The newest release from Stone Brewing Co. is Stone Farking Wheaton wOOtstout, a collaboration between Stone's co-founder Greg Koch, actor Wil Wheaton and Fark.com creator Drew Curtis. Photo by Jon Page.

(Press Release)

ESCONDIDO, CA—What happens when a rabid beer geek and a passionate homebrewer get together to brew? Well, in 1996, Greg Koch and Steve Wagner started Stone Brewing Co., that’s what. Okay, here’s another one…what happens when, 17 years later, a brewing professional, a passionate homebrewer, and an all-around beer geek get together to brew? In the case of Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-founder Greg Koch; actor, craft beer lover and geek idol Wil Wheaton; and craft beer-loving (hey, aren’t we all?) Fark.com creator Drew Curtis…an extremely imaginative, dark, hoppy, massive beer. Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/ Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton wOOtstout is now available throughout the U.S. on tap and bottles featuring commemorative artwork.

The story of how these three men, and dare we say, “geeks,” met requires a complex explanation and jaunt back in time. In 2004, Wheaton called to ask if it would be okay for him to put the Arrogant Bastard Ale logo on his blog’s website, and Koch just so happened to answer the phone. Since Wheaton was so enthusiastic about the beer, Koch granted him approval, all the while thinking that this guy’s name sounded familiar. A year later, as crazy random happenstance would have it, Wheaton signed up for the Stone email newsletter and just so happened to be the 10,000th email newsletter subscriber. Astonished that THE Wil Wheaton was the lucky subscriber, Koch reached out to him to say thank you, and laid the foundation for what blossomed into a friendship based on a mutual appreciation of delicious craft beer. As Wil’s enthusiasm about beer grew throughout the years, he took up the noble art of homebrewing, blogging about his accomplishments along the way. Eventually, in spring 2012, Koch and Wheaton discussed the idea of brewing together, and in early 2013 the clouds parted, the sun beamed down, unicorns were seen dancing on rainbows, and finally, they found time in their busy schedules to meet for a session in the Stone brewhouse.

Next on the agenda was deciding who to include in their collaborative effort. Wheaton suggested Curtis, as they have been friends for more than 10 years. Additionally, Koch had met the Fark.com innovator a number of times at the annual TED conference in Long Beach, Calif. ln April, the trio convened at Stone’s brewing facility to craft what is now known as Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout.

“Wil does such a great job of communicating to other people the joy of homebrewing,” said Koch. “I like the way he unabashedly shares his love for it. Since we make collaboration beers in threes, we got to talking about a co-conspirator and Wil suggested Curtis. It was a lot of fun brewing with these guys and I have to say, I’m really farking impressed with the result!”

“Brewing at Stone was the culmination of many years of learning to love amazing craft beer, and then learning how to make it myself,” said Wheaton. “Having the opportunity to work with people I really like and respect and do it on a grand scale was great.”

“Don’t ask me why, but I had no idea when I agreed to this that I’d actually end up participating in making the beer,” said Curtis.  “I thought Greg and crew would have preferred to do it themselves, but apparently watching me and Wil fumble around with 50 pound bags of malted wheat and crushed pecans was plenty hilarious. I definitely had a blast doing it!”

In addition to beer’s traditional ingredients – water, hops, malted barley and yeast – Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout was brewed with wheat, rye and pecans, based on the collaborator’s unique backgrounds and preferences: Curtis’ rye and pecans (he’s a Kentucky Southerner), Wheaton’s wheat (I mean, comeon…his name is WHEATon), and Koch’s hops (he’s a confessed hop addict). After fermenting, a portion of the imperial stout was stored in bourbon whiskey barrels for two and a half months, and then blended with the rest of the beer to add complexity. The result is a beer bursting with a pleathora of smells and flavors including cocoa, coffee, licorice, oak, nuts, vanilla and, of course, bourbon. In what may be the highest alcohol beer ever brewed at Stone, it clocks in at 13 percent alcohol-by-volume (ABV) and 65 International Bitterness Units (IBUs). The beer is ready to enjoy now, or may be properly cellared for several months or years. Over time, it will develop deeper, rounder coffee, nut and bourbon flavors as the hop aroma and bitterness subside.

