One of the foremost names in stout is Guinness. Ask anyone to name a famous stout, and the vast majority will say Guinness without hesitation. The Ireland- based brewery has been churning out its popular stout for a long time, but it now has a United States presence, too, at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Maryland. This American brewery is known for its experimental emphasis and one of its newer creations is Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale, a seasonal brew.
Cocktail Qualities
Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale is a Strong Ale aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels. It pours to a dark red color with a complex nose of bourbon, toffee, orange, raisin, and vanilla. There is added cherry, too, to provide the beer with the added quality associated with an old- fashioned cocktail.
Tasting Notes
This beer has complex character with flavors that follow from the nose. You can certainly taste the bourbon and the aging adds a certain oak/wood character to the flavor. There is vanilla in there, too, plus orange and cherry as expected.
Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale is sweeter than most strong ales and the orange flavor dominates. I think I would like it a little more if the orange was toned down just a bit. And as far as hops go, well, you won’t be able to detect much hoppiness in this beer. The other flavors eclipse the hops and the bitterness is relatively low.
This ale is certainly stronger than the average beer with 10.8 percent alcohol by volume. This gives the beer a booziness one would expect for something inspired by an Old Fashioned. However, it is less boozy that its abv would lead you to believe, and the sweetness is the reason. It helps mask the alcohol qualities in the taste, at least a little.
Get Your Guinness
Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale has been released in the past by Guinness, so it is not a brand- new product. For most American beer consumers, this special release might as well be brand new because most have likely never seen nor heard of it before. It takes some effort to track it down, as it was released in limited quantities. Buying it online might be your best (or only) option.
I love whiskey and I love the classic old- fashioned cocktail. Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale is a nod to this traditional, popular cocktail and it offers the type of taste that makes it great for pairing with a festive holiday meal or sipping by a warm fire. It has much to offer, and it makes a great addition to your holiday celebrations.
Rating: 9 Cheers out of 10
I absolutely love Guinness. This sounds just about perfect to me!
I’ve never tried Guinness and wasn’t aware of it such high alcohol content. I may have to add trying a few to my bucket list
Regular Guinness has low alcohol content. This special release is stronger.
I’m not a big beer drinker, but I’d give it a try. I do prefer the ales.
Shoot, I was just in Maryland a couple of weeks ago. I should have passed by and checked out their ale. It’s worth a try, though. I think I’m going to see if my local store has this.
My husband loves Guinness, I’ll have to see if he’s tried this release of it!
Sounds like a wonderful drink that my husband would try.