Appearance

The Muskoka Shinnicked Stout pours with a medium level of viscosity, and a bright white fluffy head. The color is appropriately dark black for the a stout style beer.

Aroma

The aroma had notes of malts, with a syrupy sweetness underneath. I was picking up hints of toasted oatmeal. Overall, the aroma on this beer is pretty average and nothing jumps out.

Flavor

A great effervescent mouthfeel with the first few sips. Sweetness at a medium strength level with the oatmeal influence coming through after the initial sweetness falls off. As the stout warms up, some espresso and toasted malts start to express themselves, and grow in intensity. I do pick up the occasional copper metallic note underneath the espresso. As the beer continues to warm to room temperature, there’s a nice creamy mouthfeel that develops. The espresso also continues to build in intensity.

Balance

The espresso, oatmeal and toasted malts are all equally balanced with no one flavor overpowering or pushing another aside.

Finish

This beer finishes in a slight sweetness that almost immediately gives way to toasted oatmeal and light malts. The malt coats the palate between sips.

Overall

The Muskoka Shinnicked Stout is an enjoyable oatmeal style stout with nuanced flavors of espresso. Although I would not hesitate to drink this again, it didn’t quite elevate itself above other beers in this crowded style enough that I would actively seek it out.

John McTavish

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$0.47

Scoring System

Personal Beer Review: Muskoka Shinnicked Stout