7.5% ABV
$9.49 for a 4-pack
Despite accounting for 45% of Guinness sales word wide, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (FES) only made it to the United States within the last year. This was good news for American beer drinkers as FES is a damn tasty brew. At 7.5% ABV with loads more hops than the rest of the Guinness line-up, this beer was crafted to survive long journeys and harsh climates, hence the 'Foreign' part. It pours black as the night with toffee colored mountains of foam on top. But this is not that fine bubbled, pillowy foam you might expect from a typical Guinness. FES is carbonated (like most normal beers), not nitrogenated like the standard Guinness Milk Stout. There's no widget at the bottom of this bottle.
Put your nose over the beer and deliciously strong smells of coffee, caramel, and roasted barley rise up. In your mouth the beer is full-bodied and rich with the tastes of everything you've just breathed in. After the roasted malts comes a deep hop bitterness that lingers long after you stop sipping. This lingering taste, the 7.5% ABV, and the ability to drink this beer at warmer temperatures allow you to take your time with this one. FES is like a classic Guinness on steroids.
In a word you could call the overall flavor 'bittersweet'.
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ReplyDeleteWhere can one purchase this fine brew? I haven't seen it. Thanks!
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