English Toffee Beer
Matchless Brewing

 

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a one finger medium khaki head with great retention and nice, somewhat slippery lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, toffee, more toffee, vanilla and milk chocolate. Flavor is dark toasted malt, dry caramel, bakers chocolate, light vanilla and a hint of oak and raisins. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. The aroma was spot on for the name; the tasted was much drier than I expected. The profile leans to an export stout character, and although there is a touch of oak, I got no bourbon at all from the barrel except the faint hint of raisins. Once I got over the initial surprise that this wasn't a pastry style sweet stout, it really grew on me. It is a unique flavor and somehow does seem quite British. The aroma alone is very winning. Another great stout from Matchless. I'm looking forward to some of this going into their annual blended stout, it will add a great note to it.

Look: delightfully black, good tight head & lacing/blobs
Smell: getting toffee, cocoa and slight hint of the barrel.
Taste: is cocoa, toffee & raisins. Not a lot whisky in it, though a bit of roasted malt. Not really sweet or sticky.
Feel: is excellent, coats the palate and lingers a fair bit.

Not a thin stout at all. Let it warm and its delish.