Welcome to the Darkside, Level 1
My love for dark beers leads the passion in this article. I put out a call for the best porters, stouts and black ales on twitter and my followers delivered. I found some new loves and old favorites in these brews. Some coffee porters strong enough to wake you up midday and a chocolate stout that tasted like a malted ice cream. (Published winter 2016)
If you’re a member of the darkside like I am you will love my trip into the abyss
Beer: Midnight Sun Espresso Stout Brewery: Yukon Brewing Origin: YT, Canada
Pour: Black as night , a nice brown head with medium carbonation. Aroma: Heavy espresso and deep malted aroma. Taste: Be ready to be transported to a cozy café in beautiful Yukon. This dark beauty is made in collaboration with Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters which creates a symphony of flavours within the 8 layers of malts.
Beer: Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout Brewery: Rogue Ales Origin: OR, USA
Pour: Strong carbonation, black with a light but creamy head. Aroma: Chocolate, earthy aroma. Taste: The creamy head is followed through with a punch of earthy roasted barley and milk chocolate. Oatmeal makes a late play but lingers lovingly begging for another sip.
Beer: Darkside of the Stoke Brewery: Mt. Begbie Brewing Co Origin: BC, Canada
Pour: Pours like a black coffee with the head of a latte. Aroma: Mt. Begbie brewed this beer with Revelstokes own Stoke roasted coffee and that comes through strongly in both the aroma and taste. Taste: Darkside is a coffee stout through and through. The generous amounts of malts and oatmeal make their presence known but are upstaged by those delicious coffee beans. Strong enough to give you the midday pick me up most of us need.
Beer: Stoutnik Russian Imperial Stout Brewery: Longwood Brewery Origin: BC, Canada
Pour: Space explorer black with a rich brown head. Aroma: The 40 IBU give this stout an intriguing aroma as it mixes with roasted barley and chocolate tones. Taste: The painted black bottle give this beer a mysterious appearance and doesn’t disappoint, it is unlike any stout I’ve tried. There is an out of this world blend of hops and malts bouncing around on my palate. Not to be out done by mini space invaders of chocolate and smoke.
Beer: Timbertrain Coffee Stout Brewery: Russell Brewing Origin: BC, Canada
Pour: Pours an intense black with a thick coffee brown head. Aroma: Espresso plays the lead while the malts play a strong supporting role. Taste: The richness of the chosen malts give your tongue a bear hug letting go long enough for your senses to be taken on a train ride through Timbertrain coffee town.
Beer: Mocha Porter Brewery: Rogue Ales Origin: OR, USA
Pour: A traditional porter, black with a creamy off white head. Aroma: Chocolate malts with hints of coffee bean and caramel. Taste: Mocha Porter greets you with a slight bitterness and a heavy malt. The mocha is lighter than expected and leads way to a medium mouthfeel with a perfect carbonation and a lingering roasted coffee mouth hug.
Beer: *Over the Moon Milk Stout Brewery: Yukon Brewing Origin: YT, Canada
Pour: Intense brownish black with a perfect creamy head. Aroma: Heavy malted aroma with a roasted barley component. Taste: I really appreciate a good head on a stout, In my opinion it’s mandatory. The head on over the moon is so thick and creamy you can lick it off. The lactose added adds a mild sweetness and brings out the chocolate malts. I would be over the moon to have this in a growler size. * No longer available
Beer: There Will Be Porter Brewery: Last Best Brewing Origin: AB, Canada
Pour: Dark amber brown with a light beige head. Aroma: This beer smells of bittersweet caramel notes with plays of dark chocolate. Taste: This is a light porter that I could easily drink in the summer playing ball. The body is light and the carbonation is as well. While the malts are a heavy hitter they don’t force the game into overtime. Coffee flavours hit a home run coached by dark chocolate and earthy hops.
Beer: Chocolate Stout Brewery: Rogue Ales Origin: OR, USA
Pour: Black colour with a thick light brown head Aroma: Chocolate is the first scent to hit your nose followed quickly by enticing malts and roasted barley. Taste: Velvety smooth chocolate blankets every single taste bud. The thick creamy head makes it feel and taste like a malted shake. I would like to personally high five Rogue Ales for this treat. I have recently found out that Rogue makes a double chocolate stout as well and am on the hunt to find it in my city.
Beer: Blackstone Porter Brewery: Driftwood Brewery Origin: BC, Canada
Pour: Shadow black with a thick off white head. Aroma: Strongly bitter, with a dark chocolate follow through. Taste: This porter is deeply malted, light on the hops, slightly sweetened with caramel and sexy smokeshow.
Beer:Lead Dog Ale Brewery: Yukon Brewing Origin: YT, Canada
Pour: Deep brownish black, little to no head. Aroma: An intoxicating earthy aroma. Taste: This lead dog is powerful enough to take over all your senses with its complex layering of malts. And gentle enough to leave you with a clean natural finish. I would let this pup lead me through the Yukon anytime Mush!
For more articles including this one check out my new website www.beermaven.ca and look for Welcome to the Darkside Level 2 coming out this winter. Cheers, Sondra
