PRIMARY FLAVOURS

• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Roasted Grains
• Bittersweet

Story

It's the classic origin story. Winemaker Ben Jeanneret and business partner Craig Harnett decided (over a beer) in 2011 that they'd like to dip their toes into brewing. Ben, handily, had enough space on Ben's family property (Jeanneret Wines) in the Clare Valley, and they bought a used brewery kit to get things going.

Those grand brewing ambitions, however, took years to come to fruition, with the first beer not rolling through the Clare Valley Brewing Company (CVBC) line until 2013 in a classic example of how hard it is to get side gigs off the ground.

Flash forward to the modern day, and the Clare Valley Brewing Co. now occupies a chunk of the Jeanneret Wines footprint, complete with taps and food trucks, making the Jeanneret cellar door experience now a beer and wine-fuelled adventure where you can enjoy a delicious hazy IPA and a classic Clare Valley Riesling under the one roof.

Fittingly, the beer range has now evolved, too, with the gold medal-winning stout still front and centre, joined by a brace of seasonal brews that range from the more mainstream hop-forward styles right through to rich dark and unusual styles (like a rare Brut IPA) to add a little more spice, with the range having a distinct Clare Valley feel thanks to the use of water from a natural spring located underneath the winery.

One of the original CVBC brews, this classic stout is very much based on the iconic English dark beers of yore, but with a slightly more modern twist. The use of English East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops only amps up the old school feel of this rich and luscious brew, with a warm finish and plenty of flavour.

It's hard not to taste chocolate in this South Aussie beer, with the dark colour a dead giveaway to the depths of coffeed, chocolatey character. Smooth, a little creamy and yet with a nice bitter hop twist, this is such a welcoming dark beer that would ideally taste even better when drunk on a Clare Valley balcony on a cold night with a warming fire.

Specs

PAIRING GUIDE

We make no secret of our love for top quality stout here at Good Pair Days, and this deep, dark and delicious release from CVBC is right up there with the best of them. Like most stouts, this one will happily pair with shellfish dishes ranging from raw or grilled oysters to steamed mussels and clams, but it’s also a winner with hearty beef steak dishes, stuffed portobello mushrooms and game meats with blue cheese or other punchy ingredients. It’s also surprisingly good with a curry - give it a try with a beef massaman or drier Indian curries like lamb bhuna and see for yourself!

RECIPE MATCHES

• Beef and Peanut Massaman
• Brisket Chilli