Before I start this list, let me explain something. I am not a beer connoisseur; I haven’t tried every beer under the sun. I am actually quite picky when it comes to drinking beer. I have no tolerance for the beer-flavoured fizzy water that multi-billion dollar companies like Carlsberg and Heineken produce. I do not enjoy beers that are “low carb” or “light”.
Well then, what beers do I like? Stouts and dark ales, of course! So really, this isn’t a list of my top five beers. It’s a list of my top five dark ales and stouts.
5. Monteith’s Black
Founded in 1868 during the busy gold rush period, Monteith’s started as a family-owned brewery on the West Coast of New Zealand. They became well-known for their strong tasting, full-bodied ale - the predecessor to today’s Black beer.
Monteith’s Black is blended from five malts. As you would expect, the use of these malts deliver flavours of coffee, caramel, and a hint of chocolate. The use of a single hop variety gives the black a medium bitterness, which is smoothed out by the sweet nutty taste of the tawny malts.
One of the things that makes Monteith’s Black so attractive is the price tag - most supermarkets sell packs of six bottles for around $16. Surprisingly the bottled beer doesn’t taste much different than if you were to buy it in a glass from your local pub.
As with most dark beers, Monteith’s Black is best served at cellar temperature to bring out the flavours.
4. The Dux Sou’ Wester
Located in the Christchurch’s cultural centre, the Dux de Lux is one of the city’s most popular pubs. The Dux Brewing Company’s master brewer Dick Fife has been crafting award-winning beers in-house since 1989. Among those award-winning beers is the Sou’ Wester - a beautiful dark, strong stout.
The Sou’ Wester offers the usual malty qualities of a dark stout: toffee, chocolate, and caramel. The use of dark hops adds a bitterness to the chocolate flavours, and gives the beer a sort of punch that you wouldn’t normally expect from a stout.
Available only in 750mL bottles, the Sou’ Wester is difficult to find. At $8 a bottle it isn’t cheap, but it is worth every cent. New World supermarkets often stock the Dux range, and the Dux de Lux usually has it on tap.
3. Leffe Brune
Leffe’s history dates back as far as 1240. Monks from the Leffe Abbey (known as Notre-Dame Abbey until 1200) brewed ale based on a recipe that had been passed down from generation to generation. In 1460 the Abbey was hit by a devastating flood, and several years later Charles the Bold ransacked the Abbey and burned it to the ground. Leffe Abbey remained inactive until 1952 when its brewing traditions were revived by Father Abbot Nys and Albert Lootvoet, who took it upon themselves to brew a dark beer based on the traditional recipes and processes. The beer was an instant success, and is today known as Leffe Brune.
Dark brown, almost maroon in colour, Leffe Brune looks absolutely delicious. The flavours are bold, yet delicate - vanilla and clove give the beer a sweet and spicy taste, while the darkly roasted malts provide beautiful caramel and toffee aromas.
Being an imported beer, Leffe Brune sells for around $18 for a pack of four. I would recommend finding a pub that has Leffe Brune on tap, as it is much better fresh out of the keg. Belgian Beer Cafe Torenhof in Christchurch has Leffe Brune and many other beautiful Belgian beers on tap.
2. Cooper’s Extra Strong Vintage Ale
Thomas Cooper started life as a cobbler, stonemason, and dairyman. He discovered he had a knack for brewing by accident when he created a batch of beer as a tonic for his ailing wife. Cooper’s brews became popular in South Australia because Cooper was the only brewer that didn’t add copious amounts of sugar to his brew. Consequently, doctors all over South Australia recommended Cooper’s malty beers to all of their patients.
Cooper’s is probably best known for their homebrew products. Whilst better than most supermarket-standard beers, Cooper’s have never produced anything that caught my attention… Until I found the Extra Strong Vintage Ale. This ale is 7.5% abv, so it packs a heavy punch. The flavours are full and complex, but not overpowering. Cooper’s advises that the flavours will become more complex if the Ale is stored under cellar conditions for up to two years.
The Extra Strong Vintage Ale can be found in most supermarkets. At around $20 for a six pack, it isn’t cheap. However, you can consider a six pack of Cooper’s Extra Strong Vintage Ale an investment for the future - cellar it for a year or so, and enjoy the full rich flavours another time!
1. Renaissance Craftsman
Renaissance is a small brewery run by two experienced Californian brewers. Located in Blenheim, Marlborough, Renaissance was founded with one goal in mind - to produce stunning beers in a region more renowned for the excellence of its wines.
The Craftsman is a limited release oatmeal chocolate stout. Using a mixture of crystal, brown, and black malts, the Renaissance brewers have created a stout that has a full rounded flavour with the intensity you would expect from a stout. Cocoa nibs are added to the brew kettle and fermenter, giving the stout a wonderful chocolate aroma which compliments perfectly the notes of coffee and caramel. The Craftsman gets its beautiful smooth texture from the rolled oats which are added to the grains before they are mashed.
The Renaissance Craftsman is sweet and delicate enough to be enjoyed with cakes and biscuits, but also tasty enough to compliment red meats (especially venison). This is without a doubt my favourite beer, and I drink it as often as I can! Unfortunately though, it has become very difficult to find. I know of only one New World supermarket that stocks Renaissance beers, and it very rarely has the Craftsman in stock.
Now after reading all of that, don’t you feel like a beer? Go on, spoil yourself!