Hello there fellow beer lovers,
Its Friday, and its time for Sam & Stu’s final instalment of the T|E|H On Tour 2023 Edinburgh trip. Today we will be looking at several beers from several pubs that they visited between the Breweries that they have previously looked at (Innis & Gunns, Moonwake, Fierce Beer & Wee Vaults.)
I think there are 9 pubs in total that they visited and reviewed beer from?.. The Bow Bar, The Last Drop, Nauticus, Wings, The Three Sisters, The Standing Order, The Hanging Bat, The Cambridge Bar, and The Oxford Bar.
In this last instalment we will be looking at some of these… providing I can translate them!
Loch Lomond Brewery, Silkie Stout, Oatmeal Stout – 5% ABV
Appearance: Black as night, tight off white head
Scent: Sweet scent of malt, with a heavy dose of chocolate and biscuit.
Body: Medium bodied, very lively, great head retention.
Taste: Sweet oatyness with a wash of lactose, which mellows to a chocolate biscuit finish.
Sam’s Thoughts: ” A proper stout, sticks to the ribs, and so biscuity, as a biscuit fiend, I was saddened that I could only have one!”
Sam’s Rating: 3.8/ 5.0
Stewarts Brewing – Backing Blue – 4.1% ABV
Appearance: Clear Apple Juice in colour with a this white head when poured.
Scent: Mild Hop, with a slight barley aroma
Body: Medium bodied, well carbonated but poor head retention
Taste: Very mild inoffensive flavours of hop and a twist of lime.
Stu’s Thoughts: “Given the other offering we have had on this trip, this one is a little to mild and delicate for myself. However, it is refreshing, and the low ABV makes it a very sociable beer “
Stu’s Rating: 3.1/ 5.0
Stewarts Brewing – 80/Classic Scottish heavy – 4.4% ABV
Appearance: Garnet red, with s tight white head when poured.
Scent: Smokey, Peaty Scent with a touch of hop.
Body: Medium bodied, well carbonated with good head retention.
Taste: A real earthy mouthful, with a pleasant smokiness with a tiny bit of sweetness at the back.
Stu’s Thoughts: ” Another first for me! I knew the Scottish did good whiskey, this is like the Whiskey of the beer world. Call me “Old Fashioned”.. but this one is right up my alley”
Stuarts Rating: 3.6/ 5.0
Crossboarders – Session Pale – 4.2% ABV
Appearance: Opaque dull nectarine in colour with a tight white head when poured.
Scent: Zesty orange peel with a twist of hop.
Body: Medium bodied, low carbonation, and poor head retention (Despite picture – lasted about 2 min after being poured)
Taste: A subdued breakfast orange juice, with a refreshing very mild hoppy finish.
Sam’s Thoughts: “This is a very good example of a session pale, it had a nice orange flavour and a cheeky twist at the end, would be cracking in the beer garden.. unfortunately it was raining!”
Sam’s Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Cromarty Brewing Co – Session White IPA – 3.8% ABV
Appearance: Clear Lucozade like colour with a white film head.
Scent: Candied orange peel, with a hit of maple syrup.
Body: Thin bodied, well carbonated with no head retention.
Taste: No Sweetness, just a light orange wash with a tiny bit of beeriness.
Stu’s Thoughts: “This one was so confusing, the scent was on the money, but the beer itself was a little subtle, again not really one for me. But i understand why it is popular”
Stuarts Rating: 3.3/ 5.0
As you can see the boys where ‘hard at work‘.. They even took the time to send me evidence that Stuart was studying up on his beer facts during the trip. I’m not sure what language some of these notes were in, but given the amount of flags on Stuarts jumper here, he must be bi-lingual!
Stewarts Brewing – Jack Back, Session IPA – 3.7% ABV
Appearance: Clear Amber Colour with a fluffy white head.
Scent: a good hit of Citrus, and a little playful hop toward the end.
Body: Medium Bodied, well carbonated, really good head retention.
Taste: A very fresh and fruity IPA, no frills, just does its job really well.
Sam’s Thoughts: “Citrusy…crushable… a perfect example of a traditional session IPA”
Sam’s Rating: 3.7 / 5.0
Stewarts Brewing – Pentalnd IPA – 3.9% ABV
Appearance: Clear golden colour with a white foamy head.
Scent: Mild hoppy aroma
Body: Medium bodied, well carbonated good head retention.
Taste: Sweet, malty, with a dryish aftertaste. Hops are barely present only on the finish.
Sam’s Thoughts: ” Very drinkable, but not great, lacked a bit of character as the hop was lacking, but for a 3.9% not bad at all”
Sam’s Rating: 3.4/ 5.0
Campervan – Leith Porter (5% ABV)
Appearance: Really Dark, with a white head when poured.
Scent: Strong hints of coffee, and a mild scent of dark chocolate bitterness.
Body: Medium to full bodied, well carbonated good head retention.
Taste: Dark & Rick Roasted Coffeee and Chocolate with a hint of Tar.
Sam’s Thoughts: ” If you wanted a pick-me-up this one wouldn’t have to tell you twice”
Sam’s Rating: 3.7/ 5.0
Pilot – Hush Hush (4.8% ABV)
Appearance: Pale to medium Amber with a white head when poured
Scent: Malt, Pine needles and a citrus hop.
Body: Medium bodied well carbonated, ok head retention.
Taste: a nice biscuit maltiness which is then backed with a crisp fresh pine and citrus hit.
Sam’s Thoughts: “There is a reason this is Pilots Flagship Edinburgh Pale Ale that until recently was brewed exclusively for Edinburgh speakeasy-style bars”
Sam’s Rating: 3.4/ 5.0
And that concludes the lads trip to Edinburgh, was there anything you think they should have tried and missed out on? If so let us know, and maybe they can fit it in next time!
We hope you enjoyed reading about their excursion, and we will be back with some more reviews, on the same bat-blog at the same bat-time on Easter Sunday!
see you then!
The|Eternal|Hoptimitsts 