De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis

De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis

Style: Imperial Stout

Alcohol Content: 10%

From: Bodegraven, Netherlands

Purchased from: Beer Geek, Prague, Czech Republic

http://brouwerijdemolen.nl/

Brouwerij De Molen is a small craft brewery, distillery and restaurant located in Bodegraven, the Netherlands.The brewery, whose name means "The Mill", is located inside a historic windmill building called De Arkduif, which was built in 1697. Having started out as a homebrewer, and after stints at several small breweries, head brewer Menno Olivier worked professionally at Stadtsbrouwerij De Pelgrim in Rotterdam prior to founding De Molen in 2004. The capacity of the brewing system is 500 liters per batch, with annual production averaging a total of 500 hectoliters.The subject of this review is their Imperial Stout, aptly named Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell and Damnation). Lets hope I survive to tell the tale. 

Colour: Pours a thick, oily black topped beautifully by a thin layer of tan coloured foam. Once settled, this foam soon disappears into the murky depths below. 

Aroma: Most imperial stouts ozees notes of dark chocolate and bitter dark chocolate. Whilst the dark chocolate notes are definitely present, Hel & Verdoemenis presents not one single note of coffee. This surprises me greatly as I love the blending of those two elements in an imperial stout. Oh well you can't have it all! After a few minutes in the glass, the chocolate notes begin to fade and hints of smoky peat and sweet molasses begin to appear. This drink smells divine! I can not wait to jump in and try this beer!   

Body: As you would expect, this Hel & Verdoemenis is extremely viscous. It's almost like drinking a pint of silky chocolate sauce. This thickness encourages you to drink this stout very slowly and ensures you savor every last sip.

Taste: Well, this has to be the most rounded Imperial stout that I have ever drunk. The nose translates into the taste with the dark chocolate notes blending perfectly with hints of rich, sweet molasses. Here the coffee notes finally make an appearance, offering a mellow bitterness to help cut through the sweetness slightly. The aftertaste reminds me slightly of oak aged Bourbon as its quite warming on the tongue. That being said, the high ABV is very well hidden and it could be quite deadly given the size of the bottle (750ml). Perhaps I should of shared this bottle with Emma (or perhaps not as its far too nice to share). A lovely drink that I will return to again and again.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/harveys-imperial-extra-double-stout.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/camden-town-brewery-indian-hells-lager.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery

Harvey's Imperial Extra Double Stout

Harvey's Imperial Extra Double Stout
Style: Imperial Stout

Alcohol Content: 9%

From: Lewes, East Sussex, United Kingdom 

Purchased From: Corbetts Real Ale Shop, Dorking, Surrey

http://www.harveys.org.uk/

This beer is a re-creation of a classic 19th century beer. During the Victorian era, London became well known for brewing stouts. London's hard water was perfect for brewing these pints of happiness and as the centre of commerce, these beers began to be exported world wide. One of these happy customers were the old Russian Empire. As a developing economy, Russia soon grew very envious of the British position as an economic powerhouse. In order to "keep up with the Jones", Russia began to import vast quantities of strong stout (typically above the  five percent sold in the UK). Sensing a unique business opportunity, Albert Le Coq began shipping beer to Russia directly from London in 1820s. His export business was initially very successful, however, by 1904 the business was faced with a number of challenges. High custom levies and frequent forging forced Le Coq's company to search for a new home inside the Russian Empire. A site at Tartu in modern day Estonia was eventually selected and the brewery went from strength to strength up until the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. The new Bolshevik soon began to nationalise all the breweries in the USSR and this beer was slowly phased out of production.

It wasn't until the mid the late 1980's until this beer would reappear again. Lewes based brewer Harvey's began negotiating with the descents of Albert Le Coq to acquire the original recipe. Soon very limited numbers of this beer began to appear for sale directly from the brewery and staying true to its legacy the Imperial Stout was awarded Gold at the International Beer Challenge 2012 and Gold in the Stouts and Porters Category at the International Beer Challenge 2013. Hopefully this beer lives up to its sky high reputation and history.
     

Colour: Pouring a dark, jet black complete with a small tan coloured head, Harvey Imperial Double stout just encourages you to delve into its murky depths. The head will dissipate very quickly once in the glass, which disappoints me slightly as I really love a dense head on my stouts.

