My series of stories on Irish-style stouts and red ales seems to have gotten some traction. A couple of other brewers’ PR reps have asked me to write up their beers, too. So here I go again, making it clear that this was a beer sent to me as a promotion, and if I seem too enthusiastic, administer NaCl, one grain at a time.
So what I’ve got here is Ring of Dingle, a dry Irish Stout from Sun King Brewing of downtown Indianapolis. They’re the second largest craft brewer in Indiana, but have not made it across the border to Illinois as yet. But they have expended within their home state and can easily be found in bars and stores just over the border; it’s also been on guests taps at Three Floyds. Sun King actually sent me a variety pack of four different beers, plus some recipe suggestions using the their beer. I’m normally reluctant to put any decent beer in a pot, but they sent extra cans.
Ring of Dingle was for “a scenic road network in Ireland that starts and ends in the city of Dingle.” Their description:
…a rich and roasty Irish-style dry stout with a clean, dry finish that pairs well with oysters, mussels, lobster, crab, chocolate, ham and corned beef. Ring of Dingle was the winner of the Silver Medal in the Classic Irish-Dry Stout Category at the 2012 World Beer Cup, and the winner of the Gold Medal in the Irish-Style Dry Stout category at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival. ABV: 4.6%, IBU: 34.
Since this does not have nitrogen in the can, it kicks up a rocky, foamy tan head that lets me try to create what we used to call a “TV beer.” And yes, I do have a proper “thistle” glass for stouts, but it has the Goose Island logo from all angles, so I don’t want to cause confusion.
The smell is not strong, but does carry just a bit more roast malt than the standard stout. The taste is a little sweet, aided by the CO2 carbonation, with a little bit of marshmallow, and just a tinge of “soured” beer. The finish holds on the a bit of sweetness, including a bit of stickiness on the lips.
Its low alcohol makes this a sessionable beer, but just a bit of sweetness means it should be considered during a meal as well.
