In recent years microbrewery has become a much abused and almost meaningless term. Many of these operations, especially in the States have grown to become pretty big concerns with large workforces and a sizable export market; they may be smaller than the multinational conglomerates, but they are far removed from the lone eccentric brewing grog in his kitchen.

Of Scotland's microbreweries, one of the smallest breweries has to be the Madcap brewery in Dumfries. The brewery is tiny by anyone's standards, being housed in a garden shed and having a capacity of just one barrel. It's been operating commercially for less than a year, primarily brewing cask ales for the local pubs, but with a very ambitious range of more experimental bottle conditioned beers in the pipeline.

We have had some limited success with the brewery's Belgian style Trippple and sweet, grainy rum cask-finished Killick's Madness, but without a doubt their most successful release has been a 10 % imperial stout spiced with liquorice.

The Madcap Liquorice Ale is a deep, intense and satisfying stout which has proven very popular despite being launched at the beginning of the summer.

The beer is as black as they come, with a mightily impressive thick, creamy, tan head of the finest, fluffiest bubbles, an unusual quality in a beer of this strength. It is not especially aromatic, but there are subtle hints of demerera sugar, rye bread and Kahlua. The palate is complex & spicy with a streak of intensely bitter coffee, balancing notes of aniseed, dark chocolate and sweet sherry .The liquorice flavour is very subtle, only making an appearance at the finish, long after the swallow. Its real quality shines through in the beers texture, which although rich, never veers into gloopy and although the alcohol is quite evident from the first sip, it never feels indulgent or boozy.

Despite being a little on the sweet side, I wouldn't hesitate to put this in the top tier of Scottish stouts and maybe among the very best from the U.K.

It is of very limited availability on the East coast but if you spot it, it should retail for about £2.60 for a 33cl bottle

James Wrobel is the proprietor of Cornelius Beer & Wine and can be contacted on 0131 652 2405