Aroma: As soon as I opened the bottle I smelt the acidic stench of vinegar. My first thought was perhaps the bottle was out of date or spoiled. I have been burnt by this before and I can remember the bitter disappointment of pouring the beer down sink. Seriously worried, I visited the Harvey's website in order to locate some tasting notes. Needless to say I was delighted to read that this vinegar aroma was indeed part of the nose of this beer. Thank God! Soon this sensation slowly lifts to give way to hints of dark chocolate and liquorice. Yum!

Body: This stout was actually a lot thinner than I was expecting, but I guess with this level of alcohol, it's hard for any beer feel dense. Perhaps my lusting after a bottle of Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout has some what skewed my vision of what a perfect stout should be, but this drink is very, very different to this ideal. Without a hint of carbonation to speak, this beer feels like thick oil greasing every crevasse of your mouth. As it slowly sips down your throat, the alcohol will release a slight burn. This is definitely a slow drink to enjoy over the course of an evening.

Taste: As eluded to earlier, the first sip can be rather abrasive. The sour vinegar mixed with burnt coffee and bitter dark chocolate is certainly not to everyone's tastes. As the drink warms, the flavours begin to mellow. The vinegar notes become similar to that of sour dark cherries. The whole drink begins to taste like a divine slice of black Forrest cake with a subtle hint of soy sauce. Interesting combination hey? I personally really enjoyed this beer but be warned, this is not a beer for beginners! A beer with these qualities need to be worked up to, otherwise you will be put off for life and you will never get to enjoy this beautiful complex drink in all its glory. Sip it and serve at room temperature.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/kernel-brewery-london-1890-export-stout.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/windsor-and-eton-brewery-canberra.html

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

Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout

Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout

Style: Milk Stout

Alcohol Content: 4.5%

From: Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom

Purchased From: Waitrose, Wells

http://www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk/

Over the past few year year, the city of Bristol has been undergoing a renaissance. The bustling quay sides have swapped steamships full of tobacco for trendy wine bars and shopping centres. Just like the city it's self, Bristols brewing industry has been reborn partially due to the success of the Bristol Beer Factory. After finding a home in the old fermenting block of the former Ashton Gate brewery, the Bristol Beer factory started life as a 10 barrel micro brewery back in 2004. After originally brewing a small handful of cast conditioned ales, Bristol now offer a range of over eight different regular bottled ales, seven regular cask ales and five specials throughout the year. Cashing in on this success, the brewery now own three pubs in the area and hosts an annual beer festival named Factoberfest.

Colour: Pours a thick, deep coal black with a relatively small, yet tightly packed white head. This stout is so thick that not a speck of light can be seen through it. Tip top stuff!

Aroma: Hints of arabica coffee and cocoa nibs stream from the bottle as soon as you pop the cap. A rich sweetness is also present which invites you closer and closer, making you want to dive right in there and down the pint.

Body: Perhaps one of the smoothest drinks I have ever drunk. This sumptuous pint slides down like a pint of double cream. Every available crevasse of your mouth will be covered by this velvet delight. The use of lactose sugar in the brewing process helps to remove any hints of clogging from the aftertaste.

Taste: From your first sip, you will instantly taste notes of sultry dark chocolate and hot Java coffee. This is promptly followed by a flood of sweet, milky lactose sugar. It's almost as if you are drinking a high end mocha from The Ritz. The flavours are blended perfectly to ensure that no flavour overpowers another. From the moment this pint touched my lips, I was completely intoxicated. How can a brewery blend flavours so masterfully and leave me wanting more and more? Perhaps that's why this beer has won a gold medal at this year's SIBA awards and has previous been named as CAMRA National champion stout. Great work guys, keep up all the hard work!

Invigorating and Stimulating for the Workers

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ska-brewing-steel-toe-milk-stout.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/redchurch-brewery-soreditch-blonde.html

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

Sierra Nevada Brewing Narwhal Imperial Stout

Sierra Nevada Brewing Narwhal Imperial Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

Alcohol Content: 10.2%

From: Chico, California, USA

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney
http://www.sierranevada.com/ 

Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the United States, behind the Boston Beer Company Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It is currently the sixth-largest brewing company in the United States.The brewery produced 786,000 barrels of beer in 2010.

