Beer review: Caribbean Stout, September 2015
My early introduction to stout was a warm 330ml can of Mackeson Stout, the last ditch effort of a 16 year old at a house party to keep his alcohol consumption going. It was awful. So I am hoping my first introduction to ‘Caribbean Stout’ goes down a bit better.
Right, Bob Marley is on, let’s go for it…
This specialty ale is locally brewed by Tyne Bank Brewery, and is based on a rum and raisin chocolate recipe. And I can tell why. It pours like a fizzy hot chocolate (is that a thing? If not, insert business plan to the Dragons here) and has the aroma of MANY raisins immersed in rum to kick an oddly ‘moreish’ twinge. As you take that first sip (hoping, please God nothing like Makesons!) you get a velvety smoothness of chocolate, quickly replaced by a heavy malt bill that complements the ‘spirit warmth’ achieved by the use of black spiced rum. Now why isn’t all Stout like this!
The darkness of the beer may put off a great number of new beer lovers, and I would certainly of put myself into that group previously, had it not been down to a drunken decision (normally the best right?). But let me tell you this, never say never, as this intriguing brew will certainly be one of my recommendations to anyone wanting to try something “that little bit different”…