Stone decided to release three bottles with various artwork labels. Why? Why not! The first design is the “classic” Stone 2013 Collaboration bottle design featuring an intricate hop vine crest with hop cones. The second “hero” bottle features illustrations of Koch, Wheaton and Curtis as superheroes complete with capes, masks and a gargoyle emblem on the chest of Koch’s outfit. The final “comic” bottle includes artwork by popular internet comic artist Joel Watson of HijiNKS Ensue, in which each collaborator offers one of the key ingredients for the beer – Curtis’ pecans, Wheaton’s wheat and Koch’s hops. The hero and comic bottles are limited release (hint: collector’s items).

As if they needed another excuse to hang out, the collaborators will debut the beer en masse on Wednesday, July 17 at the newly opened Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station in San Diego during an event dubbed Hop-Con: The w00tstout Launch Festival. The festivities will commence at 5pm and include:

• A sermon by Greg Koch
• A performance by Wil Wheaton
• 10 minutes of Drew Curtis on stage doing, well…not sure exactly what
• A musical comedy performance by Paul and Storm
• A commemorative Hop-Con glass for guests to keep
• Eight four-ounce beer samples per guest
• Hors d’oeuvres
• One bottle of Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout to take home

A cask of Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout will be available in addition to other special release beers, including beers brewed at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station. The event is sold out.

Name: Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00stout

Stats: 13% ABV, 65 IBUs

Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning July 15

Hops Bill: English Target

Distribution: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, and WA

Tasting notes, provided by Brewmaster Mitch Steele

Appearance: A deep, opaque, brownish-black color with a creamy brown head.

Aroma: Intense cocoa and coffee with nutty coconut. Hints of licorice and loads of fruity fermentation esters. Bourbon, vanilla and oak follow.

Taste: Some cocoa, coffee and fruitiness up front. Mid-palate, the bourbon barrel-aged portion of the beer is apparent, so oak, vanilla, nut and bourbon flavors transition to a slight alcohol heat and hoppy bitter finish. As the beer warms, a nuttiness almost reminiscent of almonds starts coming through (but we used pecans!).

Palate: Thick and hearty. At 13% ABV, this beer is definitely a sipper. It is smooth and creamy, with a slightly warming and drying finish.

Overall: This beer is a monster, and it may be the highest ABV we’ve ever brewed. The flavors are a wonderful blend of everything that makes a great imperial stout, loaded with roasty notes and malty complexity. Brewing with rye and nuts always creates challenges for our brewing team, but they rose to the occasion with this one – it’s simply amazing.

Suggested food pairings, provided by “Dr.” Bill Sysak

Appetizers: Oysters on the half shell, mushroom Gruyère tarts, onion focaccia, devils on horseback

Soups: Butternut squash, French onion soup, Irish stew, New England clam chowder

Entrees: Coffee-rubbed porterhouse steak, blue cheese-stuffed portabella, fennel and leek risotto, lamb osso buco

Cheeses: Maytag blue, Valley Shepherd Creamery Crema de Blue, Farmstead Gouda, Gorgonzola Dolce

Desserts: Licorice ice cream, brownies, German chocolate cake, coconut macaroons

Cigars: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel, Illusione MJ12 Maduro, Rocky Patel Fifty Robusto, Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro

ABOUT STONE BREWING CO.

Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone Brewing Co. has been brewing in North County San Diego since 1996. Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, Stone is the 10th largest craft brewer in the United States—a position it achieved without paid advertising, discounting or compromised standards. In addition to brewing, Stone owns two eclectic farm-to-table restaurants—Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station—and Stone Farms, an organic farm located near the brewery which grows produce for the restaurants. Stone also operates an off-site events company, Stone Catering, as well as Stone Distributing Co., which distributes more than 30 craft beer brands throughout Southern California. For more information on Stone Brewing Co., please visit stonebrewing.com or the company’s social media sites: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, YouTube and The Stone Blog.

Dolores, CO

Named for the Totonac people of Mexico, credited as the first to cultivate vanilla by hand-pollinating the vanilla orchid. A stout brewed with flaked oats and conditioned with whole bourbon vanilla beans.

ABV 6.8

ABW 5.4

COLOR: 42

BITTERNESS: 48

Original Gravity: 1064

AVAILABLE: CO

Poncha Springs, CO

Oil Man is aged in Breckenridge Distillery bourbon barrels. The beer is part of Elevation’s Double Black Diamond series, which features “extremely complex barrel-aged beers.”