The brewery was named "Green Business of the Year" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 for its practices in sustainability.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was founded in 1979, with founders Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi expanding their homebrewing hobby into a brewery in Chico, California. Along with the brewery's location, Grossman claims the company's name comes from his love of hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.With $50,000 in loans from friends and family, Grossman & Camusi rented a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) warehouse and pieced together discarded dairy equipment and scrap yard metal to create their brewing equipment.They later were able to acquire second-hand copper brewing kettles from Germany before moving to their larger, current brewing facility in 1989.

Colour: Pours a jet fuel black with a densely packed, tan coloured foam. It looks so thick in the glass you could mistake it for tar. The head will slowly die away after a few minutes in the glass but what's left will cling to the glass as if it's life depends on it. So far, so good.

Aroma: Rich, dark cocoa notes present themselves as soon as you pop the cap. Subtle notes of yeast or beefy marmite are also present and add a real sense of depth to the aroma profile. You certainly will love or hate the perfume that's for sure.

Body: As I eluded to in my above colour description, this drink is as thick as Paris Hilton. As soon as you take a gulp, your mouth will be flooded like an oil slick. Every crevasse of your palate will be covered like a bird near the Exxon oil slip. Luckily, this sensation is surprisingly brief as due to the lack of bitterness and lack of any clogging sensation at all. Very smooth and a true pleasure to drink.

Taste: Subtlety is the name of the game with this beer. There are no big, bold flavours in this beer, just a subtle yet complex set of tastes that have been blended perfectly together. A real melting pot of coffee, dark chocolate, liquorice and marmite are all present. The ABV is masked beautifully by both these flavours and a pleasant sweetness I have yet to come across in an imperial stout. For me, this is one of the best imperial stouts I have ever tasted. A true sipper without a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste. Well worth a repeat visit.

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

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/nogne-o-blonde.html

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

Durham Brewery White Stout

Durham Brewery White Stout

Style: White Stout

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

From: Durham, County Durham, England 

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney, London, England

http://www.durhambrewery.co.uk/

The Durham Brewery was launched in August 1994 by two former teachers, Christine and Steve Gibbs.Thier initial brews came under the guise of the "White Range", a series of playful experiments using different hop varieties over a pale malt base. So successful were these experiments, that in 1999 the brewery upgraded to a 10 barrel production line and launched a range of bottle conditioned beers a year later. Thier adventurous bottle range is now available from the lightest 3.8% to the darkest 10%. By the end of the decade the brewery had outgrown their current premises and the brewery purchased some additional space to house their offices and a hospitality area.

A White Stout i hear you cry? Just like you, I was so intrigued when i saw the label, i just had to buy it. But what does the term White Stout actually mean? Well two hundred years ago, before the Porter brewers of London commandeered the term "Stout" to refer to a Stout Porter, the term used referred to a strong beer. It didn't have to be black in colour, just stronger than 5% ABV. Here is Durham's attempt at this traditional style, their White Stout.

Old School Celtic label

Colour: Pours a light copper or pale orange. A beautiful, thick white head is also present. It's so thick, it actually reminds me of a Mr Whippy ice cream I eat every time the sun comes out.

Aroma: This beer has such a beautiful nose that you could almost say its very similar to a German Weiss beer. Notes of spicy cardamom, cumin and sweet juicy mango will fill your nostrils and make you believe you are sitting on a beach in Goa. Personally, I think that this beer would work very well with spicy Asian food such as Kung Po Chicken or prawn Pad Thai.

Body: Even though this drink is clear, it actually feels rather heavy in the mouth due to the strength of the alcohol. This sensation mixed with the use of Columbus hops, causes a slight clogging on the back of your throat which can be a little unpleasant at first but this soon dies down to reveal a pleasurable drinking experience.

