. Long bitter aftertaste.