Labatt’s brew a pale ale base to which is added the unfermented but hopped Guinness wort extract. Guinness Extra Stout is brewed in Canada by Labatt under license from Arthur Guinness Son & Company.

The Extra Stout gives a thick, creamy head that is only the slightest bit spongy. The head is straw-colored and the beer itself a caramel-tinted deep black. The nose is delicate, with major malt character. A strong biscuit and toast brown malt aroma hearkens back to the porter roots of the style. Light caramel and roast add complexity. The flavor has a similar detached bitter astringency as in the tap version, but there is also a significant contribution of flavor from brown and roast malt. While the roast still seems underbalanced for the bitterness, it is certainly much closer to ideal. In addition, there is a meaty yeast character that was entirely lacking on tap. The palate is thick and creamy without being cloying or undrinkable.

I do believe that this needs to be tasted blind, independent of name-recognition, to be most objectively and best appreciated. It doesn’t have the richness or complexity of an Imperial, but it is bold in its roasty character. There’s even a bit of sweet chocolate character in the aroma. This isn’t really what you’d expect from the name "Guinness" given the bland nitrogenized stuff that comes on draft.

i am admittedly trying a bottle that has been in a garage without temperature control for several years... but it smells like a stout, but not like guinness draught usually does. the taste is sour at first, then turns sweeter than most guinness i am used to, it tastes a lot less burnt and more rich and sugary. i think it has gone off a tiny bit however, it is almost completely uncarbonated and had a microscopic head that disappeared completely. never was the biggest fan of guinness, but was hoping the great age of it would help it do something more interesting.

12oz bottle from the LCBO I have some more of these at home will do a full rating SOON