Taste: Notes of juicy blackberries and sweet mango dominate the palate on the first sip. This eventually gives way to hints of spicy cardamom and warming alcohol, followed a long, dry mildly bitter finish. Everything about this drink screams to me IPA! The strength and the sweetness of this brew remind me of the Kernel Brewery Columbus IPA I reviewed earlier in this blog. A drink of varying characteristics, that will add a spicy kick to any drinking session.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/kernel-brewery-ipa-columbus.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/east-london-brewing-foundation-bitter.html

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

Maui Brewing Company Aloha B'ak'tun

Maui Brewing Company Aloha B'ak'tun

Style: Belgian Stout

Alcohol Content: 7%

From: Lahaina, Hawaii

Purchased from: The Beer Bouquet, Putney
http://mauibrewingco.com/

At some point in life every man will get the dreaded "man flu". This week was my turn to get the bug. My symptoms are as follows; Arms as heavy as lead, a nose running like a tap and a live heavy metal band playing in my skull. Just what you want over the weekend. After being drugged up to the eyeballs, I some how managed to stumble into the office. Of course one of the worst parts of being ill is that you can't drink. So as I dry out for a few days, I have to dig deep into my little black book to bring you some reviews that I have yet to write up. Here is one of them, Maui Brewing Aloha B'ak'tun.

The Maui Brewing formed in 2005 on the Hawaiian Island of Lahaina. In their nine year existence, the brewery has won numinous awards and opened a successful brewpub. I have always wanted to try their coconut porter, but alas, I can never get hold of it. So when I saw a limited edition Belgian stout by Maui, I snapped it up immediately.

Oh Aloha!

Colour: Pours a dark, oily black with a fluffy tan coloured head. This dissipates down to a few clumps of foam after a few minutes.

Aroma: Big, bold coffee and cocoa note cascade out of the glass like Niagara Falls. This is complemented by mild notes of cloves, cinnamon and spicy pepper. It's all very Christmassy I must say.

Body: Thick and oily like a traditional stout should be. The mouthfeel is incredibly similar to that of the fantastic Kernel 1890 export stout recipe that I reviewed last month. The coffee notes blend perfectly with the oily texture to coat the back of your throat. This ensure a slow, lingering drinking experience. So take your time and unwind.

Taste: This drink has an incredibly complex palate. So here goes! Massive hints of coffee and bitter dark chocolate will fill swam you taste buds. This is then swiftly cut through by a peppery, smoke filled aftertaste. This sensation comes from the addition of the hops, cinnamon and chipotle chillies. These additional ingredients add a great depth to the flavour and help to reinforce the sear quality of this brew. The only slight negative thing I could say is that there seemed to be a slight metallic/acidic aftertaste to this beer. Perhaps this comes from the the use of a can instead of a bottle. That being said, it's very rich and extremely satisfying, a perfect winter warmer.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ellezelloise-hercule-stout.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/wild-beer-company-scarlet-fever.html

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

Cooking With Beer: Youngs Double Chocolate Stout and Venison Stew

Cooking With Beer: Youngs Double Chocolate Stout and Venison Stew

For a couple of months I've been toying with the idea of writing a piece around cooking with beer. After a month of searching various websites I came across a recipe from guardian website. Rather than just replicating what they have done, I decided to put my own spin on it by using Young's Double Chocolate stout rather than brown ale. I also substituted some of the Venison (as it's so expensive) with some beautiful chestnut mushrooms. So here is my recipe and some photos from my attempt. Let me know if you give it a go too.

400g venison medallions

300g of baby carrots

2 tbsp oil

7 shallots, peeled and chopped in half

150g of diced pancetta

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp plain flour

200ml beef stock

400ml Young's Double Chocolate Stout, 5.2%

2 tsp soft light brown sugar

2 bay leaves

Sprinkling of Cadbury's drinking chocolate

200g of Chestnut mushrooms

Serve with creamy mash potatoes

Preheat the oven to 130C/Gas Mark 2. Cut the venison into 3cm cubes, discarding any gristle and sinew.

Trim the carrots, and put them into the oven.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Fry the venison for 5–6 mins until browned on all sides, adding a little extra oil as necessary. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Add onions to the wok and fry for 2–3 mins, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, add the bacon and fry for a further 2 mins.

Return all the meat and any accumulated juices to the wok. Add the garlic then stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the stock and stout, scraping up any juices stuck to the bottom of the wok. Heat, stirring until simmering.

Add the sugar, bay leaves and thyme and season with freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle in the drinking chocolate.

