Granite 2009 meet's Colston Bassett Stilton

It's one of those matches where you can just tell it will go well together. A bit like Rauchbier and bacon, salt and pepper or Batman and Robin. I bet when Batman was interviewing for the position of sidekick and Robin walked through the door in he just knew he would fit the role (I mean he's got it all, the costume, the cape, acrobatics, cheesy lines). But I digress. Granite and Stilton even sound compatible, and the bottle label does advise it.

But did it live up to the hype? Well the beer certainly did. A 10.4% barley wine that pours a might dark shade of ruby brown (could this be from that extended boil time Dave was on about?). Aroma wise I get vinous  fruit cake notes. Plenty of alcohols and a touch of smoke. The palate is a bold array of sweet alcoholic notes over underlying caramel malts and a rugged smokey peaty edge. This is a huge characterful, untamed barley wine and the lush creaminess that Colston Bassett has to offer contrasted it well.

I love Colston Basset Stilton. It's not the strongest of Stiltons but it has a great balance of texture, acidity and flavour. Granites bold malts just wrap around it and the bold alcoholic notes play on the sharpness of the Stilton. As far as beer and cheese pairings go, this one was immense. One of the best I've ever tried and definitely the best for Stilton (and that's beating many shit hot barley wines, imperial stouts and Belgian strong ales). I just wish I had another bottle.