ABV: 11

ABW: 8.8

COLOR: 40

BITTERNESS: 50

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1081

AVAILABLE: CO

St. Louis, MO

This imperial stout boast a chocolate, malty backbone with a dry, hoppy finish that complements its balance.

ABV: 10.0

ABW: 8.0

COLOR: 57

BITTERNESS: 110

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1074

AVAILABLE: IL, KS, MO, NE

Tadcaster, UK

[Imported by Merchant du Vin, Tukwila, WA]

Water from the original brewery well, sunk in 1758, is still used. Fermented in open-topped vessels made of stone (slate) known as Yorkshire Squares. Certified Organic by UK Soil Association and the USDA.

ABV:5.0

ABW: 4.0

COLOR: 35

BITTERNESS: 28

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1059

AVAILABLE: AL, AK, AZ, AR , CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Initially seen as edgy and one-dimensional, American stouts are a shrewd reinvention of tradition, born of the ambition and grass roots spunk that typify the country itself. Robust, satisfying and sundry even among themselves, they rely on a range of ingredients for expression, all to deft complement of that which makes a stout unique, roasted barley. Whether the focus is on hops or malt, few beer styles take liberty so seriously and employ it so creatively.

The Porter Connection

Any discourse on the roots and evolution of stout would have to include porter, as the two were essentially indistinguishable until about 200 years ago. Before then, “stout” was used to describe the strongest version of a particular brew, pale or brown. By the eighteenth century, though, England was largely the domain of a new style of beer that would become porter, first brewed in London in the early 1700s as a counterpoint to proletarian sweet brown ale and gentrified hoppy pale ale. It was more heavily hopped and stronger than brown ale, and wood-aged for full attenuation and pleasant complexity; a more palatable, truly modern beer compared to rough and ready browns. It was also designed to compete with pale ale produced by well-heeled country breweries that could afford expensive pale malt and unlimited hops.

Porter (then known as “butt beer”) grist was brown, amber and pale malt, fermented and aged in massive wooden butts. Successively-run worts made different beers that were served alone or blended. Soon enough, innovative brewers began combining worts prior to fermentation to create a single beer known as “entire butt beer”. Entire was a favorite of the Fellowship porter laborers on the River Thames, and was subsequently dubbed porter. Dublin brewers, inspired by the London porters, were taught to brew it by London’s finest. Before long, Dubliners took this tutelage and turned to innovation of their own to create a distinctly regional stout.

By the late eighteenth century, many Dublin brewers were specializing in porter, and its stronger rendering, stout porter. Essentially the same beer, stout was mashed with less water for stronger wort. Dublin heavyweight Guinness was producing extraordinary porter in the London fashion, with brown malt lending the signature flavor and color. Guinness urged their publicans to plug strong porter, Superior Porter―later called Extra Superior Porter, and finally Extra Stout.

As usual, the invention of the drum malt kiln and black “patent” malt in 1817 made an immediate impact. Guinness promptly reformulated their porters and stout to include pale and patent roasted malt only. London brewers found them inadequate, lacking the familiar depth and character, so they incorporated the new black malt, while staying true to historical formulation to create even more complex dark ales. Pale, brown and black, and often amber and crystal malt and even sugar of some variety were combined to produce these revamped beers. In essence, most of the robust stouts of today can trace their pedigree to these versions of 150 or more years ago. That simplistic opulence and engaging staying power is what has become the hook and calling card, respectively, for American stout.

Crossing the Atlantic

The microbrew movement in the United States is nothing short of miraculous, especially considering the carnage left after Prohibition. Against all odds, a few adventurous souls decided to cultivate a boutique, localized brewing industry. Indelibly influenced by their time abroad, these new brewers found ale styles the logical course of action, with a supply of hops from the northwest and an English blueprint. Stout, as it turned out, was one of the styles that they were quite familiar with, and since the outset, firmly embraced by American microbrewers.

New Albion of Sonoma, CA, America’s first micro, had a stout in its original portfolio in 1978. As brewery after brewery sprouted out of this fertile landscape during the 1980s, a new range of styles was born, including a hearty interpretation of stout that showcased the spectral virtues of malt and a uniquely aromatic hop character. To many devotees of American microbrew, Irish dry stout became a distant memory.

