Fyne Ales launch Cobbler Stout

Fyne Ales’ latest beer launched in Edinburgh last night – Cobbler Stout (4.2%) – a dark session offering to sit with their other easy-drinking roasty options such as Maverick and Vital Spark. The latter could well be the best beer they produce (cue sharp intake of breath from Jarl fans) – pound for pound it packs in some fantastic blackcurrant flavour. It, along with all of their currently produced beers, was on offer at Cloisters Bar last night, as a prelude to the arrival of the Cobbler.

To me, they are one of the very best breweries in the country – their range of light session beers is better than any other. Alongside the all-conquering Jarl (widely acclaimed to be one of the best beers to come out of Scotland in 2010), their classic Avalanche, Piper’s Gold and Hurricane Jack are all supremely drinkable. Recently, however, they have been on a darker bent – Cherry Stout (which unfortunately I missed), West Highland Black IPA (which thankfully I didn’t), and the 6.8% Sublime Stout are all recent additions.

So it seems that a regular, session strength stout would fit well into the dark range, whilst providing the drinkability of the lighter offerings.* Cobbler Stout is named after the baked fruit pudding a local mountain – Ben Arthur, which sits at the head of Loch Long (one over from Loch Fyne). It’s more commonly known as The Cobbler – apparently the summit features are said to resemble a shoemaker bending over his workbench (which, as you can see from this photo, they clearly do). But what does it actually taste like?

First off, it’s deep reddish-black, with a tight cream-coloured head resembling a pint of Guinness. There’s a fruity aroma, reminiscent of the Vital Spark, and some chocolate on the nose from the malt. Tastewise, it has a light coffee edge before a lot of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit come out, along with some faint vanilla on the end. Like all of their beers, it’s very dry, and very sessionable. At 4.2%, the body is never going to dominate – but the mix of flavours on the aftertaste more than make up for it.

* Note, I am available to write brewery marketing speak, for a fee.