In a casserole dish, cover the base with the mushrooms. Pour over the meat and liqueur.

Cover the casserole with a tight fitting lid or foil and cook in the oven for at least 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

The end result was a lovely hearty stew for the winter. This should serve four but with Emma and myself around, it realistically serves three. Very nice!

You could also supplement the Young Double Chocolate Stout for the following beers,

Meantime Chocolate Porter:
http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/meantime-chocolate-porter.html
Titanic Plum Porter:
http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/titanic-plum-porter.html

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

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

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Style: Oatmeal Stout

Alcohol Content: 5.8%

From: Boonville, California, United States of America

Purchased From: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

https://avbc.com/

Whenever I drink a stout, I am always reminded that we are currently in the depths of winter.  If you live in the UK, I am sure you can see and hear the wind lashing down outside, effecting everyone’s journey home for Christmas (Emma’s included). I however, am tucked up nicely in the flat, drinking craft beer. Hopefully, the alcohol will warm me up whilst I dream about my upcoming holiday to Cuba and another Christmas jumper from my auntie Christine. Oh it’s a hard life!!

Anderson Valley Brewing Company was founded in 1987 by David Norfleet and Kim and Ken Allen. At the time, it was one of just 20 craft breweries in the United States. The original 10-barrel brew-house was designed and installed by owner and original brewer David Norfleet (and the 10 barrel brewery is still used for R&D brewing today). The original brewery was located in the lower level of the brew pub, The Buckhorn Saloon.

In 1996 when the demand for the award winning beers exceeded the capacity of the 10-barrel brewery below the pub, a 30-barrel facility was installed just a mile from down-town Boonville at the corner of Highways 128 and 253. This brewery saw them through a dramatic period of growth, which included the introduction of a 12 ounce bottling line. By 1998 production had reached 15,000 barrels annually and construction began on a three-story Bavarian-style brew-house. The new brew-house went on-line and started producing beer once again in August 2000.

Colour: On the pour you will be presented with a thick, dark, ink black liquid topped with a luscious leather coloured head. This beer looks extremely thick and the head will stay around for the duration of the beer.

Aroma: As soon as you pop the cap, rich milky chocolate notes will swam over you. Also present are subtle notes of coffee which develop as the drink warms in the glass. That being said, the nose on this beer is not overly pronounced which is a real shame.

Body: Very smooth and thick as a good stout should be to start with but once brought up to room temperature, the beer seems to become thinner taking on a more watery complexion.  Each sip will coat the mouth nicely which in turn leads to an extremely enjoyable drinking experience.

Taste: Your first sip of this beer will be one you will remember. Rich, silky milk chocolate juxtaposed with bitter coffee grinds dominate this beer. The sweetness delivered from the oats helps to add a real sense of depth and richness to this beer. The slight burnt, mild bitter espresso finish provides a sumptuous end to each sip. This all helps to mask the strength of the beer .To be honest, this drink reminds me of a lighter version of Glastonbury Ales Thriller Cappuccino Porter, which I reviewed earlier in this blog. 

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/glastonbury-ales-thriller-rare.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/moor-beer-company-merlin-magic.html

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

Ellezelloise Hercule Stout

Ellezelloise Hercule Stout

Style: Stout

Alcohol Content: 9%

From: Irchonwelz, Belgium

Purchased From: Brought back from Calais by my Friend Jon

http://www.brasserie-ellezelloise.be/

The Brasserie des Legends is a Belgian brewery located in Irchonwelz and Elzele.The brewery was founded in 1998 by brewing engineer Pierre Delcoigne called Brasserie des Géants. In 2007, the Brasserie Ellezelloise founded in 1993 was acquired. The merger allowed the two breweries to change their name to Brasserie des Légendes. The brewing operations are at present divided between the two branches. In 2011, the company opened a tavern which offers their beers and local dishes.

The subject of this review is Ellezelloise Hercule Stout. If you live in the UK you will no doubt recognise the name and face on the label; Hercule Poirrot. Given that Agatha Christie most famous creation has just been retired from television, i feel its only right to unwrap mystery of this beer.

