Blue Cat Finnegans Irish Stout

Had on tap at the brewpub during the season, but alas, I didn’t take good tasting notes - aaaayyrrr!

Date: 04/29/2006
Mode: Growler
Source: Tasting, Dark Lord Day, 2006

black, thin brown head, roasted malt aroma, sweet lactose flavor, nice roasted character, bitter finish

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Handbottled: Pours nearly opaque with a lasting creamy tan head and left very good lace upon the pint glass. The aroma has notes of milk chocolate, coffee, walnut, hint of smoke and paper, and just a dash of spice. The taste pretty much follows suit with heavy roasted and sweet malt tones but has a nice addition of smoke and bitterness on the finish. The most impressive thing with this beer is the mouth feel which is fuller than most in the style, creamy and smooth with a light bitter bite. It is quite the lovely drinking stout. When judgement versus the genre it is above average and something I would seek out again.

Growler from the brewpub. Dark pour with a tan head. strong aroma of coffee and maybe some chocolate, but mainly coffee. Too much coffee in the flavor for my tastes. A bit one dimensional, but I’m not a huge fan of coffee either...

22oz hand bottled by Duane! - Thanks! - Pours black with a nice frothy tan head that stays pretty well. Aromas of dark chocolate, and dry roasted malts. Flavor is roasted malts mostly but a good amount of dark chocolate influence too. A little smoke and a hint of wood there too. Smooth and creamy on the palate with a good dry finish. I thought this was a nice representation of the style and a tasty brew..

On tap at the Blue Cat. Dark dark brown with minimial head. Roasted malt and citrus aroma. Flavor is roasted malt, caramel, and bitter chocolate. Palate is lightly creamy with slightly bitter dryish duration. Not bad.

On tap at StoutFest. Poured dark brown with a very nice initial cap of caramel head. Aroms found dry chocolate and darker fruity notes, mild coffee, and some musty notes creeping in as it warmed a bit. Flavor had a very enjoyable undercurrent of molasses and other dark sugars.. dark chocolate, plums, and raisins all represent. Medium-bodied with a decent flow.. odd molassessey finish. Solid.

Draft at the brewpub. Advertised as 6.2% ABV. Poured an opaque black color. Head was one finger high and tan in color. It reduced quickly into a thin film and left only a bit of lace. Aroma was roasty malt, coffee, and dark chocolate. Delicately sweet on the tongue and full bodied. Tasted of bitter dark chocolate, charred caramel, wet stone, and a hint of coffee. Not bad.