Popping the Cherry

Tempest Morello Cresta

I've been saving this one.

This 7% stout with its lo-fi hand-stamped label and four grain goodness.

Well, tonight I popped my Tempest cherry. By all accounts, this wee Borders brewery does great thing with their hops and yeast and that. But a solid reputation means heehaw when it's a wee one-off batch you're sampling. It could be howffing.

Guess what.

Tempest's Morello Cresta four grain 7% stout wasn't howffing. It was lovely. It was like those luxurious velvety sheets you get in some hotels that are wonderful but they'd be wasted in your wee bedroom at home. It's like a slice of Black Forest gateau that's perfect and wonderful and hits the spot nicely after that exquisite Valentine's meal, but next time you're eating out you'll probably just have the apple pie. With vanilla ice cream.

Anyhow, it poured smooth and thick but had more carbonation than I expected cause it's got something of a lively head, which is caramel in colour. The beer itself is as black as a 40-a-day smoker's lung.

On the taste, it was well rounded and chewy and velvety with a strong sense of malty wholesomeness, carrying with it hints of dark cherries and dark chocolate. I was thinking Black Forest gateau. But something else, too. A fruity tanginess that wasn't all just cherries. Maybe liquorice and cola all served with a wee espresso, too. Really, really tasty.

Would hoppily have again.