Raise a glass to…
Raise a glass to the chocolatey aromas of a good stout.
When it comes to beer, Australia remains defiantly blonde. The word ale strikes fear into the hearts of drinkers raised (not literally, I hope) on ice-cold lager. And as for those porters and stouts, forget it! Old blokes drinks, mate, they’ll tell you. How wrong can you be?
Even a sun-kissed land like Australia shivers through winter – and when the mercury falls there’s nothing better than a glass of the black stuff. Despite their rich dark colour, porters and (their stronger offspring) stouts are surprisingly nimble beers, with a wide spectrum of flavours – from cocoa to liquorice, toasted barley and even citrus notes.
True, dark beers do tend to be more alcoholic than their paler cousins, but thanks to their depth and complexity they are also more satisfying. Take time to savour them. Since they originated in Britain and Ireland, most Australian beer drinkers still see stouts as an exotic import, with Guinness and Murphy’s as the best-known examples.
However, a new generation of Australian boutique brewers has embraced the style with a passion — they are now producing a stunning range porters, stouts and heavy ales. For the newbie drinker, of course, the biggest problem is knowing where to start? To help you on your beer journey, I’ve selected five of my favourite winter beers.
Murray’s Best Extra Porter
Don’t be fooled by the stout-like appearance. This is a traditional porter (created to quench the thirst of London’s market porters): refreshing, surprisingly light and with a bittersweet, chocolaty aroma. Another great offering from this Port Stephens craft brewer.
Barons Black Wattle Original Ale
This is the beer that launched the Barons legend in 2008 — a distinctive Aussie brew that offers lightly hopped malt flavours infused with roasted wattle seed. The result is a robust, clean-tasting ale with distinct hazelnut and mocha flavours.
Draught Guinness
Forget locally brewed Guinness. For the true Dublin experience buy a pack of widget-powered imported cans. Creamy, rich and with that distinctive nuggetty aftertaste, Guinness is the undisputed king of commercial stouts. Pour into a straight-sided pint glass.
Redoak Oatmeal Stout
This award-winning Sydney microbrewery produces excellent pale ales, lagers and wheat beers — and some beautifully crafted dark ales. Silky smooth, with lovely coffee and hazelnut notes.
Coopers Best Extra Stout
As the publicity says, this is not a beer for the faint-hearted: a South Australian heavyweight that certainly packs a punch. Rich coffee, roasted malt and dark fruit notes. A great food beer.
What’s your favourite ?