Midnight Sun Espresso Stout

This lovely, black stout is from Yukon Brewing Company of Whitehorse. This impressive 1 liter bottle was purchased on an adventure last summer to Banff, Alberta. It was put away upon return from the trip until it could be shared with Beer Friends (one of whom is a particular fan of stouts and porters). We thought, "This should be right up her alley." We paired it with the 'intense dark' Espresso Escape cacao chocolate bar from Ghirardelli of San Francisco.

In a tasting seminar Bier Goddess attended a year or two ago, it was suggested that all food pairings should either be a compliment or a contrast to the beer being drunk. This pairing was a near perfect compliment - the dark, velvetly dry flavour of the stout was enhanced by the bitter, espresso chocolate. Although the stout had 6.2% alcohol, the low carbonation made it go down smoothly, effortlessly and far too quickly. It was enjoyed as the dessert after a lovely dinner. It wasn't so long ago that it would have been inconceivable to think of eating dessert matched with a beer. But Bier Goddess has learned that just like with wine, there can be great pairings with all kinds of food. It's a matter of investigating suggestions from others and experimenting on your own.

Written on the label was the following:

Hearty northern people love a hearty stout beer. We've teamed up with Yukon's famous Midnight Sun Coffee Roaster to create this special blend. Originally developed for "Bean Queen" Zola Dore in a small batch kettle system by Yukoner Mitt Stehelin, we've retained the artisan qualities of this unique, unfiltered brew.

The robust taste of this hearty stout starts with the smooth glide of real espresso and finishes with a dry, chocolately malt flavour. Why the big bottle? You'll love it so much, you'll want to share it with a friend, or not!