Kernel Brewery London 1890 Export Stout

Kernel Brewery London 1890 Export Stout

Style: Stout

Alcohol Content: 7%

From: London Bridge, London, England, UK

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond Upon Thames
http://www.thekernelbrewery.com/

Stout! Stout! Let it all out!! (my personalised version Tears for Fears classic, Shout).

Stout originated in London in the early 1720s. The style quickly became popular in the city: it had a strong flavour, took longer to spoil than other beers, increased in alcohol content with age, was significantly cheaper than other beers, and was not easily affected by heat. London was a very different city back then. As the commercial centre of the world, most of the imports from the empire would enter the city via the London docklands. Thirsty dockyard workers would often refresh themselves with a stout after a hard days work. You can see from the picture below what the docks used to look like compared to sprawling metropolis it is today. The Kernel brewery hope to replicate the type of stout drank during the docklands hayday, by using a recipe written in 1890. Lets see how they got on.

Docklands:  Now and Then

Since the brewery was founded in 2009 by Evin O'Riordain, word has gradually spread of the remarkable beers the 36-year-old Irishman and his colleagues Chrigl Luthy and Toby Munn are making in their tiny brewery tucked away under a railway arch just outside London Bridge. Restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Chez Bruce, Hawksmoor and Pied à Terre now stock his products, and beer bars such as Shoreditch's Mason and Taylor have made The Kernel the beer of choice for the capital's younger beer-lovers.

Colour: Pours a thick black with a dark tan head (certainly the darkest I have ever seen). After awhile, this will dissipate to a light dusting of brown foam that lingers for the duration of this beer.

Aroma: The rich dark malts produce chocolate and coffee aromas mixed with a yeasty marmite/vegemite notes.

Body: This drink looks as looks as thick as oil and has a mouthfeel to match. It will take you a long time to drink this beer as it's so vicious, so enjoy every sip. It took me an hour to drink this stout and I savoured every single drop. Very satisfying! The mild hopping coupled with the high alcohol content ensures that your throat does not get clogged.

Taste: You will get an upfront taste of sticky marmite enriched with bitter dark chocolate and freshly ground coffee. Loads of rich dried fruit and alcohol warmth ­rather like a rum and raisin ice cream.The sweetness of the malts combined well with A mild bitter finish rounds this beer off perfectly. Had I been working in the East India Dock back in 1890, there is no doubt that I would rush to the pub to order one of these. This is the perfect stout. It clearly helps to represent a bygone era of British history and is very true to the original style. Well done Kernel, well done indeed.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/anderson-valley-barney-flats-oatmeal.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/oakham-ales-citra.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Titanic Plum Porter

Titanic Plum Porter

Style: Porter

Alcohol Content: 4.9%

From: Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, UK

Purchased From: Utobeer, London Borough Market, UK

http://www.titanicbrewery.co.uk/

As its still dark, wet and windy in the UK, I like nothing more than putting on the fire (well central heating) and curling up with a fine porter. There is something about this style that just oozes winter. The dark malts provide comforting chocolate notes and the high alcohol content warms you up after being outside. And it also seems that you guys like them too, as my review of Meantime’s Chocolate Porter currently holds the accolade of being my most viewed post. So let’s take a look at  Titanic’s Plum Porter. Will it sink or swim?

The brewery was founded in Burslem Stoke-on-Trent in 1985 by Brothers Dave and Keith Bott and takes its name from the ill-fated steam liner Titanic. The brothers decided to name the brewery in honour of its captain Edward Smith who lived just down the road in a town called Etruria. The brewery also owns seven pubs around their area, including the flagship The Bulls Head. See what i did there?

A simply beautiful label

Colour: This beer pours an intriguing black with a slight purple hue. This is topped with a light tan head that dissipates after a few minutes in the glass to leave a minimal dusting of foam.

Aroma: I'm always skeptical of drinks that have been flavoured with fruit. For me, they can be really hit and miss. However, I a extremely pleased to say that this beer does not disappoint. This drink is stacked full of juicy, autumn sweet plums on the nose. It's almost like you are walking the orchard during the harvest. Lovely stuff!

Body: The fruity plums help to create the illusion of a lighter body when compared to most porters. The fruity almost juice like body coupled with ultra low carbonation, easily makes this one of the most enjoyable porters I have drank in a while.

Taste: If you are new to the porter style, then you should try this as your first port of call. It is quite frankly amazing! Juicy plum notes play with roasted malts to create an extremely smooth beer, that is expertly finished with a mild bitterness from the late addition of Goldings hops. One of this beers key features is that the taste will linger in your mouth in-between sips. It's freshness will draw you and keep you wanting more. How I have never drunk this before I will know. It forces it's way into my top ten list and it will certainly be served at my upcoming craft beer night.

You can just see the purple hue in this picture

As a modern history buff, I was slightly shocked to read that an Australian business man plans to build a life size replica of the Titanic and name it (rather ably) Titanic 2. Let’s hope it’s dedicated to the memories of those who lost their lives back on that fateful day, rather than being a lucrative money spinner. Here is the link if you want to read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_II

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/meantime-chocolate-porter.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bear-republic-racer-5-ipa.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery