Island’s Edge
Heineken Nederland B.V.

 

 

 

Comes up as a Dutch brewery yet brews on Cork, Ireland. The can mentioned tea and I actually get that here, as if Guinness met an iced tea. Not bad but obviously a pale pretender to the good stuff. Better on tap. Not as roasty as Guinness but not bad either.

 

 

Draft at Templ Bar dublin.

Pint in Brownes, Tullamore (€6):
Dark ruby to black, a half cm creamy head that holds well & looks thick. Roasted malts & a creamy nose with some lighter coffee, its bit the strongest but it's well balanced with a light bitterness to close. The taste is mainly milky chocolate, some earthy & roasted malts adding to the bitterness whilst the body is very smooth & full with soft to no carbonation but a pleasant balance; not quite as good as Guinness but not bad either.

Pint from nitro keg at Hargadon Bros. in Sligo. Brewed by Heineken Ireland. Black colour, creamy tan head. Nice roasty aroma. Astonishingly full and creamy mouthfeel for a beer clocking in at only 4%. Pleasant roasty flavour, notes of coffee and dark chocolate. Better than Guinness Draught.

Sampled at the bridge bar, ballsbridge, Dublin creamy opening, lingering after first few sups. After mid point , the initial welcoming chocolate, coffee mildness and lightness had transformed in a bland , odourless anonymous beer without much character. Fine for a non stout drinker as lacks the distinctive bitterness or malty flavours throughout. Hard to know its position, perhaps a lighter summer beer rather than one to relish or anticipate. Technically the beer has addressed the taste challenges of the non stout drinker, yet is unlikely to win over too many beer aficionados.

I tried this beer off the tapper at The Black Lion pub near Inchicore in Dublin. It poured an opaque dark with frothy white head left a spotty lace. The scent had subtle roast, earth and chocolate notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with light chocolate malt and very subtle anise, roast, and caramel presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.

This beer is causing quite the debate in my native land; i almost feel strangely proud to be the person to add it to BA. it’s been fiercely advertised and promoted by heineken, and they’re aggressive propaganda campaign has seemed to be successful in at least getting peoples attention, although people seem to be quite divided on whether or not the beer is any good. in my opinion, it’s grand yeah. it’s fine like, it’s a decent irish stout, dark ruby red in colour, creamy off white nitro head, aroma is coffee and milk chocolate but quite feint, flavours are much the same but sweet milk chocolate dominates, some espresso, especially on the finish, touch of black bread, dark malt flavour, pretty straight forward beer, medium bodied, light carbonation, thick and creamy body, beer boasts as being refreshing, i would have to disagree, all in all though, it’s not bad, indeed it’s quite pleasant, perhaps even surprisingly pleasant