So there I was, a few days before the 27^th of March, reading about stouts from the master, Michael Jackson himself. The book was The Beer Companion, perhaps the best book ever written about beer. In honor of Jackson’s birthday on the 27^th, a few friends and I were doing a video about stouts, and though I’ve read this particular book before, you never get tired of reading the wisdom of the legendary Beer Hunter.

Pick up some wisdom is exactly what I did, for as I was reading again about the origin of stout, Jackson referenced the 18^th century porters of London as precursors to Irish Dry Stout (Guinness most notably). He mentioned that these porters would often sit around in the brewery and pick up character from wild Brettanomyces yeast infestations, which likely inspired the dry, sour character of Irish Dry Stout.

As fate would have it, my local growler shop, Stout’s Growlers, had just tapped a keg of Brooklyn Wild Horse Brett Porter, a beer that is very much in the vein of what Jackson was talking about. This is a one-off brew in Brooklyn’s Brewmaster’s Reserve Series. Brooklyn says the following about the beer on their website:

Brettanomyces yeast, or “Brett,” is a funky, barnyard-esque wild yeast that is quickly becoming one of the most popular wild yeasts in beer after spending years in relative obscurity. The offbeat yeast first came to prominence in the production of British porters in the 1800s, becoming so popular then that the name Brettanomyces literally translates to “the British yeast,” until it fell into disuse as brewers and beer drinkers grew wary of its wild character. Today Brett is in the midst of a revival, with modern brewers putting it to work on every style they can.

Ingredients from the website:

Malts: British Pale, Spelt, Caramel Malt, Black Barley, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt

Additions: Belgian Dark Candi Sugar

Hops: Willamette East Kent Golding

Yeast: Brettanomyces

Brooklyn Wild Horse Brett Porter has an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume, and I paid a paltry $6.75 for a 32-ounce growler at Stouts. Such a bargain, that. For just another $8 I got a pound of delicious bratwurst made at Frankfurt Doner 15 minutes north of me in Ball Ground, GA, and proudly offered at Stouts. The fine folks at Frankfurt Doner make sausages with beer from Stouts, and the brats I bought were made with-you guessed it-Brooklyn Wild Horse Brett Porter. A match made in heaven with the beer, and I enjoyed it with spicy imported German mustard and braised red cabbage.

Brooklyn Wild Horse Brett Porter pours to a jet black color with a thick creamy head and a uniquely funky nose of brett yeast and roasted malt. Taking a sip, the beer has body appropriate for a porter, but not so heavy as a stout. It’s roasty and chocolaty, and permeated with that “horse blanket” yeasty flavor and aroma. A decidedly dry, ever so slightly sour finish makes the beer satisfying and moreish.

What a wonderful, wonderful beer and a noble experiment indeed. A beer so full of heady, distinct brett character in the nose and body wrapped around luscious roasty porter notes. Was there ever a better beer to toast Jackson’s birthday? None that I can think of my friends, and I’ve been through quite a few in my day.

 

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 



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