American stout truly is one of the more interpretive styles on the board. As art, it may be hard to describe, but you’ll know it when you experience it and it is best to appreciate its breadth and individualism. Nonetheless, there are some definitive traits that outline the style. Besides bordering on opaque, it wouldn’t be a stout without a blast of roasted barley, and it comes full force. Some brewers up the ante with a measure of black patent and chocolate malt as well.

The aggressive roast is usually tempered by some sweetness that comes from caramel or crystal malt. Munich malt is also a favorite of American brewers, and anyone who is familiar with doppelbock, dunkel, or Baltic porter knows well the chewy, pure malt quality that it brings to the party. Espresso, burnt sugar, dark caramel and bittersweet chocolate are just some of the nuances that the dark malt fusion gives to the bouquet and flavor. As busy as the bill above seems, brewers tend to employ the dark malts to 20 percent or less of the total to avoid heaviness. The remainder of the grist is, of course, base malt.

Brewers who want a truly American brew can turn to two-row base malt grown on the continent. It is malted for fermentability and soft flavor, and stays out of the way of the character malts. English pale ale malt is favored by those who want something just a little more robust. The odd addition of oats, wheat, or even rye may be used to add a bit of headiness.

Hop profile in American stout is often like that of pale ale, with representation from aromatic introduction to bitter end. Bittering levels are medium to high, adding to the gritty, burnt finish. Hop flavor and aroma are where they shine, however. Seemingly any American or English aroma variety can work. Earthy, woodsy varieties like Magnum, Willamette, Fuggles, Perle, East Kent Goldings, or Northern Brewer make an exceptional fit with the dark malt. Again, for authenticity, classic varieties like Cascade, Chinook and Centennial lend that citrus, piney aroma that is so unmistakably American.

Generally, yeast is chosen for its light ester production, another mark that American brewers have made, favored and stamped as their own contribution to ale brewing. Strength can vary from 5 to 7.0 percent ABV, give or take, making them suitable for a wide range of occasions. Given the variability among them, they are fun brews to plan a tasting with, and there should be no problem tracking down a relatively wide assortment.

At times, it is the unflappable and stable classics that get lost amidst the hubbub of barrel-aging, wild fermentation and hop bombs. And if any style can be considered a classic in the brief, exhilarating run of American craft brewing, it is stout. They are among the finest offerings of America’s most wizened and revered brewers, and found in the lineup of literally hundreds of others. In the opinion of many, including this author, this is the style that Americans do best and do most personally. And, as summer fades into fall, these vigorous and proud stouts are without peer for cooler weather fare.

In the Porter category we were treated to a handful of excellent examples. Upland Brewing gave us Bad Elmer’s Porter (87 points), Williams Bros. Brewing Co. their Midnight Sun Porter (91 points), and Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, the Taddy Porter (91 points). Many may reach for some roasted or grilled meat to pair with these, something I would recommend. However, I recently saw some seared scallops on a menu and thought they may work with the caramelized flavors of the porters as well. If you are a fan of these naturally sweet delicacies from the sea, give it a go.

In the flavored porter category, we sampled a plethora of unique flavors infused into these dark ales. Smoke from the Issaquah Brewhouse Smoked Frog Porter (94 points), a great one to pair with some BBQ to keep the fires burning. To experience and little more dynamic flavor lineup, pair this smoky brew with a bowl of gumbo rich with sausages. Deep vanilla and cocoa flavors from Breckenridge Vanilla Porter (89 points) would make a great beer float to wash down the BBQ or gumbo. Lastly, a unique brew from North Peak Brewing Co.: Honey Mint Porter (84 points) had subtle notes of chocolate and mint. I didn’t really think it was going to work; surprisingly, it did, in a Willy Wonka kind of way!

In the Dry Stout category, the Jopen Extra Stout stood out (91 points), a powerful stout for the style, but none the less a great stout with depth and complexity. If you ever see this one on the shelves, do not pass it up! Bring that bad boy home and enjoy with rich nutty cheese or some chocolate truffles. Speaking of truffles, another must-try is Brewery Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout (92 points). Liquid dessert: ‘nuff said. Also in the Flavored Stout Category, Wells & Young’s Brewing Co. sent their Double Chocolate Stout (89 points), familiar to many from its days at Young’s brewery in London, another dessert beer and still dry enough to session with for a few rounds. New to the WBC was Harmon Brewing Co. who sent in their Swashbuckler Stout (92 points). This fine brew was aged in rum casks and would make a perfect compliment to a fine cigar.

