Old Chub

Sometimes you drink something so extremely pleasurable that your brain goes into a state of shock and your senses are unable to accurately aggregate the experience. You know it's beer that you clutch in your fist but the delirium is telling you otherwise. You quickly turn to your wife and ask, "How many shillings were spent on the libation I am in current possession of!" She looks at you in utter confusion, giggles a little, and then walks away in disgust. As you ponder her negative reaction to your simple question you slowly start to remember that you're not drinking some run of the mill daft party swill. You are imbibing a dodgy bit of Wee Heavy. A ridiculously smooth Scotch Ale that states clearly on the can (yes I said can!) 8%ABV. Remember these two things when your are enjoying a quality beer: Don't get super excited and drink too fast, and always read the label before quaffing.

All jokes aside, the Old Chub from Oskar Blues is some serious beer. A very mellow, malted, chocolaty, coffee scent will grab your attention instantly. The creamy fat malt is the star flavor of this show.It  is a very complex mix of sweet caramel malt and bitter black coffee that is difficult to separate. The hop profile is nearly nonexistent, perfect for this type of beer. It's as if someone threw a few handfuls of hops at the wort vat and called it a day. The relative high alcohol content provides the spice needed to keep the beer interesting to the end. I tend to prefer Scotch Ales with a bit more peaty/earthy smoke flavor but a kiss of smoke in the aftertaste of Old Chub is destined to impress.

Some may scoff at paying $8-$10 for six beers in aluminium cans. They will turn their nose up at anything not in a bottle or poured from draft. I dare them to drink any of the beers from Oskar Blues and try to argue that case. They will loose every time. Draft beer comes in metal containers-This beer comes in a metal container-Therefore-If this stuff only came out of a hobo's slippers I would still drink it with pleasure. Even if my personal preference is for a touch more peat smoke in a Scotch Ale, I would not think of turning this one down.  

The Old Chub has garnered 8 bagpipes out of 4. The intense complexity of this beer requires a little more focus than most. Some Robert Burns and a dimly lit corner with a chair near a poorly insulated window would be the perfect environment for enjoying this brew. Pour it in a glass and admire proper beer craftsmanship.

cheers