Beer Nail Brewing Imperial Porter: Clayden Brew

With yet another major trophy clogging up the mantelpiece at the Stallwood residence, this time for the Hughe Dunn Imperial Brown Ale (which is set for an imminent re-release), there will be plenty on the lookout for anything bearing the Nail logo now that the beers are available more widely. Out and about now is an Imperial Porter, the third Brew Log release. Continuing the tradition of dedicating each Brew Log beer to someone important in brewer John Stallwood's life, this one is for his son Clayden, who arrived in the world at a time when he'd just launched his new brewery and was working crazy hours. When he's old enough to sample it (technically in another 16 years), Clayden will thank his dad as it's a cracker: a voluminous, oily, opaque, off black beast blended from two brews created late last year. It's awash with boozy chocolate and vanilla aromas that make way for flavours of chocolate fudge, hazelnut, molasses and a touch of umami. It's as rich and sweet as a dessert, with just enough carbonation to keep it sliding over the tongue and into your grateful gullet but not so much that it doesn't leave a wee coating behind to extend your gluttonous pleasure.