Beer Guide 2015: Kells

By Martin Cizmar

Kells

210 NW 21st Ave., 719-7175, kellsbrewpub.com. 11:30 am-close Monday-Friday, 9 am-close Saturday-Sunday.

[DRINK ME I'M IRISH] Like other clean-lined, super-defined beers, the dry Irish stout is unforgiving. Everyone knows what a good one tastes like—like Guinness, of course. You'll find Guinness on tap in the dark, woody Kells brewpub, right next to the nitro tap pouring the pub's own stout. Brewer Dave Fleming gets the benefit of freshness; Guinness has 250 years of experience and the best people and equipment money can buy. Dave wins on my scorecard. His light, roasty stout has a little chocolate, a little coffee and a nice creamy body thanks to oats and teeny, tiny nitrogen bubbles. The rest of the Kells lineup is pretty solid—the lager is crisp and the red has a nice caramel character—but you can tell most of the work goes into that stout. As well it should, given the competition.

DRINK THIS: A stout, please.

WWeek 2015

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