Posted in Beers | No comments

Kaggen Stormaktsporter

The fact that we leave behind the summer and return to daily routine also has its positive aspects. Among these, the start of many beer themed evenings, maybe able to give that touch of pepper in an otherwise ordinary week. So last night I went to Ma che siete venuti a fà pub, where were presented the products of one of the most important breweries in Sweden: the Närke Kulturbryggeri (litterally “cultural brewery Närke”). In exclusive for the Roman pub, there were two beers on tap from the Scandinavian company, plus other products in bottles.

The event that led Närke the attention of fans is concerned with a particular beer, Kaggen Stormaktsporter. This Imperial Stout in 2009 has reached the first position in the global ranking of the site RateBeer, displacing a sacred monster like the Westvleteren 12. Many might think this is a marginal fact, bounded to the virtual world of the Web, but in the past years the first position in the ranking of RateBeer has had very real consequences in the life of the monastery of Westvleteren: because the beer was considered the best in the world from the website, the brewery was stormed by a myriad of fans, making it almost impossible to come back with a pack of beer. From here the sensation for the new leader of the ranking…

I will talk about Kaggen after, because last night I started with a cAmarillo on draft. RateBeer itself calls this beer an IPA, but in my opinion it seems more like a Golden Ale, especially for color, in fact, golden. As the name suggests, it’s produced with a single variety of hops, the American Amarillo. The hops dominate the nose and the mouth, with its decisive acid imprint. It’s a drinkable and refreshing beer, but at the same time very elegant.

From this point of view it’s interesting to compare it to two other beers made with only Amarillo: the India Pale Ale from Mikkeller and De Molen. The Swedish product is impressive for his delicacy and balance, far from counterparties muscled and heavy. Without making propaganda tracts, the cAmarillo is a very good example of how to make a beer with only Amarillo, also succeeding in building something “around” the simple hop.

Then I tasted a pint (a small pint, eheh ) of Max Golding Starkporter. Again this is a product of absolute level, which is easy to drink despite of belonging to a style quite complex. About the style… in the mouth initially impressed me for a sweet aroma, so that reminded me of a Cream Stout. But the problem is that this is a Porter, so the definition I thought was wrong. But visiting again RateBeer, I found the solution: the Max Golding Starkporter is classified as a Baltic Porter, a softer version of the style of reference. Now it’s all right! This beer has a very long finish of toasted notes and a nice carbonation, capable of making every sip absolutely enjoyable.

And finally I tested the Kaggen Stormaktsporter. This is an Imperial Stout produced with heather honey and aged for two and half months in oak barrels. Therefore it’s a very particular product, which of course may appeal only to those who not dislike the aging in wood. Again the element that emerges is a generalized elegance: sharp woody notes appear to the nose, but are balanced with sweet, honey-like scent and the typical aroma of the style; the mouth is rounded and balanced, without acidity typical of beers matured with oak. A good beer, of a quality level that few other wooden aged beers can approach.

If you are fortunate to go to the Ma che siete pub, you might have the chance to try any of these products, provided that in the meantime kegs and bottles are not sold out. All deserve a taste, and not just because they are difficult to find in Italy…