Despite the fact that well under 1,000 bottles of this have been released each year since it first appeared to mark Nail's tenth anniversary of brewing in 2011, it's probably the beer that has brought most attention onto the brewery in recent years. It's an imperial stout that's got progressively bigger each year and one that retails at $70 a pop for a 750ml. Such a price point means the beer is open to serious scrutiny and it's scrutiny to which the beer has held up magnificently, collecting trophies and gold medals in each of its magnificent iterations. It's a viscous, black-as-night beer that, as it warms in the glass, reveals pretty much every facet you could want in an imperial stout, from rich, creamy cocoa through liquorice to espresso. Try a glass with a chunk of Stilton and you'll understand Heaven a little bit better.
The original Clout Stout came second in The Crafty Pint's Imperial Stout Blind Tasting Panel, beaten by a whisker by the original Russian Imperial Stout from Courage. The 2011 vintage was The Crafty Pint's pick as best Aussie beer of 2012. And the 2012 is brewer John Stallwood's pick of the bunch. Roll on the next one.
Published May 15, 2013 2013-05-15 00:00:00
