Beer matters: A stout blend of flavours

The resurgence in craft beer is a worldwide phenomenon. There is a global trend for small breweries to produce beer, generally drunk in its own region.

Beer is best fresh from the tap, close to where it was made.

Most small breweries, if their beer is good, soon find that they need a bigger brewing plant and end up sending their beer further afield.

Unfortunately, bottled beer doesn't keep very well, especially if it is not kept cool and in the dark.

One way to help it survive better in the bottle is to add yeast. It then carbonates in the bottle and, depending on its type, can actually improve over a few months.

The beer featured this week is from one of England's best craft brewers, O'Hanlon's.

The brewery started off in a pub in London, brewing on a small scale, mainly for pub consumption. In 2000 it moved to Devon to focus on brewing.

O'Hanlon's The Original Port Stout has twice won the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) champion bottle-conditioned beer, which is proof enough for me to believe they know what they are doing.

Over the last 10 years many English ales have come into the country in 500ml bottles.

In earlier years, many were a bit tired and uninspiring due to the distance they had travelled. Now I am finding that, due to a higher-volume turnover and better transport conditions, they are a lot better.

This port stout is bottle-conditioned and has a best-by date of March 2011. The label says it is "superbly smooth, enriched with rich ruby port", so I was expecting something special.

Being bottle-conditioned, I was careful to keep the bottle upright on the journey home and I only slightly chilled it before drinking it.

I decanted my bottle carefully into a glass so as not to disturb the sediment. On peering into the bottle, the yeast was well stuck to the bottom so wouldn't have been a problem.

The beer had subdued carbonation (it was English, after all), so the moderate head quickly settled to a thin covering. The liquid is a deep dark red with a brown yellow tinge at the edge.

The nose shows the first sign that this beer is a little different. A dark malt sweetness is mixed with a tart berry fruitiness. It has a hint of cherry and boysenberry, and also a hint of dusty grain.

In the mouth initially, there are some reserved toasted malt flavours surrounded by a gentle malt sweetness.

In the middle the palate dries and an intriguing blend of hop bitterness and berry tartness come into the mix.

The finish still hints of sweetness from the port. This mellows the hop bitterness and berry tartness for a more-ish aftertaste.

The port complements the dark malt in the beer and makes for a very drinkable stout.

The beer was inspired by a traditional Irish morning-after reviver. It is not something I would drink in the morning after a big night out, but then again I'm not Irish.

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DRY STOUT MADE BY: O'Hanlon's Brewery, Devon, England.

ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.8 per cent (by volume).

PRICE: $8.50 a 500-millilitre bottle.

AVAILABLE: At good beer outlets.

DESCRIPTION: Dark and seductive, with a roasted edge and berry tartness

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- © Fairfax NZ News