Beer of the Weekend #749: Kilt Kicker
Back to beer.
The beer tonight is the fourth beer in the New Pioneer Food Co-op’s private label series: Kilt Kicker, brewed by the Madhouse Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa.
A straight pour into a tulip glass develops a finger-width of tan head, which leaves a bubbly, spotted skim, ring around the edge, and a short trail of lacing. The color appears to be opaque black; no light passes through the glass when held to a lamp. The aroma is sweet and fruity for a brief moment at the beginning, but then the barrel-aged aromas kick in. The barrel-aged character is dominant but the sweetness creeps in. There are hints of dark fruit. Scents of toffee, coffee, and dark chocolate are also noticeable. The barrel-aging dominates the flavor as well. I’m not a booze expert so I am not familiar with the flavor profile, but the label says it is aged in bourbon and single-malt barrels. As the beer’s temperature rises to room temperature, the barrel-aging allows flavors of tannins to come through. All of a sudden it becomes gross. Blah! Thankfully, the grossness passes, but there really isn’t much past the barrel-aged flavors. The flavor of Scotch ale is overpowered for a time, but it slowly begins to show itself with flavors of toffee, caramel, and dark chocolate. (It has been a long time since I had a Scotch ale, though.) It mellows quite a bit an hour after leaving the fridge.
Fun facts about Kilt Kicker:
• Style: Barrel-aged Scotch ale.
• Price: Grr! I don’t have the receipt anymore. It comes in 22-ounce bottles, though. It was a small-batch release of two barrels.
• Alcohol content: I am not sure.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+/A-.
The beer tonight is the fourth beer in the New Pioneer Food Co-op’s private label series: Kilt Kicker, brewed by the Madhouse Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa.
A straight pour into a tulip glass develops a finger-width of tan head, which leaves a bubbly, spotted skim, ring around the edge, and a short trail of lacing. The color appears to be opaque black; no light passes through the glass when held to a lamp. The aroma is sweet and fruity for a brief moment at the beginning, but then the barrel-aged aromas kick in. The barrel-aged character is dominant but the sweetness creeps in. There are hints of dark fruit. Scents of toffee, coffee, and dark chocolate are also noticeable. The barrel-aging dominates the flavor as well. I’m not a booze expert so I am not familiar with the flavor profile, but the label says it is aged in bourbon and single-malt barrels. As the beer’s temperature rises to room temperature, the barrel-aging allows flavors of tannins to come through. All of a sudden it becomes gross. Blah! Thankfully, the grossness passes, but there really isn’t much past the barrel-aged flavors. The flavor of Scotch ale is overpowered for a time, but it slowly begins to show itself with flavors of toffee, caramel, and dark chocolate. (It has been a long time since I had a Scotch ale, though.) It mellows quite a bit an hour after leaving the fridge.
Fun facts about Kilt Kicker:
• Style: Barrel-aged Scotch ale.
• Price: Grr! I don’t have the receipt anymore. It comes in 22-ounce bottles, though. It was a small-batch release of two barrels.
• Alcohol content: I am not sure.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+/A-.
