Like the changing seasons, my tastes change periodically. One of this year's surprises has been my reaction to stout. After months and months of pale hoppy beers, smoky stouts have assumed an oddly acrid, unpleasant edge. Doubly so coffee stouts, with their characteristic "touch of ashtray" notes. Lord knows when I will revisit that style.
So my heart sank a little bit when I held up this bottle of Stewart Brewing Yoga Chef to try and get a sense of what I might be in for. Dark beer, humph, and humph again. It sat rejected on my desk for a few days. Then, sod it, the weather changed, and suddenly, so did I.
Yoga Chef pours very dark brown, with ruddy highlights, and a quickly dissipating head. Soft, autumnal aromas, ripe fruit, a hint of undergrowth. Slightly sweet on the palate, though light-bodied, finishing with an impression of berries and crushed leaves. Very new world, but somehow traditional at the same time. New wave mild?
A really good, interesting autumnal beer, from a brewery who have consistently impressed me this year.
(Stewart Brewing sent me this bottle for review)
No coffee, then? The name immediately made me think of Yrgacheffe. (Mind you, the only time I had it I couldn't taste any coffee in that, either - weakest, wateriest coffee I've ever had, even when I tried making it double strength.)
ReplyDeleteInteresting. The notes on the bottle didn't say anything much, and I certainly didn't taste the smoky roast of coffee in it, but then if Yrgacheffe is an unusual coffee, then I can see how I might have been hoodwinked....
DeleteYou're right about Yrgacheffe...it is rather watery which gives Yoga Chef an usual mouth feel for a stout. Thanks for your review! Much appreciated! First World Problems will be on his way to you soon!
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