Taste Off,The extremes.

The Epic ‘Mosaic’ versus the Wells and Young’s Brewing Company’s ‘Courage Imperial Russian Stout’

Winter being the perfect time for a comfort stout, I had a particularly good stout stored in the fridge just in case of emergencies and it happened to be the ‘Courage Imperial Russian Stout’ from Young’s Brewing Company. However, on my weekly long run all I could think about to get me through the arduous cold run was consuming a big dose of hops at the end of it all. I think it may have been the similar smell of pine needles that some varieties of hops have, and the forest that I was running through, that drove this craving.  Either that or I’m just a plain old hopaholic?

Previously I’ve enjoyed big doses of hops from Epic’s ‘Mosaic’ so this was the obvious choice for me to settle those cravings. I’m quickly down to my local lolly shop (Fresh Choice Nelson) for the purchase then back home but somehow in the meantime the stomach becomes a bit unsettled from the after effects of the run and I ended up storing the Mosaic next to the Stout and that’s how this formulated the taste off.

I always start a multi taste going from light to heavy, colour that is, for no other reason than it’s easier to see a darker colour when the alcohol starts to take effect, so the Mosaic was the first to be sampled. This brew is chocka full of fruity citrusy hops and with not much else. With a slightly thin mouth feel and no discernible malt or even sweetness it leaves a dry but satisfying taste. This brew just crackles and hops on the palate and is as sparkly as its label.  It would be enjoyed by serious hopaholics and so should be placed at the start of the craft brewers hop malt continuum.

On the other hand, the exact opposite of the Mosaic would be the Imperial Russian Stout, this brew has history originally being brewed for Catherine the Great of Russia (whoever she is?) way back in 1795. It’s an intense dark brew with a quickly dissolving espresso crema head. Flavoured with malt for miles, a somewhat sweetish marmitey, coffee, fruity, creamy thick complexity and a slight hoppy finish. One of the richest and smoothest stouts I’ve ever had the pleasure and should be placed towards the malt end of the hop malt continuum.

So, two beers each at the extreme ends of the beer taste continuum and when both are consumed back to back result in unequalled burp flavours. What a combination!  This would be my perfect beer if someone could brew one beer that tastes like this???