I don’t usually drink very many stouts and porters but I have found myself trying quite a few during the last month or so and enjoying them very much. I am not going to enter the debate about the difference between the two styles other than to say that hey are both dark beers. If your only experience of stout is Guinness, as good as this can be, do try some of the newer styles that are out there. I doubt that you’ll be disappointed.
Wildbeer. Millionaire. Chocolate Stout. 4.7%Â – Black, opaque with a tan head. Aromas of plain, dark chocolate, coffee, Â sweet caramel, Â and malt. Full bodied with gentle carbonation. Flavours of coffee, toffee and liquorice. A long slightly bitter finish.
Magic Rock. Common Grounds. Triple Coffee Porter. 5.4%Â – Dark, opaque with a small tan head. Aromas of espresso, coffee liqueur, chocolate and malt. The palate is medium minus bitterness and gently carbonated. Flavours are predominantly coffee and vanilla. The finish is coffee liqueur and is very long.
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast. Coffee Stout. 7.5%Â – Black, opaque with a thin tan head. Aromas of coffee, malt, some chocolate, espresso, tobacco and smoke. Palate is medium bitterness with gentle carbonation. Palate has less flavour than expected but this is a nicely balanced beer with a great lingering finish with a touch of cherry.
Siren Craft Brewery. Broken Dream. Breakfast Stout. 6.5%Â – Dark and impenetrable. Aromas is coffee and caramel with slight herby notes. The palate is rich and complex with lots of coffee and some chocolate. The mouthfeel is good. Not overly sweet. Low/medium bitterness with a nice level of carbonation. Very nice indeed.
Peerless. Oatmeal Stout. 5%Â – Dark with a garnet tinge and a small tan head. Aromas of coffee, malt, toasty bread and chocolate. The palate is rich, smokey, coffee and chocolate. Low bitterness, gentle carbonation and a nice mouthfeel.
Loka Polly. Chinook. India Stout. 6.2%Â – Dark, opaque with a good thick tan head. Coffee, caramel and grassy aromas. Nice mouthfeel, medium bitterness, good carbonation. Flavour is coffee, some caramel, chocolate and pine. An incredibly long, coffee finish.
Loka Polly. Citra Columbus. Stout. 7.1% – Pours black and opaque with a light tan head. Nose iOS lemon. grapefruit with roasted malt and chocolate. Palate is low bitterness and gentle carbonation. A lovely roasted, nutty, chocolate flavour with citrus. A nice bitter finish that end with hint of coffee.
Beavertown x Caravan. Spresso. Imperial Espresso Stout 9%Â – Pours intense black with deep tan head which doesn’t persist. Nose is subdued but there is coffee. chocolate, malt and a hint of herbs/floral. Palate is soft, round with gentle carbonation and medium minus bitterness. There flavours of coffee, plain chocolate, caramel and nuts. There is a touch of sweetness but nothing too much. A lovely lingering fin ash with coffee and a hint of spice.
Tailgate Brewery. Peanut Butter Milk Stout. 5.8%Â – Dark, opaque with a large tan head, very lively! Aromas of lightly burnt toast, malt and toffee. The palate is low bitterness, gentle carbonation and a nice texture. There is a slight sweetness and the flavour of peanut butter begins on the mid palate and carries on through to a lingering finish.