Corporal Punishment
Scotch Irish Brewing Company

Corporal PunishmentCorporal Punishment
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From:
Scotch Irish Brewing Company
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 10.16%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 01, 2010
Added:
Jun 13, 2003
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
New recipe is being brewed under Corporal's Bitter Brown Ale.
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Ratings by CAMRAhardliner:
Photo of CAMRAhardliner
Reviewed by CAMRAhardliner from Canada (ON)

4.42/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Wow, an 84 IBU brown ale. This is intense.

It pours a dark mahogany color with a foamy off white head and moderate lace webs. The aroma is full on hops with strong bitterness, pine and juniper, roasty malts lay in wait in the background. The taste is a bitter smack of challenger hops. There's some pine and some fruity hop flavors. Strong Herbal flavors show in the middle. Chocolate malt flavors peak through periodically, just enough to provide some semblance of balance. The finish is very bitter with some bubblegum (?) flavors. This coats my mouth with hop oils, making the light mouthfeel feel thicker.

I really like this beer. Its like Sgt Majors on steroids. It has a lot more in common with an American IPA than a Brown Ale. Definitely another one for the hopheads by this great brewery.
Aug 14, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of kwjd
Reviewed by kwjd from Canada (ON)

2.71/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
On tap at C'est What's 2010 Fall Festival of Craft Breweries. Pours a murky brown (it is labeled as un-filtered) with some small off-white head. Smell is a bit odd, I get a metallic type smell, which isn't good. Flavour has a slight off tinge to it, with maybe a bit of chocolate coming through. Certainly not a beer I will seek out again.
Oct 01, 2010
Photo of liamt07
Reviewed by liamt07 from Canada (ON)

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap for C'est What's Fall Festival. Not sure if this is the Corporal Punishment which it was being sold as, or the Bitter Brown it is now brewed as. This came in at 4.5ABV.

Poured a dark mahoghany, hinting at a darker red near the edges. Off-white head, with some decent retention and lace. Smell is a bombardment of dark roastiness, with some clearly defined dark chocolate and some underlying coffee. Taste starts with some moderate coffee bitterness, leading the way into some light citric hops too. Tons of roastiness throughout this. Nice and heavy as a brown ale, fairly full mouthfeel and some good drinkability. Hope this isn't their Bitter Brown because this is severely underrated.
Sep 26, 2010
Photo of bartle
Reviewed by bartle from Canada (ON)

3.62/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Stubby bottle.

A - An amber to orange shade. with a thick white head that faded kind of quickly.

S - Bitterness with some citrus fruit. A mild butterscotch sent coming through over some of the floral sent. I like this.

T - Very bitter for the style. Toasted malt flavor is very present. Carmel corn with a dry nut after taste. Slightly floral. Very bitter, but balanced well with the malts.

M - Thicker than it would appear, creamy and smooth. A nice dry finish sticking to my cheeks and tongue. Very nice.

D - I really like the bitterness of this one. For the style it just has a very complex flavor. It drinks very nicely. I am happy I tried this one. Might be worth returning to pick up more.
Apr 20, 2009
Photo of Ralphus
Reviewed by Ralphus from Canada (ON)

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Today's Corporal Bitter Brown is a very very bitter drink. The one from two weeks ago was not nearly as pronounced. I'm not sure the classification of Scotch Ale is accurate any longer but no matter, on with the review:

The look is good.. a very clear medium brown with a nice off white head. The head dissipates quickly to a ring of foam that follows the brew to the bottom of the glass. The smell has some caramel, toasted wheat, nuts and earthy tones.

In the taste we find above all - bitterness. In my case this was my first beer of the sitting and I had just had some popcorn beforehand. On my fresh palate the hops hit home hard and fast and their presence stayed around for a long time. It can be hard to make out any other tastes at times but there is some initial caramel like sweetness to be found. This beer shares the same earthy character as their IPA. Lacking however is any sort of fruitiness from the yeast, likely killed off by the overpowering hops.

Despite the real lack of balance (imho) this beer is still drinkable. The mouthfeel is smooth and it allows the drink to go down fast. Sessioning these is probably out of the question for me as right now I'm looking for something to reset my palate.
Mar 22, 2009
Photo of shamus
Reviewed by shamus from Canada (ON)

3.41/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I love Sgt. Majors Indian Pale Ale also brewed by these folks. I love hops. This I don't know. It's very very bitter, which I can handle, but that bitter bitter after-taste hmmm. I guess I will have to keep drinking to wash the interesting sandalwood taste over the bitterness. I am confused. Do I like this or not. I'll have to have another and give it a chance to sink in.
Oct 30, 2008
Photo of allergictomacros
Reviewed by allergictomacros from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Clear copper with a somewhat loose head of tan foam and good lacing.

S - Fruity aroma with some floral hops. Some toastiness and some notes of coffee.

T/M - Veru fruity with a solid toastiness and nice bitterness and some nuttiness. Dry with some heft to the body. Hops seem to be a bit bland but the toasty body is quite nice.

D - Mostly sessionable, with some nice flavours.
Oct 21, 2008
Photo of CanuckRover
Reviewed by CanuckRover from Canada (ON)

3.84/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A dark amber with a foamy off-white head. Spiderweb lacings.

Skunky smell, not nice. Some caramel sweetness, but kind of sickly.

Good english bitterness right up front. Turns to a very nice toasted almond nuttiness pretty quickly. Solid caramel backbone.

Nice body, good carbonation.

