Name: Barako
Brewer: Blackwhite Craft Brewery (Philippines)
Style: Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer (Base style: Oatmeal Stout)
ABV: 5.4%
Review Year: 2020
Driven by the “Do it Yourself” ethos of the Hardcore Punk movement, Lorenzo Reyes of Blackwhite Craft Brewery pushes artisanal, vegan-friendly craft beer in Batangas. The Barako Oatmeal Stout is a beverage that encapsulates best the essence of the province by featuring Kapeng Barako and local cacao nibs.
Read More: Craft Beers in the Philippines fermented using Voss Kveik
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (30A) with the Oatmeal Stout (16B) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website. Note that this beer was fermented using a Voss Kveik strain instead of the English ale yeast typical for Oatmeal Stouts as of this writing.
TASTING NOTES
The Barako Oatmeal Stout pours a murky dark reddish-brown liquid (almost back with less light) with a mocha-colored head. There are visible residues that settle at the bottom of the glass. The nose is dominated by dark roast malts/ grains and that familiar earthy coffee undertone from local coffee beans. These are then complemented by aromas of caramel and cacao nibs.
This Oatmeal Stout comes as a medium-bodied one with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. The familiar tones of medium roast coffee and cacao-like maltiness come forward and are backed by hints of sourness akin to wine. The hop-induced characteristics seemed to have taken a back seat while an impression of full-cream milk was also noted. The finish is slightly dry with flavors of cacao maltiness, cream-like sweetness, and dark chocolate bitterness surfacing after a sip.
THE VERDICT
Overall, the Barako Oatmeal Stout by Blackwhite Craft Brewery is a brilliant take on the traditional Oatmeal Stout that highlights the essence of Batangas coffee and cacao nibs. A sentiment shared with Lorenzo, this Oatmeal Stout can be improved further with a fuller body. According to him, the Voss Kveik yeast used to ferment this beer may have contributed to the current mouthfeel. Now, we look forward to the next iterations of the Barako Oatmeal Stout!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/blckwhtbrewing/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/blckwhtbrewing/