Colour: Pours a thick jet black with an equally thick tan head. This head stays around for quite a while and then dissipates to a light foam on the glass. You could say that this drink is as dark and as complex as a Hercule Poirrot mystery that you may see on television.

Aroma: Luxurious dark chocolate notes resonates from the glass. You can also smell notes of roasted coffee that have been subtly mixed with chewy liquorice. In short it's a little glass of heaven.

Body: This stout has a Guinness like body, very thick and slightly creamy. Very smooth to drink and it coated the back of my mouth perfectly. It was almost like drinking a pint of milk to be honest. This beer has an extremely low level of carbonation which makes it very easy to drink.

Taste: The best way to describe the taste is that it reminds me of a Mocha coffee. Rich dark chocolate playfully mixes with a mild coffee notes. Even though it has quite a high alcohol content, this is masked very well due to the depth of flavours present. On the second sip, slight woody notes are present. These are not over powering and actually adds a slight robustness to the drink. There is a slight liquorice aftertaste, but luckily this is not overpowering (I'm not a fan of liquorice). The aftertaste is not overly bitter which suggest minimal hops are used in the making of this beer. Very pleasant and I will be going back to this again.

Mystery Revealed 

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ska-brewing-steel-toe-milk-stout.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/einstok-icelandic-white-ale.html

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

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

Style: Milk Stout

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Durango, Colorado, United States 

Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

http://www.skabrewing.com/main.html

Ska Brewing Company is an American microbrewery founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau in Durango, Colorado. Since 2008, the brewery has been located in its current Bodo Industrial Park location. This new brewery is eco-friendly as it runs completely on wind power and insulated by old pairs of jeans. Although Ska also uses bottles, it is known for being one of the few microbreweries that utilizes cans liberally. Now the subject of this review is thier Steel Toe Milk Stout, so lets get on with the tasting.

Just for the working Class?

Colour: This drink pours a thick ink black with a light tan coloured head. It looks a lot like an americano with a beautiful creme head. This head stays around rather briefly, which is quite unfortunate.

Aroma: Notes of coffee and liquorice rise from the glass to greet you. The smell reminds me of breakfast in Chicago, where a waitress would pour fresh percolated coffee into my cup. Sweet sugary notes then remind me of adding cream to my said coffee. Not to everyone's taste I'm sure but for me, a coffee is always welcome first thing in the morning.

Body: The mouthfeel is like that of a pint of milk, quite thick and clingy to the back of the throat. It will really cover all corners of your mouth.

Taste: Full of powerful coffee and chocolate notes to start with. There is definitely a sweetness that comes from the lactose (milk sugar). This, mixed with the dark roasted malts help to produce drink which does not feel very alcoholic at all. The flavours will mellow as the drink warms and the profile of this beer begins to remind me of the coffee and cream I mentioned earlier. Overall, for me this drink lacks the magic sparkle I desire from my milk stout (my favourite is the Bristol beer factory Milk Stout). However, it is very smooth and very easy to drink.

Perfect after a hard days work

During the time its taken for me to create this post, Ska have completely revamped their website. I have to say it does look very impressive. Check out this link above to see what all the fuss is about.

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

Different to:http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/beavertown-8-ball-rye-ipa.html

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Dark Star Espresso Beer

Dark Star Brewery Espresso Beer

Style: Stout

Alcohol Content: 4.2%

From: Ansty, West Sussex, England, UK

Purchased From: Waitrose
http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/

The Dark Star Brewery Company started, in 1994, as a small plant squeezed into a corner of the cellar of The Evening Star Pub, in Brighton. The company was founded by entrepreneur Peter Halliday, publican Peter Skinner, and brewer Rob Jones. At that time it was known as Skinner's brewery, but there was another Skinner's brewery in Cornwall, so the name was changed to Dark Star, after Jones's successful recipe for porter.(The resemblance between the names "Dark Star" and "Evening Star" is coincidental). It soon became apparent before long that the brewery could not keep up with the growing demand from the Evening Star’s drinkers, let alone the demand for its beers from other pubs.

In 2001 the brewery relocated to a new purpose-built brewery in Ansty, near Haywards Heath, from where it supplied the Evening Star with a selection of its beers, along with its sister pubs: The Stand Up Inn, Lindfield and The Duke of Wellington, Shoreham-by-Sea. A free trade to other pubs in Sussex and the rest of the UK developed at this time. Upon moving to Ansty, Mark Tranter became Head Brewer before leaving the business in March 2013.

