Guinness Black Lager (Ireland) 4.5%

Guinness Black Lager (Ireland) 4.5%

True to its name it is indeed black, just about opaque too with a head that is just a shade paler than beige. The aroma is sweet with some roast, something distinctly lager-like and some dry Euro hops.

The taste is a little like any other European Lager but with a bit more bitterness and quite a bit more malt character. There are tastes of roasted malt and some smoke tones. There is a caramel note kicking around in there too. All in all Guinness Black Lager is a pretty nice Black Lager: refreshing and clearly a lager but with a more interesting makeup.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

In honour of my favourite day of the year, here are two splendid beers from the Emerald Isle.

Harp Premium Irish Lager (Ireland) 5.0%

Malty and a little bitter for a lager. A nicely non-bland taste that doesn't take away from its refreshing-ness. A gold colour with a full head, I kind of expected it to have a few more characteristic of a red beer based on the name and its lineage.

O'Hara's Irish Stout - Carlow Brewing (Ireland) 4.3%

This stout is black and for all intents and purposes opaque in a glass. A velvety smooth head and well carbonated. Smells deliciously smoky as if delicious wood was being roasted in dark chocolate. The taste is nicely bitter, roasty and more of coffee than dark chocolate but there is an earthy blend of both. One of the most expensive beers in the import aisle but well worth it. A delicious Irish Stout, sooo much better than the infinitely more famous Guinness, it's no wonder O'Hara's Irish Stout has won numerous awards in international competition. You'll be glad it comes in a 500 ml bottle because there is plenty to savour - it also has a beautiful bottle cap.

A Pair of Very Different Dark Beers

Gosser Dark Beer (Austria) 4.5%

Dark brown in a glass. A creamy malty flavour of dark chocolate and yet not very bitter. Velvety foam. A very nice beer in all.



Guinness Draught canned (Ireland) 4.2%

This is a watery offering with coffee and malt flavours and bitter but without any hints of dark chocolate that might be expected from a black beer like Guinness. All in all, the canned version just isn't Guinness Draught even if it says so on the label and even though it is black in a glass with the cascading silky smooth foam that it is known for.

And what is this "beer - serve extra cold" business at the bottom of the label? That seems more suitable to flavourless American style lagers rather than a pint with this much history.