We've got Spring Valley's new Afterdark Dark Beer that was released just in time for winter - well, we're just a couple of months late. As they say, better late than never.

This dark beer is actually more technically a dark lager, and so Spring Valley makes sure to clarify that this isn't a stout or even an ale, but rather a lager that's made with roasted malts (much like a stout) and bottom-fermented lager yeast instead of top-fermented ale yeast as is in the case for a stout. So long story short - same roasted malts, different yeast. This should be interesting!

Now quick recap: Spring Valley is Kirin's bid to move into the slightly more experimental craft beer space, and actually takes its name from only Japan's second brewery to have been established, and was actually the precursor to Kirin as we know it today.

Let's give this stout... I mean lager a go!

Spring Valley Afterdark | スプリングバレー アフターダーク 黒 - Review

Tasting Notes

Colour: Espresso Black

Aroma: Immediately there’s aromatic roastiness of espresso, complemented by some milk chocolate, it’s quite creamy too. Roasted coffee beans, coffee cream and bits of dark chocolate too. Really nice roastiness.

Taste: Medium-bodied, here it’s more on espresso with a bigger milk chocolate presence, with more coffee cream.

Finish: Light bit more charred bitterness, but still really creamy.

My Thoughts

This is a pretty sessionable beer - it’s light and easy drinking. There’s a really nice roastiness about it, with some gentle confectionary flavours to balance out the bitterness too. In that sense it does share similarities to a stout but here it's ligher bodied and easier to drink, without the heaviness that tends to come with stoust. That said, I would have liked it to be richer and more malty on the palate - but that would be a stout! A very interesting brew no less!

Kanpai!

@111hotpot