COP on

To cash in on the Glasgow climate change conference in the most eco-friendly way possible, beer brand Toast has co-created a series of commemorative beers with breweries around the UK, all using the Toast signature process of incorporating spent bread into the mash. As, I guess, an honorary British brewery, Guinness joins the set and their PR folk kindly sent some my way.

The result is lumbered with the name Guinness x Toast Companion Stout and is 5% ABV. With a handful of notable exceptions I'm not a big fan of the Guinness stouts in general so wasn't expecting much from one with bread in it. Still, it looked well in the glass -- a dark brownish red with a handsomely old-fashioned tan coloured head of fine bubbles. The aroma goes big on chocolate, smelling quite sweet with it, with only a faint Guinnessy tang appearing on the end. The texture is nicely full so you get a creaminess to go with the milk chocolate flavour. It tails off quite quickly, however, just at the point where I'd like some hops or roasted grain to be pinching my tongue. Intriguingly, the company's tasting notes include "a slight chilli hit". No ingredients listing was provided but, sure enough, there in the aftertaste, there's a peppery burn after the chocolate has faded. I think I'd like it showing up earlier but still: it's a nice piece of additional character.

Overall, this is decent but ultimately unexciting. Of course it's designed as a statement piece rather a sensory experience in its own right, and if it raises the awareness it's meant to then no harm. Guinness at least is better prepared than most for climate disaster, having perfected making beer with sorghum in Africa. That'll be handy elsewhere when the barley and wheat stop growing.