Back in 1998, I made a trip to Boston for purposes entirely related to beer. This trip was a little different than most, though, because in addition to drinking beer I would also be pouring beer for other people to drink (that's me on the left). No, I hadn’t taken up a position at Cheers. I was volunteering to help out at the NERAX beer exposition.

NERAX stands for New England Real Ale Exposition, and it is run by the local CAMRA chapter. CAMRA stands for Campaign for Real Ale, and it is a British-based consumer group. CAMRA champions the cause of ales which undergo a secondary fermentation in the container from which they are served, and has chapters in the United States.

NERAX is held every year in early May, so if you live in New England or will be in the area around that time it’s worth checking out. In addition to pouring beers there, I drank a few wonderful cask ales too, including my first ever taste of Orkney Dark Island. This was a truly wonderful brew from a Scottish microbrewery of high regard. These are the same folks who bring us the legendary Skullsplitter ale.

The Orkney Brewery has been around since 1988 and brews a line of interesting beers that are now sold in bottles in the United States. It is located on Orkney Island proper, one of a small chain of islands located just off the Scottish coast. The brewery’s Dark Island ale gets its name from the island’s mysterious archeological finds. One of them, The Ring of Brogar, adorns the label of Dark Island. The Ring of Brogar is a circle of stone monoliths estimated to be more than 4000 years old.

The ale itself is medium-bodied Scottish ale that I find very similar to an English mild. The alcohol content is moderate at 4.6% by volume. The beer is sold in 500ml bottles here in the United States. I have not seen it on draft other than at NERAX, though that does not mean it isn’t imported that way. Dark Island is brewed with Golden Promise malt as well as Chocolate and Crystal, it is hopped with Challengers.

Orkney Dark Island Ale pours to a dark brown color with a thick creamy head and a light pruney nose. The palate is smooth and very creamy, lightly chocolaty with notes of light coffee and a slightly nutty flavor. The flavors are subtle and smooth making the beer very drinkable. The slightly sweet finish ends with a faint hint of roastiness but little in the way of hop bitterness.

This is a wonderful ale, smoother and milder in the bottle than I remember in the cask but that is not surprising. Try a bottle today. You’ll be glad you did.

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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