A great, sessionable brown ale.
Oct 10, 2008
Photo of pootz
Reviewed by pootz from Canada (ON)

3.38/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Another S-I brew that has sufferd after moving to Heritage Brewing.

Taps a copper color with a 2 finger cap that reduces.

Sweet smokey-grainy grassy aroma

Thick caramel malts in the front a bit of musty golging/fuggles to balance light smoke and nut tones mid palate wet sweet finish.

Probably a the sweetest of all the local scotch ales.
Jun 09, 2007
Photo of Derek
Reviewed by Derek from Canada (BC)

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The brewer calls this a bitter brown ale and notes:

"Amber and Dark Crystal malts, and Willamette and Challenger hops are used in this 5.3 percent alcohol, 84 International Bittering Units (that's right, 84 IBU) ale. A rich mahogany in colour, this ale blends flavours of fresh bitter coffee, dry caramel and nuttiness with light dry chocolate, woody hop and citric notes."

A: Amber-brown, off-white head, nice retention, very little lace.

S: Bread, nut, caramel & spice.

T: Spicy (mainly Willamette flavour I think), dark caramel and bread.

M: Moderate body is well-attenuated and slightly dry; moderate carbonation.

D: Perhaps a little too much flavour to session...
Mar 04, 2007
Photo of Viggo
Reviewed by Viggo from Canada (ON)

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear brown/orange, small white head forms, settles down to a thin ring, some lacing. Smell is sweetm, caramel, some citrus and roast, little bit of floral hops. Taste is sweet, caramel, little bit of floral hops, big bitter bite at the end, guess thats what happens with an 84 IBU brown ale. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation. Not bad, quenches my thirst, this review is of the first pint I had, second pint I had during another visit to Volo it was not near as good, but I'll leave it as I saw it originally. Couple tweaks and this could be great.
Aug 14, 2006
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

4.15/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
An intense and innovative draft of the brown ale style - myself being being a big appreciator of the classic Nut Browns (a la Sam Smith, etc) this has done more than impress me. Sampled off tap at Volo (their third, I believe, keg in no less than a week). Came served with a big, dense head. Too thick to even call suddy, this was like a creamed soup sitting atop. Dense lacing. Tons and tons of bubbles stuck to the glass. A sparkling, glowing brown but with light orange highlights. Aroma is hoppy !!.. ? Wow, yeah, hops in the brown ale?! Zut Alors! Ces't incroyable! Mouthfeel is clean mostly, but rounds out with some resiny bitterness - hardly 'punishment', more so 'pleasure'. Flavour sort of leaves abruptly but finishes out with a long, tasty resonance. Flavour is soft and nutty upfront with some soapyness in the back. A hoppy, earthy (figs, molasses?) as well. Great hop intrusion to balance the flavour. Damn tasty.
What a great take on the brown ale, I hesitated to give a beer this style such a high mark, but it has done more than enough to deserve it.
Jul 13, 2006
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tap: Medium brown colored ale with nice head with good retention. Aroma is quite bitter and strong malt can already be detected. Taste is bitter as expected though not as much as I would have thought but I also found out it was much more creamy then expected. Very good mouthfeel with good body and carbonation.
Jan 28, 2005
Photo of baiser
Reviewed by baiser from Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a wonderful, copper colour, with a reddish tint. Good retention, nice lacing. Aroma was bready, fruity, floral. Good balance between hops and malt. Would've liked some more bitterness, but I guess I've been spoiled by their Sgt. Major. Definitely a great session ale. Fruity, juicy, medium bodied, great drinkability.
Jan 22, 2005
Photo of Goldorak
Reviewed by Goldorak from Canada (QC)

3.77/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled at the Arrow & Loon, Ottawa

Appearance: Dark copper, almost bronze red, with a clingy head.

Smell: Grain, the hops come through with a very herbal twang.

Taste: Malty and just a little sweet at first, with an excellent bitterness and long mouthfeel. An good session brew that I wouldn't mind enjoying again someday.
Jan 22, 2005
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

4.07/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Clear, coppery red colour. Good retention and stickage from the dense, creamy, off-white head.

Smell: Nice balance between the biscuity malt and floral hops. A light cinnamon spiciness was also present.

Taste: Mild spiciness and biscuity malt to start. The assertive bitterness builds to a long-lasting resinous pine aftertaste. Mild sweetness provides balance and grainy malt and nutty flavours appear at the mid-point.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation with a slightly dry, resinous quality.

Drinkability: I'd be happy to drink this all night long.

I last had this over a year ago and wasn't that impressed. Needless to say, I'm impressed this time. Definitely a fine offering from Scotch-Irish.
Dec 09, 2004
Photo of Rastacouere
Reviewed by Rastacouere from Canada (QC)

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Deep copper, clear. Decent head despite not being in best shape out of a one week old growler. Surprisingly light nose hitting the nostrils with original flavours: nuts, butter, various herbs, marine salt, rubber… Very hoppy development in mouth where those vegetal/green hops come out almost chalky combined with the roasty malt aspect. Quite watery texture, light body, soft carbonation. Looking forward to sampling this one on draught.
Nov 30, 2004
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Second sampling a few days later on cask at Bow and Arrow launch by Perry Mason. Much mellow and smoother and less bitter taste although IBA still 94. Appearance is similar. Roast kicks in mid-sip. Could drink this all night. Top quartile. Recommended cask beer.
Nov 19, 2004
Corporal Punishment from Scotch Irish Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 18 ratings