So the first thing that flew through my mind when I saw four packs of Innis & Gunn Winter Brew 2012 on the shelves at Total Wine last November was “Doesn’t look like a porter to me!” Well, OK, I had to pick up the beer and look at the label first, the label that said this was a porter, albeit one brewed with molasses and aged in oak. It sure didn’t look like a porter through those pesky clear glass bottles. More on that later, though.

Innis & Gunn Winter Brew 2012 is a limited edition beer from this Edinburgh, Scotland brewer. I have enjoyed a few of their oak-aged treasures in the past, but this is the first time that I have enjoyed this one. The beer has an alcohol content of 7.4% by volume. The brewer calls this “treacle porter” on their website:

This comforting Porter is the winter warmer in our seasonal range.  Its inventive recipe adds a touch of treacle to the brew, helping to concoct a lingering, bitter-sweet taste and uncommon depth of flavour.  An ideal libation for fireside conversation, keep a watchful eye out for it as the nights draw in.

Treacle, of course, is almost the same thing as molasses.

Innis & Gunn Winter Beer 2012 Porter Brewed with Molasses pours to a dark brown color much paler than the more traditional ebony I’m used to in my porters. Indeed, holding it to the light reveals an even lighter color, as the brew then resembles a brown ale more than a porter with its light brown hue. Taking a sip, though, I have to say that I love this one from the get go. I was, after all, prepared to hate it, expensive as it was at $11.99 for a four-pack at Total Wine.

But the beer is tasty. Dark, nutty malt laced with sweet rummy molasses, a hint of butter, fruity dark raisin, and a hint of oak and vanilla from the aging. An ever so subtle minty grassy hop buzz helps balance the sweetness along with the gentlest alcohol warmth. The vanilla notes, molasses and raisin notes really call to mind images of rum raisin ice cream, or perhaps warm Indian Pudding over vanilla ice cream.

Indeed, I think this beer would be simply sublime paired with the latter. Still, a half-star off for the exorbitant price.



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