Over 3 years since I drank this and it’s held up very well. Carbonation has increased, naturally. The head is lively and effervescent with rasping tan bubbles that soon disappear. Aromas of cough medicine and waves of smoke-like co2 ooze out of the bottle. Lots of the generic stout-like flavours have either disappeared or are lurking in the background. Prominence belongs to the barrel. Mellowed peaty, medicinal and smokey whisky flavours dominate. Earthy and metallic notes come next with bitter roastiness pulling up the rear. It’s a great beer, it’s rather unique. It’s very peaty!

A home brewed imperial oyster stout barrel aged in Islay whisky cask. A very unique beer with great body and mouthfeel, almost chewy. Carbonation cuts through nicely though. Aromas of peat and smoke flood from the bottle, it’s not a beer for the faint hearted that’s for sure. The peat, smoke and oysters combine to give a metallic medicinal flavour to the beer. It dominates and overpowers other flavours however there is complexity, it’s just well hidden. Cinder toffee, chocolate, liquorice and lots of roastiness all sit comfortably in the background. There’s a nice warm booziness that rounds the beer off perfectly. This beer doesn’t hold back. It’s bold and in your face, and delivers layers of flavours. It lacks the balance that a big beer like this needs but then it was brewed by a guy in his garage, I’m certainly not complaining! Hints of a dry fruitiness do provide an offset to all the earthy peat. The oysters probably provide for this too, which shouldn’t be underestimated.