Kinnegar Yannaroddy Porter - Beer of the Month

KRISTIN JENSEN - co-author of Slainte! The complete Guide To Irish Craft Beers and Ciders - introduces us to Kinnegar Yannaroddy Porter, from County Donegal

ABOUT THE BREWER

Headed up by owners Rick LeVert and Libby Carton, Kinnegar Brewing Company makes a small range of finely crafted, all-natural farmhouse beers. Named after the nearby Kinnegar Beach near Rathmullan in County Donegal, their beers are all similarly named after the local landscape.

Kinnegar started out as a nanobrewery, producing only 120 litres a week, but after an expansion in 2013 they now have a 10 hectolitre brewhouse, which means it’s easier to find their beers across Ireland now. Their stable currently includes Devil’s Backbone Amber Ale, Limeburner Pale Ale, Rustbucket Rye Ale and Yannaroddy Porter along with seasonal specials.

ABOUT THE BEER

Beer style: Porter
ABV: 4.8%
Colour: Ruby brown
Serve in: Pint glass or mug
Matches well with: Beef, berries, black pudding, burgers, braised dishes, chocolate, game, ham, lamb, oysters, roasted and smoked foods, scallops, shepherd’s pie, steak, stew

The word ‘coconut’ doesn’t appear in the name of this porter, so the only way you might even know it’s in there is if you read the ingredients list, where it quietly sneaks in at last place. The first time I bought this beer it’s because I was curious about the coconut, but it’s so good that I’ve bought it many times since. It might sound gimmicky at first, but the coconut is so subtle that it doesn’t detract from what is a good, nicely balanced porter.

A huge, fluffy tan head forms on the ruby brown beer when it’s poured from the bottle – so much so that you might have to wait for it to die down a bit to take your first sip. It has a smooth mouthfeel and is naturally carbonated, with flavours of dark-roasted coffee, milk chocolate, molasses and a little bit of sweet dried fruit, such as dates.

You’d be hard pressed to pick the coconut out in a flavour line-up, but knowing it’s there give the beer a fun, exotic edge. The tangy finish has the effect of making you want to take another sip, then another. Porter is less robust than stout and this one is no exception, making for an easy-drinking beer.

Porter is a good match for hearty wintertime food, such as beef, braised dishes, roasted and smoked food, shepherd’s pie and stew, not to mention oysters, and it’s also a surprisingly good match with chocolate. It’s also brilliant with blue cheese as well as Alpine-style and hard cheeses.

Kristin Jensen is a freelance editor specialising in cookery and food books and has worked with many of Ireland's top food writers and chefs.  She writes the Edible Ireland blog and is a co-founder of the Irish Food Bloggers Association and, together with Caroline Hennessy, is joint author of Slainte! The complete Guide To Irish Craft Beers and Ciders .