It’s the start of Organic September and Stroud Brewery is marking the occasion with a very special brew — an organic imperial stout.
Dark Skies is an 8% ABV stout with the pitch-black body and tan-coloured head characteristic of imperial stouts. There’s a complex flavour profile of roasted chocolate, spice, vanilla, and coffee.
Imperial stouts originated in Britain in the 1700s, says the brewer, when robust, high-alcohol porters were exported to the Russian royal court. This was after Peter the Great developed a taste for these beers during a visit to London.
To survive the long sea voyage, the beer was brewed with a higher alcohol content (8-12% ABV), with extra hops, which also helped to preserve the beer. This new, stronger style was dubbed “imperial” to denote its connection to Russian royalty and its strength.
Over the centuries, the imperial stout has continued to evolve. Craft brewers have introduced new ingredients and techniques, leading to variations like oatmeal imperial stouts, and in recent years barrel-ageing has become a trend, introducing flavours from whiskey and other spirits.
Dark Skies is the first organic version of an imperial stout to be brewed in the UK, says Stroud Brewery. Since its early days, it has only produced 100% organic beers, and uses organic supplies for its kitchen whenever possible.
