Shinnicked Stout

Shinnicked Stout originates in Bracebridge, Ontario, where it is crafted by the team at Muskoka Brewery. According to the 473mL can, this little stout is unfiltered, checks in at 5.2% alcohol, and is brewed using Lumberjack coffee from Muskoka Roastery. As well, the can taught me some Ontario cottage country slang: apparently "shinnicked" is the chilly feeling that comes from jumping into a cold lake. On to the beer proper!

Shinnicked Stout proved to be a heavy brown colour with amber highlights. It poured with a loose cap of tan head. With a fulfilling, mocha heavy nose, the stuff had me salivating for a sip. The flavour was perhaps not as engaging as the aroma, but it was rich in roasted malt and coffee elements. The mouthfeel was very creamy, though also a bit on the thin side. Shinnicked finished decent dose of bitterness.

While Shinnicked lacks the cache of Myskoka's better widely available brews (Mad Tom and Twice As Mad Tom), it was a pretty satisfactory beer in its own right. Ontario seems to be flooded with coffee stouts and porters these days (good winter drinkin') and you could do a lot worse than to pick up a couple of cans of this little brew.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.