Holy Smoke - Church-Key Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Campbellford)

Holy Smoke - Church-Key Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Campbellford) 6.2%

Dark brown in a glass, like a chestnut. Very smoky, peaty and slightly salty aroma. Based solely on the aroma I am sure this beer would appeal to Scotch drinkers that like a smoky, peaty Scotch. There are also some dark malt tones, like dark dried fruits such as fig or prunes, in the aroma.

The flavour is quite sweet and dark malt flavours now take the lead ahead of the smoke and peat flavour though the latter does continue to feature. A watery mouthfeel and some alcohol does come through but it would be highly suitable for a drink in a pub.

Regular readers of the blog will know that I tend to prefer my beers on the warm side. Particularly very malty and high alcohol beers. This beer also benefits from being served a bit warmer as the smoke and the malt flavours come out. Overall, Holy Smoke is very drinkable, the smoke and peat flavours are well done and tasty but its malty body is a wee bit thin, still a fine beer when it is all said and done.

Innis and Gunn Original (Scotland) 6.6%

Innis and Gunn Original (Scotland) 6.6%

Quite a pleasant and very sweet toffee flavour at first which is an interesting prelude to the oak, peat, and scotch flavours that follow. A truly unique beer, it tastes so much more like the scotch bearing barrels it is aged in than it tastes like a beer. An unforgetable taste that deserves to be savoured.