Jervis Bay Black Bevy Session Stout

Jervis Bay Brewing Co will tell you that this beer was named after the bevy of black swans that gathers at Lake Wollumboola. They’re lying; it’s clear that someone tasted this stout and thought this black bevy deserved to have a collective noun named after it. (Swans were the closest thing to hand at the time.)

A session stout that carries the lustre of a bigger beer is a thing of beauty. This one begins by being easy on the eyes, with shiny black plumage and a light brown head. Aromas smooth as the curve of a swan’s neck flow from the glass - rich, creamy mocha that gets you full in the face, inviting you in. When it spreads through the mouth, it has the smoothness of a swan gliding gracefully across the surface of the lake. The coffee and chocolate aromas give way to more savoury flavours of roast and charred wood, with perhaps a tinge of liquorice and molasses.

From colour, to aroma, to mouthfeel, this is an impressive stout for its ABV.

Mick Wust