Hook Norton Double Stout beer: twice the fun
Dark, dense, with hints of coffee and chocolate — of course, we are talking about stout. This English ale has long been on the menus of all beer restaurants and in the personal top of true beer connoisseurs. There are hundreds of stout varieties, each of which is unique in its own way. We will tell you about one special variety — Hook Norton Double Stout — in this article.
What’s unique about it?
Hook Norton Double Stout is produced by the British brewery of the same name using an ancient recipe dating back centuries. It is kept in strict secrecy, and it is not surprising: Hook Norton Double Stout differs significantly from other similar brews.
Its uniqueness lies in the fact that two types of malt are used: brown and black. The first one gives the drink dryness and characteristic mild bitterness, the second one is responsible for rich dark color and aroma. The flavor of Hook Norton Double Stout is rich, tantalizing, with notes of toast and roasted coffee beans.
A bit of history
Hook Norton Brewery traces its history back to 1849, when founder John Harris bought a farm with a malt house in Oxfordshire. At first, he focused solely on selling malt, but in 1856, he began brewing his own beer. Today, the Hook Norton complex has dozens of buildings, including its own visitor center.
The brewery is especially proud of its Hooky line. This is a series of English ales of the highest quality, which includes Hook Norton Double Stout.
How to drink
Double stout is recommended to drink from tall glasses, which allow to better reveal the aroma and taste of beer. However, the ideal glass for a stout is the Irish pint or pint tulip. This glass widens slightly in the middle — its top is slightly wider than the bottom. The drinking temperature is room temperature or slightly lower (around 12-14 degrees Celsius).
Hook Norton Double Stout beer goes well with a variety of meats — pork, beef, game, as well as barbecue dishes and dark chocolate desserts.
You can try the unique Hook Norton Double Stout beer at any beer restaurant in the Lambic chain. We have hundreds of beers on the menu, as well as delicious food and great atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
Porter beer: from the working class to the aristocrats
If you ask beer connoisseurs what a porter is now, many will answer: a noble dark beer whose flavor is dominated by notes of chocolate, fruit, coffee beans, biscuit and toast. But all these flavors did not appear at once, and far from always the variety was considered refined. How porter came to be and when it acquired a recognizable flavor profile — we’ll tell you in this article. Back in the past The first mention of porter dates back to the early 18th century. It went down in history as the first style to be aged — brewers used to put their products on the counter immediately after production. Porter got its name from the English porter — loader. The point is that the new style became especially popular among the working class and port movers because of its high caloric content. The first London Porters were much stronger than modern ones — about 6.6%. At first they were made exclusively from brown malt, then they switched to a mix of light and black malt — 95 and 5 percent respectively. Until now, this recipe is not considered strict, but many producers use it. Sometimes caramel, chocolate, brown and other varieties of malt are added instead of black malt, but not roasted, as it adds undesirable notes to the drink. Hops and yeast are usually English, but in other countries producers often change them to local ones. At the end of the 18th century, porter became popular in Russia. In our country it was considered the drink of aristocrats. After World War II the drink was practically stopped being produced, and its triumphant revival took place in 1978 thanks to the efforts of the Penrhos craft brewery, which was later joined by other producers. Types of Porter There are several official types of porter: — brown — the weakest, with a strength of about 4.5%;— strong — existed until 2015, now conditionally divided into English with a strength of 4 to 5.4% with a pronounced malt character and American (bitter, dry, strength up to 6.5%);— «pre-dry» — reminiscent of American, but milder, strength up to 6%;— Baltic — the strongest porter up to 9.5%, with pronounced fruity tones. How to drink? Porter is recommended to be consumed chilled to 8-12 degrees. It goes well with mature cheeses, various meat dishes, including steak, chocolate desserts. You can try a quality porter in any of Lambic beer restaurants. Our list includes hundreds of varieties from all over the world, as well as many delicious dishes, pleasant atmosphere and excellent service. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
09 August 2024
How to pour beer properly
The pleasure of drinking beer is influenced by many things. You need to choose the right appetizer, cool it down to the right temperature, and serve it in the right glass. It is also very important to pour the beer into the glass correctly, so that no excess foam is formed and you can start tasting it right away. In this article we will tell you how to pour beer to enjoy the first sip. Is foam necessary? Many beer lovers prefer to consume the drink without any foam at all. But employees of beer restaurants insist that the foam cap should be — it is the standard of serving for the drink. It is different for all varieties, so you need to focus on a specific one. The average height of the foam cap for most varieties is 2-3 centimeters. Instructions for use To keep the foam cap at the correct height, proceed according to the following algorithm: — tilt the glass at an angle of 45 degrees; — bring the bottle with foam at a distance of 3 centimeters from the edge of the glass; — fill the container so that the foam flows down the wall; — as soon as the drink fills half of the glass, place it flat and continue pouring strictly in the center; — stop when the foam cap rises slightly above the rim of the glass. If the drink foams too much — you should do the following: — tilt the glass at an angle of 45 degrees; — pour the drink to about the middle of the container; — wait for the foam to subside a little; — top up the beer until the cap is level with the rim of the glass. A few tips and tricks Whether the beer is poured correctly is not the only thing that affects the flavor of the drink. In order for the foam to reveal its flavor and aroma, it is important to pay attention to several other things: — the temperature of the beverage. If the beer is warm, it will foam too much. In addition, the temperature significantly affects the flavor. But it is also not recommended to cool beer too much — it may lose its flavor and aroma. The optimal temperature is 8-10 degrees, although some ales can be served even at 15-20; — cleanliness of the glass. If there are particles of detergent or other contaminants on the walls of the container, it can interfere with proper foaming. Therefore, the drink should be poured into an immaculately clean glass, and you can rinse it with water just before pouring. Do you want to taste high-quality foam, which is served according to all beer canons? Come to any beer restaurant of the Lambic chain! We have hundreds of beers from all corners of the world, delicious food and always pleasant atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
09 August 2024