The Twelve Brewers of Christmas 5: Lough Gill

The archaeologically themed series of barrel-aged imperial stouts from Lough Gill is back for another year, with a few re-runs and three brand new cans.

The babby of the set is Tara, at a mere 12.5% ABV. Our old friend Pedro Ximenéz is to thank for providing the barrels, which as usual came via the Boann Distillery, legends of the sherry cask that they are. I admit I was expecting something of a sugary confection, but Tara is old-school bitter, the spinach and celery hop bite having survived whatever Pedro could throw at them. That comes across strongest in the aroma, surprisingly, and is a major factor in the flavour too. That also includes the dark and sticky sherry, which adds a raisin and prune twang, and plenty of warming vapour, modest strength notwithstanding. This is no easy drinker, though does soften a little as it warms, adding some liquid chocolate to the boiled veg and dried fruit. It's a beer to take time over, which is fully appropriate given what it is.

I opened Tara at Connolly and was ready for the next somewhere between Drogheda and Dundalk. And it's Sligo for Sam, with Chalice. This is a bit more typically contemporary, with pecans and vanilla, aged in a whiskey cask where no further information is provided. It's 13% ABV and sweet but still no sugarbomb, nuts and orchids present and correct, though set on quite a dry and roasty base. The dryness is offset by the brown sugar and milk chocolate features provided by the additives, giving it definite dessert vibes without making it cloying or difficult. Again, slow sipping is recommended as it unfolds, adding proper big stout notes of espresso, liqueur and runny caramel. Sophisticated it ain't, but it fills the role of big and comforting stout perfectly. Lough Gill isn't new to this sort of thing, and it shows.

Top of the set is Claddagh: 14% ABV with smoked malt and scotch barrel-aged. It's certainly the darkest and densest of the three, topped with a deep tan-coloured head. The description creates a strong expectation of peaty smoke but there's only a slight hint of iodine phenols in the aroma. It's predominantly sweet, tasting of dark chocolate, caramel and fortified wine more than anything more severe. You have to look for the smoke and it manifests as no more than a gentle waft of fruity pipe tobacco. Like the others, it's quite a serious beer, full of grown-up savoury flavours. While the strength is obvious from the taste, it's a bit of a blunderbuss, and a bit more roundness and warmth would have improved it. I think that's a reasonable criticism for a big barrel-aged imperial stout.

Grown-up is the theme of these three. They're beers to explore slowly, each offering a good degree of complexity, but one which takes a while to perform all of its moves. I'm glad Lough Gill has kept them going and look forward to what they'll dig up next.