Apparently the original recipe developed by Arthur Guinness, unfortunately despite making and selling it for 200 years now, their website has no information on it, go figure. Flashlight shows a deep ruby hue and a thin cap of creamy froth stays on top of the beer throughout the glass. Smells of coffee and lovely roasty, smoky malts. The taste is crisp with a strong smoke character and a full body. The finish is dry and very smoky, with light herbal hopping but a medium bitterness. Overall it’s very good, doesn’t feel watered down at all as the smokiness permeates the whole experience, yet it never strays into rauchbier territory, it’s instead a crisp, refreshing balance of smoky and bitter with a remarkably clean, dry finish and easy sessionability. Honestly, I’d be very interested in seeing a nitro version of this.
