TASTING NOTES: Innis and Gunn IPA

There is a bone of contention amongst a few of my beer comrades as to whether Innis and Gunn's oaked beers are a tasty addition to the array of Scottish ales available. I've always been fond of their standard ale, on occasion, when I'm feeling like a change of pace. Its a rich, buttery, diacetyl, malty, heavily oaked sweet ale. It certainly isn't something I would drink more than one of.

Besides the standard release I've had their 2005 special, their 2006 IPA (which differs in abv and malt/hop bill from this one) and their rum cask release. All have been perfectly drinkable. I'll be sampling three of their beers over the next few days, the standard, the rum and in today's case, the IPA.

This is a 7.7%abv, oaked English IPA. Served slightly chilled in an Innis and Gunn glass

Pours with a light amber body. No haze or cloudiness as its not bottle conditioned. Puffy, dense white head with good retention.

Aroma, not huge or overwhelming. A touch of oaky sweetness, little bit of malt and a touch of alcohol. Little bit of mustiness also. Taste, creamy, almost overly sweet hop tainted malt. Lots of honey and sweet oak. A touch of English bittering hops but certainly not overpoweringly so. Malt rich alcohol on the finish.

A bit of an oddity. Not particularly interesting or memorable. Its a little boozier than the standard ale with a handful more hops however the sweetness of the malt and overpowering oak character is a little off putting. This may be worth a peek at some point but I can't see it turning any heads. Solid, but underwhelming.