A new 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) site in Partridge Green was opened by Roger Protz in early 2010. This led to a fourfold increase in production, and Dark Star becoming the second largest brewery in Sussex. In 2011 the brewery acquired the The Partridge public house in Partridge Green as a brewery tap.

You wanna get a cuppa coffee?

Colour: A very dark brown or an almost black beer. On the pour you will be rewarded with a luscious white head that is almost as thick and creamy as what you can find on a Guinness. Unfortunately this does not last and the head dissipates down to a light brown foam after five minutes.

Aroma: Well the clue is in the name of this beer. Strong coffee and vanilla notes will fill your nostrils with every sip that you take. The coffee is so potent that it is extremely hard to pick out any other aromas from this beer.

Body: This beer is very sticky on both the lips and in the mouth. The coffee beans make this quite heavy to drink. Have you ever had a large black coffee from Starbucks and found it difficult to finish it all? If so, you may also find this with this beer. In fact this beer took me over an hour to finish.

Taste: When I first tasted this beer, it reminded me of the first time that I tried coffee in the USA. My face grimmest as I was totally not expecting this beer to taste so much like a cup of coffee. Since I started writing about craft beer, I have often been let down by beers that claim to be enriched with coffee beans, so I was pleasantly surprised by this brew. It's fairly bitter and it really tastes like an espresso. This is due to the freshly ground Arabica beans that are added during the fermentation process. What is most interesting about this beer is that the flavour mellows over time.

Something Similar: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/glastonbury-ales-thriller-rare.html
Something Different: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/thornbridge-wild-swan.html

For the latest reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery

Meantime London Stout

Meantime London Stout

Style: Stout

Alcohol content: 4.5%

From: Greenwich, London, England

Purchased from: Waitrose

Normally i would begin each blog by writing about the brewery. However, as i have review Meantime's Chocolate Porter earlier in this blog, i thought i would write a bit about the origin of the stout (I promise i will keep this brief).

If you lived and worked in the London Docklands during the 18th and 19th centuries, you would of most likely of known a porter. A porter (much like today) would help move your bags between the ship and your hotel. Eventually (and simply due to the sheer volume that they consumed), Porters would lend their name to a strong dark ale. Before 1700, London brewers sent out their beer very young and any ageing was either performed by the publican or a dealer. Porter was the first beer to be aged at the brewery and dispatched in a condition fit to be drunk immediately. The stout first appeared in the 1730's. Stout where first classed as strong Porters, but as time evolved, they became there own unique style. For example, Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in 1840. Stout is now enjoyed the world and Guinness has become one of the biggest players in the commercial beer market.

Brief history lesson over. Now onto the tasting.

Colour: Dark as the knight or jet black like all good stouts should be. On the pour you notice a large head is formed. The head takes on a whitish brown colouration that is rather bubbly (not like the creamy head that normally accompanies a Guinness). 

Smell: From the bottle, you are hit with scent of toasted biscuits with a hints of vanilla and milk chocolate. These aromas come from the mix of dark malts and hard water used to brew this beer. This beer is very inviting. 

Body: Very similar to that of a Guinness but without the creamy edge. This beer has a velvet/silk mouth-feel.  It definitly feels a bit heavier than the chocolate porter that i reviewed earlier in this blog. However, that being said you would be able to have a couple of these before you would noticed how full you where.  

Taste: This beer is full of earthly complex flavors. On your first sip, you are greeted with a mild filter coffee taste. You also get some sweetness which will make you think someone has slipped a sugar into your coffee, i mean beer. Also on the palate, you get notes of hazelnut with a slight mineral finish. I can imagine that this finish comes from the hard water that is used to brew this beer. London has traditionally been know as a hard water area. Hard water, is water that is high mineral content as opposed to soft water which has a low mineral content. Good examples of soft water style beers would be Pilsner. One thing i will note is that the hops used are not overly powerful creating a very mellow flavor  This is a sipper beer which would be best enjoyed by the fire on a rainy winters day.

Hello Guvnor !

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