Last round and it’s the Imperial Stouts, a personal favorite, with soul-warming goodness to help one through the doldrums of the long Midwest winter. Liquid warmth is what I call these rich beauties. Must-try’s from the tasting include Bastone Brewery’s The Midnight Oil Imperial Stout (90 points), Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout (92 points), and Ryan Sullivan’s Imperial Stout (94 points) from Moylan’s, and one that is definitely a pick for the cellar, Goose Island’s 2008 Bourbon County Brand Stout (97 points). The last is a true collectible and will cellar wonderfully for quite some time, as long as it is kept in proper conditions. Although these bold stouts are meals in themselves, I love to have a little cheese to nibble on while savoring the deep roasted flavors. For some contrast, try a blue-veined cheese like Stilton or Maytag Blue. For some complementing flavors, nutty and rich aged Gouda is a good pick as well. Feeling decadent? Go ahead and have some chocolate confection of your choice with any of these fine ales.

In conclusion, the tasting was a welcome break from the dark of winter, and quite an experience of quality and creative ales. Thanks to the brewers for brewing and thanks to the World Beer Championships for a unique and inspiring event. Cheers!

Oatmeal stout does just this. Oatmeal enhances a beer on several levels. Oatmeal stout is fuller than a traditional dry stout, not as formidable as an Imperial stout, and quite complex in its own right. It is rich enough to serve as a winter warmer, and refreshing enough to restore. Some of the most famous ones are also widely available.

Sowing Oats

Oats was undoubtedly a common ingredient in ancient ales, as it was abundant, and beers made solely of barley weren’t necessarily the norm. As barley became the predominant brewing grain, others were phased out. But it should come as no surprise that oatmeal found its way into stouts later on. Oats is a staple crop in the cool, maritime, breezy, and sometimes harsh climates of Scotland and England. The further north one goes, the more prominent oats becomes as part of the cuisine. It is quite nutritious and valuable as a foodstuff, as it contains high amounts of both protein and oil. This is both blessing and bane to brewers, as will be noted later.

Coincidentally, these very same regions are the birthplace of stout and its forbear, porter. The marriage of oats and stout has waxed and waned over the past couple of centuries, and hopefully is here to stay given its popularity and the current state of brewing exploration. Of course, an oatmeal stout is still a stout, first and foremost, which was originally a strong porter. That legacy is among the most important in brewing history, and is one worth exploring briefly to define the evolution of stout.

Though stout was first mentioned in brewing annals in 1677, it was really a reference to the heartiness of the brew, and was actually a stout porter. During the 17th and 18th century cusp, porters were essentially the macrobrews of the day. They were made from a pool of malted barley that varied in color, flavor, and fermentability as malting technology was rudimentary at best. The malt was generally brown and somewhat smoky. Brews of assorted strengths were aged and combined to get a desirable blend. Aged, fresh, strong, weak, and any combination therein were game for the mingling.

Brewing lore credits a brewer by the name of Ralph Harwood, with producing a beer in 1722 at the Bell Brewhouse in London, which he named “entire butt,” as it was singularly batched and served. The beer was tabbed “porter” for reasons that are still up for debate, and was a rather dark beer relative to some others of the era.

Porters were also brewed in Ireland during this same period and the first reference to stout as a distinct style was noted in 1750 as a “stout butt beer.” Perhaps the dovetail between porter and stout began there. Made from a blend of pale, amber, and brown malts, neither stout nor porter was quite as we know them today.

The final innovation to forever change the formulation came in 1817, when a kiln was invented that was able to roast barley without direct heat. Further kiln refinement allowed maltsters to make pale malt. Hence, a combination of pale malt and a small measure of roast was all that was necessary to produce a consistent, high-quality stout. Today, this is essentially the recipe used for the dry Irish stouts such as Guinness, who shortened the name of their Extra Stout Porter to Extra Stout.

Over time, substyles of stout emerged and today there are several recognized. Near the end of the 19th and into the early 20th century, brewers, perhaps as a way to garner more market share, began to tout various forms of stouts for their health benefits. Primarily, these were milk stouts, which contained a measure of lactose, said to be of particular benefit for nursing mothers. These stouts were sweet because of the fact that lactose is unfermentable, and stout-drinkers developed a taste for brews that were not as dry as the traditional versions.

