Though I was unable to attend the award ceremony, I was fortunate enough to establish contact with Aleksei Radionov, winner of the Best in Show for his Oatmeal Stout, which he calls, "The Asking Out."
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Aleksei (center) and Yulia Radionov present
the old blogger with a closely guarded bottle
of the Best in Show Oatmeal Stout.
(Photo: Frank Perlmutter) |
"I wanted to avoid the bitterness shared by most stouts," Aleksei told me, "so I used a process called 'cold steeping.' The roasted malt isn't mixed with hot water -- the mashing -- but is steeped overnight in lukewarm water. This gets all the taste without extracting the tannins, which cause bitterness. Later, I add oatmeal, which gives a smoothness and complexity to the final beer. I achieve the sweetness and creaminess without adding lactose (milk sugar)."
Well, whatever the method, I can report that it works well. Aleksei's Oatmeal Stout exhibits no bitterness, either from the hops or the malt. The color is a very dark brown, partly cloudy, with very little carbonation. The body was noticeably thin. The roasted chocolate and malt in the aroma was unmistakable. The taste had more chocolate, actually a chocolate liqueur, and some coffee with a vanilla cream background. No trace of hops. Mouthfeel is very creamy, with a semi-sweet chocolate finish. There is no alcoholic warmth, which is no surprise since the alcohol by volume is a moderate 5.5%.
This is a delicious beer which can be enjoyed by itself, or paired with sharp cheese, baked beans, dried fruits, chocolate desserts or any containing cinnamon, or even a soft pretzel and mustard.
Normally, this is where I tell my readers that they will not be able to drink this prize-winning beer because it's a home-brew and not in stores. Well, not this time! The Isra-Brew prize for the Best in Show is a brewing in commercial quantities by the Beer Bazaar Brewery (Mivshelet Ha'aretz) in Kiryat Gat. So sometime in September, Aleksei's Oatmeal Stout will be available in beer specialty stores and selected liquor stores around the country. It's worth looking for.
The first Isra-Brew competition was held, I can't say recently, but not so long ago, under the auspices of the Israel Home-Brewers Association. 
