Dublin Guinness FES
The Dublin-brewed version of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is still available in Sainsbury's and I was able to do a comparative tasting with the Nigerian version discussed earlier.
It's a remarkably different beer. While it's no longer brewed in the traditional manner of blending "stale" stout with fresh, it still has a touch -- though more muted -- of "horse blanket" on the nose, along with roasted grain, a vinous fruit note and bitter hop resins. The palate is intensely bitter from the roast and hops, with dark, burnt fruit, while the long, complex finish has roast, hops, liquorice and fruitiness akin to over-ripe bananas.
Sainsbury's has a good beer offering, including Brakspear Triple and Fuller's 1845 and Vintage Ale -- though as these are southern beers they may not be available nationwide. But worth checking.
It's a remarkably different beer. While it's no longer brewed in the traditional manner of blending "stale" stout with fresh, it still has a touch -- though more muted -- of "horse blanket" on the nose, along with roasted grain, a vinous fruit note and bitter hop resins. The palate is intensely bitter from the roast and hops, with dark, burnt fruit, while the long, complex finish has roast, hops, liquorice and fruitiness akin to over-ripe bananas.
Sainsbury's has a good beer offering, including Brakspear Triple and Fuller's 1845 and Vintage Ale -- though as these are southern beers they may not be available nationwide. But worth checking.
posted by Roger Protz at
10:32
6 Comments:
Roger.
Did you like it ?. How many poins out of 10. ?
Yes, I like it a lot. 8 out of 10.
I went into Waitrose to day to buy some Christmas ale. They have non. No special Christmas ales.I love Rosey Nosey so its off to Beers of Europe.
I was drinking FES in Gabon last week. Really nice beer with many layers to, big roast flavour and nose with liqourice and chocolate in the middle. You wouldn't think a dark strong stout would go down well in 35 deg+ with massive humidity. It did and i'm glad i tried it! Couldn't find a decent IPA though...
Yes, it's amazing how Guinness Foreign Extra Stout changes with the country it's brewed in. I had FES brewed in Dominica and I found it to be much less bitter with a richy roasty flavour than the Dublin brewed FES. Then again, I recently tried FES in a can from Nassau (no widget) and I thought I was drinking liquified charcoal - ghastly ! None of these are available in the US. On the other hand, Guinness "250" is available in the US, and I thought it was streets ahead of the usual bottled Guinness.
Interesting article, Roger. You really know your beer. I agree that Guinness Foreign Extra Stout changes with the country it's brewed in.
http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/culturefashion/food-and-drink/2010/02/what-about-stout/
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