“Winter needs a warm, hearty stout, which is why we brewed a limited edition, 7.9% monster with enough oats to fill two local supermarkets. It’s so chocolatey and silly smooth that you’ll want it to be winter all year long.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Glossy black with two fingers of tan foam which stays the course. Slow reduction which allows for good lacing down the glass.

Aroma: Interesting. Initially we thought it was super hoppy but that has quickly changed to a kind of rich, dark and ink-like scent. We’ve just put our finger on it…it reminds us of those Artline permanent markers. Picking up hints of chocolate and floral hops but man we really can’t get past this sharp and almost menthol-like chemical aroma. Unfortunately it’s spoiling it.

Flavour: We were sincerely hoping to get around the same issues we were having on the nose. Although it’s not as prominent we can still pick up that chemical driven note that hints at ink or phenols. Roasted malt and chocolate peek through but the finish is simply sharp and boozy.

Mouthfeel: Tinny, prickly and slightly watery. The 7.9% ABV is quite evident. Medium body, mild-moderate Co2. Not ideal.

Overall: Have we got a bad can? All we’ve seen and heard about Ocean Reach has been positive but honestly this is pretty lousy. Smells and tastes a bit, well we won’t say infected, but it definitely seems phenolic. Very mediocre stuff.