Welcome to Life Beers, a new weekly instalment documenting some of the finest (and maybe not so finest…potentially) beers that Manchester has to offer. No messing about, let us start at the deep end with Caribbean Chocolate Cake…
Hot dog! This is v good beer. A collaboration brew between Siren Craft of Berkshire and Cigar City of Florida. I opted for a 2/3 pint serving (£4), a modern classic measure that in my mind sends the pint packing. The two-thirds sidesteps the famous “end of a pint” warmed/flat dregs. Less bloatcore, more freshcore, what’s not to love? Fancy a half but bigger? The two-thirds is for you! For the higher end of the pint price/percentage spectrum it just makes sense, these titans of the modern craft age aren’t meant to be slammed by the pint load - they call for a more demure measure, you heathen! A pint of 7.4% chocolate cake? That’d be too much, right?
As my first, and maybe last, beer of the night (it’s 5pm) it’s a statement choice but I stand by my convictions. If I drank two I probably wouldn’t make any plans but one is just the ticket to taking the edge off the commute home; not that I can’t handle life. Ha ha? This beer is as black as the November 5pm Manchester sky. It’s a smooth, rich ride. Chocolatey (natch), coffee-ish, there’s some coconut knocking about and a bit of citrus too. The beer is billed as a tropical stout and it lives up to the hype - it’s anything but flat or one note. It’s a zinger. It’s a sipper too, I’ve been casually drinking mine for over an hour. Stouts aren’t just for Christmas but Caribbean Chocolate Cake makes a strong case for boarding that train at this sludgecore time of year. It certainly brightens the corners.
You can pick Caribbean Chocolate Cake up in bottles, cask and keg at various spots in and around Manchester (if you’re lucky). Fans of the dark side of the spoon should check out the forthcoming Old & Dark festival at Port Street, 23-30 November.
Siren/Cigar City Caribbean Chocolate Cake
7.4% ABV / Cask / £6 pint / Port Street Beer House
