So, the best place in Houston, TX to get specialty beers, or any beer for that matter, is my old neighborhood joint D&Q Mini Mart at 806 Richmond Ave. Houston, TX 77006. The guy who owns the place I consider a friend, and he considers me “that smokebeer guy.” Whenever I enter his place he comes out from behind the counter to hand select any new smokebeers that he has gotten in. His intentions are great, but I’m not always sure of his direction. Nontheless, I buy, drink, and review what he tells me to. This Italian Oyster Stout, Perle ai Porci, is one of those particular selections that must have been a little misguided. As far as the beer, not too smokey. Roasted is a better description. I do not taste oysters. This reminds me of some of those Mikkeller beers with the color and complex flavors. End result, this is a good beer, go out and buy one, but not for the smoke, and don’t offer it to The Ministry (looking at you D&Q). Overall Happiness 2.5 Smokestacks.
| Brewer | Birra Del Borgo |
| Beer Name | Perle ai Porci Oyster Stout |
| Brewer’s Description | “Cast pearls before swine” Inspired by the Nordic tradition, it is a dark coloured stout. During the brew we added fresh oyster with their shell. They were the rare Fin de Claire N2 from Brittany’s coast, to be precise (15 kilos of oysters for 500 litres of gyle). Its aroma has beautyful roasted, slightly savoury and mineral notes given by the shell. It has a creamy and full-bodied mouthfeel, with a pleasant, not too strong salty ending. |
| Food Pairings | Oysters |
| Brewer Location | Borgorose, Italy |
| Alcohol content by volume | 5.2% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | 39 |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 7 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 1.25 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | N |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 1.5 |
| Overall Happiness: 1 – 7 (low – high) | 2.5 |
Don’t speak Italian? Thankfully they have a button with the Union Jack on it:
http://www.birradelborgo.it/en/birre/scheda/28/perle_ai_porci
SmokeBeerMinistry 