Name: Darkest Days
Brewer: Liberty Brewing Company (New Zealand)
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 6%
Review Year: 2021
Darkest Days is an Oatmeal Stout brewed by Liberty Brewing Company from Auckland, New Zealand. This beer was brewed to send the message that brewing is not always about the hops. The dark side awaits those that seek it.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as an Oatmeal Stout (16B) 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.
TASTING NOTES
Clear brown; medium tan head with fair retention. Darkest Days unveiled moderate malt-forward aromas akin to roasted grain, medium roast coffee, and something akin to chocolate. Additional hints of cherry and subtle earthy hops were noted upon revisiting. Medium-full-bodied, moderate carbonation with a creamy, slightly oily mouthfeel likely from the oats. Like the aroma, medium roast coffee of moderate intensity was the primary flavor. This was backed by low impressions of oats, nuts, earthy hops, and a very subtle dark fruit note. Bitterness was medium in strength, while residual sweetness was weak. Darkest Days concluded with lingering earthy, nutty, oaty, and dark chocolate flavors. No diacetyl.
THE VERDICT
Darkest Days by Liberty Brewing is an easy-drinking, creamy, and malt-forward Oatmeal Stout that melded together distinct qualities of medium roast coffee, nuts, and accentuating earthy hops. It is a soothing beverage to be enjoyed during breakfast or by the fireplace on a cold winter evening. Enjoy not too cold. Excellent.
Related Reviews:
Liberty Brewing
Beers From New Zealand
View this post on Instagram
