Name: Stonecutter
Brewery: Renaissance
Style: Scotch Ale
Source: Vic Park NW
ABV: 7%
Although I won’t be able to post this for a couple of weeks (which means if you’re reading it now, you’re in the future!), I’m going to write this post up as I drink it so as not to lose grip of my current enthusiasm.
Ho-ly smoke! When did the Stonecutter get so peaty? Granted I haven’t had one for years, but I do not remember it being like this.
The aroma is pure peat – not so much smoke, but that band-aid, medicinal smell you get with Rex and Islay Malt whiskey’s . There’s caramel malt too, and some dark fruit of the forest chocolate.
In the mouth it’s medium bodied and gorgeously smooth. It starts out sweet, toffeeish and still peaty as hell, but this develops into a roasty bitter cocoa finish. I’m pouring my second glass now and taking overly-enthusiastic gulps, so to call it drinkable (bit of a dumb term anyway, no?) is something of an understatement.
I can’t really believe it took me so long to blog this one. Full marks!
It has increased in peatiness. But not through any decision of the brewers. Pre Rex Attitude peated malt didnt get used all that often or in large amounts. A little bit in Stonecutter and that was about it. The malt used to be imported in modest amounts and used to age up in a malt warehouse smoothing out its smokiness with age. Rex comes along and starts ripping through the malt and turning it over meaning the malt was fresh and full of pungent smokiness. Boom the brewer does the same thing but the beer changes.
The other thing is that the heavily peated malt van vary between 25-50ppm. Usually they’re around 40ppm but the last shipment was about 50ppm.
Woah – cool story! (I don’t mean that sarcastically, it really is.)
I had one of these recently too and it was fuckin’ delicious! That is all.
oh wait sorry umm peat smoke hops malt etc
Ah you might want to check your spelling of Renaissance…
Wow. I really fucked that up beautifully.