Crannóg Ales Abominable Espresso Stout

Crannóg Ales
Abominable Espresso Stout
Sorrento, BC

www.crannogales.com

This seasonal DRINK is a bit of a teaser really. A little bright light to look out for post holidays. Sorrento’s Crannóg Ales collaborated with Kelowna’s Cherry Hill Coffee to create this special seasonal ale for client gifts, but it has gone so well that they’re planning on putting it into production next year.

Crannóg is Canada’s first Certified Organic farmhouse microbrewery – one of only a handful of such breweries in the world. Located on a 10 acre farm in Sorrento, they brew only unfiltered, unpasteurized ales using exclusively organic ingredients and no rice, corn or sugars. I first tasted their full flavoured ales at Victoria’s Great Canadian Beer Festival. They were new to me at that time (even though they’ve been around for a decade) because their beers are only available in draught.

This special collaboration features Cherry Hill Coffee’s dark, strong and creamy Espresso Sicilia, and if you’re a solo espresso drinker (or take your coffee black), you’ll probably love this stout. It pours dark black with a creamy thick head (funnily enough – reminiscent of the crema on a perfectly pulled shot). A distinct espresso nose, Abominable is full and dense in the mouth, with slick semisweet cocoa, roasted maltiness, nutshells and a potent bitter finish. It reminded me of all the cold americanos I find around my desk and (sadly) finish off hours later. In fact, I’m sure I could mistakenly drink this brew if someone were to do a switcheroo in my coffee mug, it’s that espresso-like to me. If you’re not a solo or straight up coffee drinker, you will find yourself wanting to add sugar and milk to this stout (*Note – I do NOT recommend this). This coffee (and bitter) freak, however, enjoyed sipping on this with brown sugar, cumin and ginger roasted nuts from Gramercy Tavern.

Watch for this to hit the taps of a local pub near you in 2012, and in the meantime, check out some of Crannóg’s other offerings, like Gael’s Blood Potato Ale and (my fave) Back Hand of God Stout.

*AND if you like your bevies caffeinated as much as you like them spirited, Cherry Hill Coffee also just recently partnered with Kelowna’s Urban Distilleries to produce Spirit Bear Espresso Vodka.

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Crannóg Ales Abominable Espresso Stout

If you’re a solo espresso drinker (or take your coffee black), you’ll probably love this stout. It pours a dark black with a creamy thick head (funnily enough – reminiscent of the crema on a perfectly pulled shot). A distinct espresso nose, Abominable is full and dense in the mouth, with slick semisweet cocoa, roasted maltiness, nutshells and a potent bitter finish.