Beer of the Weekend #385: Sheaf Stout
Speaking of special beer, the proper beer of the weekend is a jewel I found in Minnesota last month: Sheaf Stout, brewed by the Carlton & United Beverages Limited of South Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Back when I lived in Santa Cruz, Mervgotti came to visit and we ate and drank at 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. One of the beers he tried (I do not remember if I tried it or not) was Sheaf Stout. He loved it and hounded me to get a bottle from the bar when I flew back to Iowa for Christmas. I did not do it and we have both been searching for Sheaf Stout ever since. (The last time I visited 99 Bottles in ’09, I was eager to drink a pint. However, Sheaf Stout was no longer on the menu.) Needless to say, I was pleasantly shocked to see it at Richfield Municipal Liquors last month. I grabbed two bottles: one for me and one for Mervgotti as a birthday present. His birthday is tomorrow so I am eager to see what he thinks.
Here’s to Mervgotti turning thirty!
Also, tonight I am drinking the beer of the weekend first. Usually I have a couple PBRs before sampling, but over time I have realized there is no need for that. I would rather enjoy the good stuff while I can savor the flavor. I can switch to PBR later.
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. The “BEST BEFORE” date printed on the shoulder is “18OCT13.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is opaque black; zero light passed through when I held it to a lamp. Two fingers of thick, chocolaty-tan head dissipated slowly to leave a thin lacing, a ring around the edge, and trails of foam on the glass.
Smell: Not insanely robust but it is pretty solid. A nice balance between cocoa and roasted grains. It has the lacto smoothness about it, too. There are hints of caramel, brown sugar, and molasses as well.
Taste: The flavor offers much more of the roasted character — upon first taste at least; subsequent sips were much more balanced. It does tickle my nostrils, though. The mouthfeel is very thin but on par with most lactos. Cocoa, milk chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, and a touch of roasted grains (for color, I suppose). As it warms it starts turning sour and begins to taste rubbery (so I better drink the rest of this sucker while it is still chilled).
Drinkability: Starts off great but it slowly goes downhill.
Fun facts about Sheaf Stout:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Milk/Sweet Stout.”
-Price: $2.79/bottle at Richfield Municipal Liquors in Richfield, Minnesota.
-Serving temperature: BA recommends 50-55ºF, but that is way too warm. Drink it at about 40ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends chocolate.
-According to the brewery website:
-According to my MacBook dictionary, a “sheaf” is “a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping.” Just in case you were itching to know.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
Back when I lived in Santa Cruz, Mervgotti came to visit and we ate and drank at 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. One of the beers he tried (I do not remember if I tried it or not) was Sheaf Stout. He loved it and hounded me to get a bottle from the bar when I flew back to Iowa for Christmas. I did not do it and we have both been searching for Sheaf Stout ever since. (The last time I visited 99 Bottles in ’09, I was eager to drink a pint. However, Sheaf Stout was no longer on the menu.) Needless to say, I was pleasantly shocked to see it at Richfield Municipal Liquors last month. I grabbed two bottles: one for me and one for Mervgotti as a birthday present. His birthday is tomorrow so I am eager to see what he thinks.
Here’s to Mervgotti turning thirty!
Also, tonight I am drinking the beer of the weekend first. Usually I have a couple PBRs before sampling, but over time I have realized there is no need for that. I would rather enjoy the good stuff while I can savor the flavor. I can switch to PBR later.
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. The “BEST BEFORE” date printed on the shoulder is “18OCT13.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is opaque black; zero light passed through when I held it to a lamp. Two fingers of thick, chocolaty-tan head dissipated slowly to leave a thin lacing, a ring around the edge, and trails of foam on the glass.
Smell: Not insanely robust but it is pretty solid. A nice balance between cocoa and roasted grains. It has the lacto smoothness about it, too. There are hints of caramel, brown sugar, and molasses as well.
Taste: The flavor offers much more of the roasted character — upon first taste at least; subsequent sips were much more balanced. It does tickle my nostrils, though. The mouthfeel is very thin but on par with most lactos. Cocoa, milk chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, and a touch of roasted grains (for color, I suppose). As it warms it starts turning sour and begins to taste rubbery (so I better drink the rest of this sucker while it is still chilled).
Drinkability: Starts off great but it slowly goes downhill.
Fun facts about Sheaf Stout:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Milk/Sweet Stout.”
-Price: $2.79/bottle at Richfield Municipal Liquors in Richfield, Minnesota.
-Serving temperature: BA recommends 50-55ºF, but that is way too warm. Drink it at about 40ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends chocolate.
-According to the brewery website:
Sheaf Stout was originally brewed by Tooth and Co Brewery. It is a classic Australian stout with a tantalising dry finish and a medium body.
-According to my MacBook dictionary, a “sheaf” is “a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping.” Just in case you were itching to know.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
