Dan gets his hands and taste buds on the Guinness/Brooklyn Brewery collaboration: Fonio Stout, made with the resilient African grain.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery (US) Fonio Stout
STYLE: Stout (Other)
INGREDIENTS: Fonio
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans (Limited)
COLLABORATION: Brooklyn Brewery
Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.
Appearance
Deep, dark brown and similar to the iconic Irish dry stout, with a tan, fluffy head.
Aroma
Fruity notes like dates/raisins/prunes hit first before the more familiar roast notes of a stout.
Taste
Super complex, with similar qualities from the nose, starting off with the dark fruitiness with a brief tropical note before easing back out to the roast elements.
Mouthfeel
Super-velvety and soft mouthfeel, with the carbonation presenting more like foam.
Overall
This was my first Fonio beer, and it was pretty eye-opening. Given the resilience of this grain and the need for little water, I am hoping to hear more places planting it. More so for helping hungry people around the world and but I wouldn’t mind some more beer styles with the grain. I think I enjoyed having it on its own, but pairing-wise, I would like to see poultry/fowl or light game with fruit-based sauces for sure. I think the structure and flavor components would do well there, though I wouldn’t rule out a British pudding of sorts for dessert either.
Cheers and remember:
Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.
All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers
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