Some brewers began using oats, or more specifically, oatmeal in their grists, an ingredient that provided some of the same sweetness, but also even more complexity. Oatmeal stout, along with other sweet stouts, grew in popularity throughout the first half of the 20th century, but saw a decline thereafter to the point where they all but disappeared by the mid 1970s, when Eldridge Pope made the last one. The hiatus was brief, as Samuel Smith commenced production of their Oatmeal Stout in 1980. It served to revitalize the style, and today is brewed by quite few English brewers, including Young’s. It wasn’t long before the American microbrewing movement took hold and propelled the style further into the spotlight. Many American breweries today make outstanding versions, some of which are as loftily-regarded as their counterparts abroad.

The shock news at the end of summer was that consumption of Guinness was down between 8 and 9% over the past 12 months in its homeland. It was news that created considerable media attention in both Ireland and Britain, as the Black Stuff is such an iconic drink in both countries. It led to speculation that Diageo, the international drinks group that owns Guinness, as well as the likes of Smirnoff Vodka, Blossom Hill Wine, Captain Morgan Rum and Johnnie Walker Whisky, might hive off its brewing interests to concentrate on wines and spirits. That won’t happen, as Guinness continues to perform well worldwide and has just entered Russia, one of the fastest-growing beer markets on the planet.

But the downward trend in Ireland is clearly worrying. Several reasons have been advanced for the decline. Guinness in Ireland is sold predominantly on draft. There is a limited supply of the bottled version and no canned stout at all. Ireland has followed New York City and California with a smoking ban in public places and this has been blamed for driving drinkers from bars to their homes, where they drink wine or packaged lager. The American experience indicates that people do return to bars when they have learned to live without nicotine or to use heated patios, but the English pub trade, which faces a smoking ban next summer, is looking nervously at the impact in Ireland.

The Guinness slump is also blamed on changing life style. According to some, drinking pints of stout is seen as old-fashioned or cloth-cap. Ireland, with an economy primed by generous handouts from the European Union, is putting money in pockets and younger drinkers are seeking trendier drinks than the ubiquitous glass of stout.

And then there is the problem of serving temperature. It may come as a shock to readers in North America, but on this side of the pond drinkers don’t want near-frozen beer. Diageo launched Extra Cold Guinness in both Ireland and Britain a few years ago and—pardon the pun—caught a cold.

Jim Costello, head barman at Toner’s in central Dublin, spoke for many in his trade when he said: “The company messed up the taste, putting in Extra Cold Guinness. Most bars, like us, have had those taps taken out now. It was tasteless.”

Guinness has also been badly hit by a new brand called Magners, which has taken off like the proverbial steam train in Ireland and Britain, with sales up 250% in the past year. It’s apple cider and its success is so phenomenal that vast sums are being invested in the plant at Clonmel in County Tipperary to keep up with demand. In the interests of research, I bought a bottle of Magners and found it so sweet and cloying that I feared for what remains of the enamel on my teeth.

At the same time, just to reassure myself, I bought a bottle of the divine Guinness Foreign Export Stout: roasty, deeply hoppy and with that slightly musty aroma that brewers call “horse blanket.” I have to report, however, that my teenage son finished the Magners and declared it, in the modern vernacular of young Brits, to be “well good.”

Beer lovers have a fight on their hands.

Full-flavored Fullers

Fuller’s brewery reception room in West London was packed to the rafters with beer writers in September for a memorable tasting of the company’s bottle-fermented Vintage Ale. The 2006 version, just launched, marks the tenth anniversary of the beer and it was fascinating to judge how well the various vintages have matured and developed over the years.

The beer is 8.5% volume and every year head brewer John Keeling, following in the footsteps of his illustrious and now retired predecessor Reg Drury, fashions a vintage using different varieties of malt and hops. For example, the 2006 vintage is brewed using floor-malted Optic with Fuggles and Super Styrian hops. Long ago, in 1997, the first vintage used pale malts from eastern and northern England and three hops: Challenger, Northdown and Target. At other times, Maris Otter has been the chosen barley with First Gold and Goldings adding fruity and peppery hop character.

We sipped, supped and marvelled at the complexity and depth of these remarkable beers. They are available in the U.S., so prepare for a taste explosion.