Craft Beer Corner by Jim Flash Gordon
It’s a weird world, that of Craft beer & Whiskey, anything goes, tastes, flavours, but sometimes there is a match made in heaven. It happened this week. A Stout from Fran Well matured in Whiskey Barrels and a Whiskey, Matured in the same Stout Barrels, who would have thought. Then don’t make many of either, to have me calling in favours to get my hands on some for Revolution & of course myself ;-)
Franciscan Well Jameson Stout 8.4%
Franciscan Well Jameson Stout is a black stout with a nice cappuccino coloured head. The brewer highlighted that he did not want the stout nor the Jameson Whiskey to be the front runner in this drink, he wanted them to be evenly paired. A lot of time and effort has been put into creating this special drink and it take about 100 day for Franciscan Well to be ready compared to around 14 days for other stouts.
A rare melange of flavours pair Franciscan Well Stout with Jameson Whiskey – Smooth Franciscan well brewery stout has been aged in Jameson whiskey casks. This stuff is limited release – so if you see a bottle – buy it now – it wont be there next week! The oak casks infuse wonderfully unique flavours giving a warm whiskey flavoured finish. This beer is best enjoyed @ 8 – 10 degrees centigrade.
Aroma: Rich coffee, roastiness, dark chocolate and distinct Jameson nose
Flavour: Smooth, dry on the palate with a rich dark chocolate/coffee at the front and a very subtle whiskey warmth at the back.
Finish: Rich and roasty, with a subtle hint of warmth from the whiskey and a tiny bit of vanilla from the oak cask.
Pouring Ritual: To enjoy this particular beer at its best it should be poured at 10°C. Too warm, and the whiskey flavour tends to overpower. Too cold, it can kill the whiskey flavour altogether. We recommend keeping in the fridge until about 30 minutes before opening. It’s certainly worth the wait!
Food Pairing: This smooth, rich stout deserves to be served with something equally smooth, rich and delicious.
Overall: Very good beer. The whiskey aromas only become apparent as the beer warms up. 1 litre bottle, poured. Enjoyed with friends on a Friday night @ Revolution. What I love about large bottle of beer like this is sharing it, tasting it, exchanging views, and getting Josh to buy a second bottle before he does a runner.
Jameson Caskmates –
When the Jameson Master Distiller met the Master Brewer from Franciscan Wells for a drink, a plan was hatched to send a few Jameson casks to their brewery down the road for them to age their craft Irish stout. The time came for the casks to return home and our Master Distiller saw an opportunity which piqued his curiosity. He re-filled the stout-seasoned barrels with Jameson Whiskey, and Jameson Caskmates emerged; a whiskey that retains all the triple distilled smoothness of Jameson Original, with a truly unique finish. The subtle suggestion of hops, cocoa and coffee are signposts that it has bumped shoulders with stout; however, Caskmates is undeniably a member of the Jameson family.
Nose
The initial aroma of freshly mown Hay is complimented by a crisp Orchard Fruit character, Green Apples and Pears along with a twist of Lime Zest. Mild Pot Still Spices appear, deepening from Green Tea to Hazel Nut and Milk Chocolate. The lingering Hop influence combines effortlessly with Toasted Oak and Barley Grains to form a solid base.
Taste
As expected, there is the initial sweet mouth coating typical of the Irish Pot Still Whiskey inclusion. Then the effect of the Beer Cask finish becomes apparent with the subtle touch of Hops and Cocoa Beans. Some Marzipan and Charred Oak add to the complexity.
Finish
Long and sweet with Milk Chocolate and Butterscotch
By the time this goes to print – we will be half way through our stock – call in and will tell the tale. Enjoyed at Revolution and Oskars this week! Happy Drinking
