With a warm chocolate taste ahead of a splash of mint, Van Dieman Brewing has added an unusual experimental stout to its class.
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After Dinner Mint is the latest creation in the Evandale-based brewery’s experimental series.
Touted as a dessert beer, the After Dinner Mint is a choc-mint stout.
It was launched last weekend at Melbourne’s popular Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular, a beer and food festival that celebrates the diversity and creativity of craft beer.
Van Dieman Brewing head brewer Will Tatchell said the unusual creation would appeal to people with a love of chocolate.
“It’s an opportunity to discover and create a beer that mimics a delectable chocolate that’s sought after by chocolate and mint fans,” he said.
Mr Tatchell said the Van Dieman Brewing’s After Dinner Mint mimicked one of the most popular dessert sweets.
With 6 per cent alcohol by volume, the stout is brewed with local chocolate maker, Cocobean Chocolate, cocoa nibs and candied mint – which is described as a “decadent pairing”.
“We thought about how we could change some ingredients but also pair with the roasty characters chocolate presents,” Mr Tatchell said.
He described the crafting of this craft, After Dinner Mint stout, as an “educated guess”.
“We do a lot of research on what other brewers have done and what processes they’ve used and how they’ve used the ingredient form,” he said.
Using high-quality chocolate, the stout provides a warm flavour before a coating of mint fills the mouth.
“What you get is a really nice pairing of that roasted malts and chocolate malts that you throw into the stout,” he said.
The After Dinner Mint is only available on-tap at Tandy’s Alehouse in Launceston.
Mr Tatchell said about 20 kegs of the stout would be available.
“If it lasts into winter, so be it,” he said.
Van Dieman Brewing’s experimental series provides a new insight or approach to more interesting styles of beer, flavor combinations and techniques.