Beer of the Weekend #206: O'Hara's Irish Stout
I was very impressed with Milk Stout, so I think it is head and shoulders ahead of the competition to be my LV recommendation for March. However, I am not done tasting, and tonight I am sampling a famed heavyweight from the Emerald Isle itself.
My dessert/nightcap is O’Hara’s Irish Stout, brewed by the Carlow Brewing Company of Bagenalstown, County Carlow, Ireland.
Serving type: One 330 ml (11.3-ounce) bottle. Printed on the shoulder is “B.B.E. APR 11.” I take it April is the best by date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a Guinness imperial pint glass (which I am using because of the Irish theme). The color is black and almost opaque; just a tiny bit of light passed through when I held it to my lamp. Four fingers of thick, tan head (which I wanted) dissipated to leave a billowy lacing and trails along the glass. I really like the fact this Irish stout does not come with a widget.
Smell: Typical dry stout aroma, which is surprising since it does not have any kind of nitro boost. Major roasted characters of chocolate, coffee, and toffee provide a backbone that is sweetened by a lacto creaminess. Or maybe that is just the affect of the bottle conditioning. There are also aromas of dark fruit and hazelnut.
Taste: Very light mouthfeel, reminiscent of the Big Three, and minor carbonation. The taste almost mirrors the smell, but the flavors are much more subdued; it has that “stout light” feel. Roasted chocolate and coffee, cocoa, a little toffee, some dark fruit plum, and nutmeg. It has a nice hop bite to it, which is pleasantly surprising.
Drinkability: I think this is now my favorite Irish dry stout. It has a lot of bite and character. Very enjoyable.
Fun facts about O’HIS:
-Style: BA classifies it as an Irish Dry Stout. Here’s the skinny:
-Price: $2.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.3 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, Latin American cuisine, chocolate, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-Holy shit! O’HIS is featured in Beers of the World! However, I am uncertain it if is the same thing; in the book it is called O’Hara’s Celtic Stout. I believe it is. In that case, the recommended serving temperature is 48ºF and the listed food pairings are “smoked salmon or other seafoods.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
My dessert/nightcap is O’Hara’s Irish Stout, brewed by the Carlow Brewing Company of Bagenalstown, County Carlow, Ireland.
Serving type: One 330 ml (11.3-ounce) bottle. Printed on the shoulder is “B.B.E. APR 11.” I take it April is the best by date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a Guinness imperial pint glass (which I am using because of the Irish theme). The color is black and almost opaque; just a tiny bit of light passed through when I held it to my lamp. Four fingers of thick, tan head (which I wanted) dissipated to leave a billowy lacing and trails along the glass. I really like the fact this Irish stout does not come with a widget.
Smell: Typical dry stout aroma, which is surprising since it does not have any kind of nitro boost. Major roasted characters of chocolate, coffee, and toffee provide a backbone that is sweetened by a lacto creaminess. Or maybe that is just the affect of the bottle conditioning. There are also aromas of dark fruit and hazelnut.
Taste: Very light mouthfeel, reminiscent of the Big Three, and minor carbonation. The taste almost mirrors the smell, but the flavors are much more subdued; it has that “stout light” feel. Roasted chocolate and coffee, cocoa, a little toffee, some dark fruit plum, and nutmeg. It has a nice hop bite to it, which is pleasantly surprising.
Drinkability: I think this is now my favorite Irish dry stout. It has a lot of bite and character. Very enjoyable.
Fun facts about O’HIS:
-Style: BA classifies it as an Irish Dry Stout. Here’s the skinny:
One of the most common stouts, Dry Irish Stout tend to have light-ish bodies to keep them on the highly drinkable side. They're usually a lower carbonation brew and served on a nitro system for that creamy, masking effect. Bitterness comes from both roasted barley and a generous dose of hops, though the roasted character will be more noticeable. Examples of the style are, of course, the big three, Murphy's, Beamish, and Guinness, however there are many American brewed Dry Stouts that are comparable, if not better.
-Price: $2.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.3 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, Latin American cuisine, chocolate, smoked meat, and grilled meat.
-Holy shit! O’HIS is featured in Beers of the World! However, I am uncertain it if is the same thing; in the book it is called O’Hara’s Celtic Stout. I believe it is. In that case, the recommended serving temperature is 48ºF and the listed food pairings are “smoked salmon or other seafoods.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
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