Harringtons Big John Special Reserve

Brewed by Harringtons Breweries (Christchurch)
Style: Scotch Ale
Christchurch, New Zealand

Bottle. It is not often that I get to enjoy a nice scotch ale, so to have two in as many days is a treat, and I cannot help but compare them (this beer, and Renaissance Stonecutter). The same beautiful mahogany tones as the Stonecutter I had last night, but not as deep and without the lasting head. Malty aroma, but with more of a boozy quality, suggestive of whiskey notes. Thinner malt profile than Stonecutter, but nice flavours of brown bread, molasses, roasted nuts, and raisins. Hotter, boozier finish despite having the lower ABV. Not as nicely rounded or smooth. Enjoyable to be sure, but if you were building a team of scotch ales and only had room for one more player, I’d recommend the Stonecutter.

Bottled. A red-brown beer with a thin tan head. The aroma is sweet with notes of malt and caramel as well as light notes of oxidation, wood, and over ripe fruits. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, over ripe fruits, and oxidation, leading to a dry, bitter, and lightly roasted. The body is thin. Old? Thanks Papsoe for sharing.

Any specialised beer John Harrington dishes out is usually of great character and top notch flavour and taste. Thumbs up. Leon Aarts

Bottle. Pours a dark ruby with good beige head. Aroma of caramel, burnt sugar, chocolate, oak, vanilla and fruit. The flavour is toffee, chocolate, vanilla and fruit. Medium bodied, soft carbonation and a lingering bitter in the finish. Great beer.

Strong malt aroma with dark chocolate and coffee. Hints of fresh apple as well as prune and raisin. Seems to have the spiciness of a belgian dark. Smoky, oak notes with yeast and some caramel. Coffee is quite prominent in the flavours. Cream, with a vanilla sweetness. Milk chocolate, prune, licorice. Woody, toasted malt with some bitterness from the hops. Very smooth mouthfeel, light and creamy with a coffee finish. Great.

(Bottle 50 cl) Clear orangey brown with a small off-white head. Aroma of burned caramel and a little smoke. Medium body with notes of burned caramel and some dry and peaty whisky accents. Dry finish. 190608

Bottle from Regional. Pours dark ruby/brown. Tan fully diminishing head. Aromas of roast malt, vanilla, spice, some fruit. Flavour is full of roast malt, vanilla. Slightly bitter.

Brown with medium off white head. Sweet and yeasty aroma with roasted malt, caramel and chocolate. Sweet flavor with ripe fruits, caramel, roasted malt, chocolate and smoke.