Wednesday 12 January 2011

A Black Day

To The Rake for the Sunday launch of Kernel's new 6.8% Black IPA, a beer brewed with the input of Rake manager and blogosphere champion caner for January, Glyn "Igor" Roberts.

A good mix of brewers, regulars and bloggers were in attendance. I include the usual 'pap' shot of Young Dredge

The event attracted a good mix of regulars, tickers, bloggers and brewers, and the first firkin kicked within about 90 minutes of opening. Luckily a second cask was ready and consumption continued seamlessly.

There have been a few beers of this style knocking about over the autumn and winter, and I've been keen to try as many as I could find. The British cask versions seem to have a pleasing balancing sweetness in the mouth, rather than masses of dark malt bitterness wrestling with the assertive hopping. Standout for me have been The Conqueror from Windsor & Eton (me thinking they were a brown beer merchant - what do I know?), and the collaborations between Thornbridge and Dark Star (Thornstar), and Fyne Ales (Fynebridge). The latter had been my favourite, but the Kernel pushed it very hard. Definite Top Two.

Black beer dominates; Frankenstein & Igor; Brewdog gatecrashes another brewer event...

A big hop nose under a tight white creamy head gave way to a mouthful of red fruit and roast coffee, with a long bitter finish. The fruit was less noticeable in the beer from the second cask, and the mouthfeel was silky smooth. Those who'd tried both said the bottle was better, so I've got some to drink now and one to sit on. I want to see how it changes once the hops attenuate.

Kernel was my brewery of 2010, and other bloggers picked up on the high quality of their beers in the Golden Pints. Coming up is an Imperial Marzen (brewed with Mark Tranter from Dark Star), and the whisper is an Oyster Stout made with your actual bivalve mollusc might be found at Wright Bros. in Stoney Street. Evin has quickly built a following for his beers and hasn't disappointed. It's surely a no-brainer to forecast a successful 2011.

10 comments:

rabidbarfly said...

Champion Caner? Hmph!

EyeChartBrew said...

The dude in the top middle? With the "When Mullets Attack!" hairdo?

I would like to become a member of his doomsday cult. I'll bring the virgins.

And a bag of crisps.

//TB

Q said...

just bring a few bottles of mikkeller beer geek brunch weasel and some cheese n onion crisps, and we can talk memberships.

but you can forget the virgins. am not into blood sports..

Jon "The Hair" Queally.

Cooking Lager said...

That's you in the middle pic with the beard and the mad hair, isn't it Boggle?

Sid Boggle said...

Well, sort of an alter-ego there, Cookie...

Tandleman said...

The guy in the middle piuc was a judge at SIBA North. He is also very, very, very, very, thin.

Anyone know who he is?

Mark Dredge said...

Papped again! I get worried when I see you pointing a camera at me!

It was a cracking beer. Very much looking forward to the upcoming Kernel beers, especially the Coffee IPA.

rabidbarfly said...

Tand - his name is Jonathan Queally, drinking twin of Yan 'Euston Tap' Pilkington.

Sid Boggle said...

Mark: The point is you won't see me if I get it right... ;-)

Tandy: That is Q who posted earlier. As RBF says - Jon who is currently in West Flanders...

Tandleman said...

Cheers lads. OK. He is queally, queally thin then!