The Kernel | Vatted Porter 1864 | 750ml

A blend of Vatted Porter and Export Stout combine to create this delicious and fascinating homage to a historical brewing style.

This one has taken a long, long time to come to fruition. We all know that The Kernel have been brewing beers, and mostly dark beers, to old recipes since the inception of the brewery. Some recipes they tweak and modernise (eg the Export India Porter is and old recipe with a contemporary hopping regime), while others they try to keep tight to the original recipes and intentions. But while the recipes may have been close to the originals, they have thus far always fermented in stainless steel (which is the material that pretty much all modern fermentation vessels are made of). However in the mid 19th century, fermentation would have been carried out in large wooden vessels (‘vats’ or ‘tuns’ (English), foeders (Flemish) or foudres (French))

So you can guess what they used for this one can’t you! Yes, they went for more appropriate-for-the-time fermentation in wood. Fascinating what a difference this makes

The beer brewed , their ‘Vatted Porter’, has an emphasise the fermentation in wood. Fermented in one of their foudres (5000 litre oak vessel, ex Bordeaux red wine) to an 1864 Bass porter recipe. It was brewed in Feb 2021, packed in November 2021, so 9 months in wood. And this fermentation changes everything about the beer. It's simultaneously light and fruity and dark and intense, an interesting tussle between the heft of the malt and the intentions of the foudres (the foudres would have previously fermented bieres de saisons / foeder beers & lagers / etc).

The aroma is deep dark chocolate and a touch of spice, wheresas the body is fresh, and fruity with a raspberry like acidity, which balances with the malt backbone and roast malt bitterness.

The resulting Porter was then blended with some fresh Export Stout. Blending young and old beers, mild and stale, was pretty universal amongst the Victorian breweries of London, to achieve the balance between the characteristics brought by each – on the one hand the tart, vinous, complex yet mellowed traits of aged beer and on the other the sweetness, vibrancy, potential of fresh beer. 

This blend, Vatted Stout Porter, has that balance, its bitterness mellowed out, a bridge of wild yeast character between the old and young beers.