Eight Dark Beers Imbibed During October, Plus One!

First I must apologise for the quality of a few of these photographs, the lighting wasn't perfect, that's the reason, not an excuse. I should have used more lighting, so my fault, but the time of the day some were taken was when I was winding down, so this is what you get. 😉

I'm starting with the Hercule as I want that image to head this blog, then I'm going from the weakest to the strongest of the others, then... Anyway, brewed by Brasserie des Legendes (originally Brasserie des Ellezelleloise, changing its name when it merged with Brasserie des Geants in 2006, when they became one Brasserie des Legendes) in Irchonwelz in Belgium (website), their 9.0% Hercule Stout, named after the fictional detective Hercule Poirot. Hercule is brewed with locally grown barley in the grist, the brewery gives no hint of the hops used, unless the name of the beer provides a clue, and the beer came out of the bottle incredibly lively, hence the large head. It is a very deep dark reddish brown in colour, with hints of liquorice, coffee and chocolate in the aroma. To taste, slightly sweet at first, I got more dark fruits in the taste than others I have spoken to, but with a dry slightly bitter, maybe tart, finish, nice one! 

The next ale was brewed in Southwold, East Suffolk, for Marks & Spencer, by Adnams Brewery (website), their 4.2% Winter Ale, and I believe this is brewed specifically for M&S, so an original beer and not a re-badge. Brewed with First Gold hops (hopslist); I saw someone suggest orange and lemon peel in the recipe, but the fruitiness is more likely from the malt and hops. Indeed, a very fruity beer, deep dark red, they suggest on the label "fruit cake and prunes" in the taste, and tasty indeed. Not bad at all, I may just get a couple of bottles for over the Christmas hols.

Now I come to an interesting collaboration between Yorkshire breweries Northern Monk (website) and Timothy Taylor's (website), Northern Rising, a 4.4% 'Draught Unity Stout' brewed to compete with nitro keg beers like Guinness, but also brewed for cask at Timothy Taylor's. The hops used are traditional English hops Fuggle (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist). From the can, very smooth and creamy, sweet to start off with, very dark chocolate dominating the taste, but with a dry finish, and another not bad at all beer.

Another brewed for M&S, from Siren Craft Brew of Wokingham near Reading (website), comes a 5.1% Chocolate Porter, brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla pods added; no sharing of the hops used by the brewery though. This is a bit more subtle, aroma and taste, than many of these chocolate stouts and porters, very dark colour and subtle chocolate taste, sweet at first (lactose added methinks), but dries out with a gentle bitter finish, pretty good!

Next, from Buxton in Derbyshire, comes Silent Brew (facebook) Game's Gone, and a draught beer this time! I've seen this described as a "pastry stout" and as a "chocolate brownie stout" 😕 and another brewery not divulging the hops used. Whatever, it is a very good 'stout' tasting of chocolate with a hint of vanilla and a dry finish, my notes say "lovely!" 👍

More local for me, from East Sussex, the Long Man (website) Panettone Chocolate Stout (6.4%), which does what it says on the can, it is "rich and indulgent" indeed. 👍 Another that adds cacao nibs and vanilla pods to the brew, and that the brewer doesn't divulge hope used. I've already said what it's like, it does what it says on the can, very drinkable indeed!

From outside Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire comes Vocation Brewery (website) and their 8.0% Caramel Cookie Chocolate Stout, "naughty and nice" they say. Well, another brewer apparently unhappy to share which hops are used, but that's OK, as the main ingredients for flavour in these beers described today are the malts used, and the odd added ingredients. Similarly, does what it says on the tin, big chocolate aroma, and in the taste definitely chocolate aplenty, a hint of caramel and biscuit, rich and luxurious, another nice one.

My penultimate beer reviewed in this blog is from London, the capital city of England (and Britain) and Gravity Well Brewing (website) and their 11.0% Makkuro Imperial Stout. Well, the brewers emphasise the flavours coming purely from the malts used, with no added ingredients, other than the usual malt, water, yeast and hops (don't ask!), although the brewery apparently owns up to usually adding stuff to their brews, cacao nibs or whatever, but NOT for this brew, so the 4 beer ingredients only. And why would anyone expect anymore needed to be added? Chocolate is big in the taste, not so much in the aroma, and I wrote "very easy to drink and luxurious!!" Indeed, I added two exclamation marks to my notes, I was that impressed, cheers! 😁

 

Finally, had with my lunch today, and this is the "plus" 😁 a 6.2% "stellar stout" brewed in the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, by Vault City Brewing (website), MINI M*RS, "paying homage to the mighty m*rs bar." And my, with a hint of caramel, this is packed full of chocolate coming from the malts used and the "mountains of cacao nibs" added to the brew! Very dark brown colour, virtually black, almost too sweet, but not quite, rich and plenty of body. No idea of the hops used (not shared by the brewer), but a luxurious beer indeed. 👍

Plus plus, together with Neon Raptor of Nottingham (website) they have brewed a stronger version in the past, a 15.5% DDF M*RS BAR Imperial Stout (Vault City), one for the future if it ever makes a return, maybe!?! 😲 Cheers m'dears!!