Cream of the Craft is a new column that will appear in every issue of Nexus. Each issue, contributing writer Patrick Newman will pit two provincial beers of a similar kind against each other to see which one is the more deserving of your student money. Enjoy!
For my first installment of Cream of the Craft, I’ll compare two of those wondrously dark brews that originated in the heavy waters of Ireland, and that most people immediately associate with Guinness: stouts.
While the Irish staple is certainly popular around the world, we have some great stouts brewed in BC that don’t carry an import tax in their price and could be, arguably, better than that legendary stout from the Emerald Isle.
So, I present to you two stouts: one is from a landmark Victoria brewpub, and the other is from a relative newcomer in Vancouver that has garnered some Canadian Brewing Awards since opening its doors in 2015.
Spinnaker’s
Chocoholic Chocolate Milk Stout
7.75% ABV, 10 IBU
650 ml
4/5
Here’s a stout that lets you know exactly what it is. With a light, creamy, toffee-coloured head and a booziness of 7.75 percent, this has a nice, warming, rich, and robust body. It’s quite sweet due to the addition of chocolate husks, but not overly so; lactose adds a silky mouthfeel and creaminess to the taste.
It’s a wee heavy for some, but stout fans should find this quaffable and sure to warm the spirit. It’s enjoyed best with friends on cold winter nights while playing board games and chomping down some fondue, or perhaps a mole chicken, as it will cut through a bit of spice nicely. It’s also a really great dessert beer that would pair nicely with some Mexican chocolate if you and that special someone wanted to share a bottle in front of the fire this winter. One of Spinnaker’s better bottles lately, this is recommended.
Off the Rail Brewing Co.
Into the Black Oat Stout
4.8% ABV, 36 IBU
650 ml
3/5
This stout didn’t wow me, but it was good.
It has a dark reddish-black hue with a cola-coloured head and a very appealing molasses, toffee, and chocolate nose with a smooth mouthfeel. It has a decent sweetness with a slight hop finish.
However, I’m left wanting more, and wanting a big standout flavour that defines this brew. Don’t get me wrong: it gets a lot of the things right that a stout should; it’s creamy, smooth, and rich. It nails them, actually.
Maybe the name of this brew suggests the onus is on the drinker to decide what flavour stands out the most. And maybe this is the way it was meant to be: do we have to define and label every little part of an experience to own it? Is it not enough that this beer fulfills so many points but leaves some mystery to possibly never be solved?