Tasting

What does Red Stripe taste like? Light, golden, with a subtle sweetness from the malt and mild bitterness. It's a beer for quenching thirst, not for lingering contemplation. Compared with a German pils, it feels softer and less assertive; the beer judges' style guideline places pils at 22 to 40 IBU, versus 18 to 25 for this lager type.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout from Kingston sits at the other end of the spectrum. Black in the glass, with aromas of roasted coffee, dark chocolate and dark fruit. It's stronger than Irish draught Guinness, and the body is fuller. Dragon Stout leans sweeter, with dark cane sugar and caramel malt according to information on the brewing process. All three are taste examples, not recommendations.

The typical vessel is the bottle itself. In 1971, Red Stripe moved into the short, round Stubby bottle, which sits well in the hand and chills quickly. Many drink straight from the bottle. Those who use a glass reach for a pint glass or a simple tumbler; for the stout, a tulip-shaped glass suits well, capturing the roasted aromas.

Temperature depends on the style. The pale lager tastes best at around 4 to 6 degrees Celsius, since cold holds back the sweetness. The stout can be warmer, at 8 to 12 degrees, so the coffee and chocolate notes can open up. Served ice-cold, it tastes flat.

The stout is poured slowly, tilting the glass, to build a firm head of foam. From the bottle, the effort is minimal: the lager is simply opened, the stout is poured. Those who want to avoid alcohol can also find non-alcoholic malt drinks on the island, though these aren't part of the beer story covered on this journey.