Beer of the Day: Colchester Brewery Brazilian Coffee Vanilla Porter

What beer does the Chairman of CAMRA go hunting for when he spots it on the bar? Today we have the answer – and apparently you need to be quick.

Our Beer of the Day has been chosen by Ash Corbett-Collins, Chairman of CAMRA, and it’s Brazilian Coffee & Vanilla Porter from Colchester Brewery. Ash first discovered it at the Great British Beer Festival while volunteering as a Champion Beer of Britain judge. It was his beer of the festival and he’s been seeking it out ever since – although finding it isn’t always easy. In fact, Ash has previously called Brazilian his “needle in a haystack beer”. When he does find it, he knows exactly why he keeps coming back: “It is smooth with a velvety mouthfeel, it has a strong coffee flavour without being overly bitter, while being easily drinkable without being too heavy.”

At 4.6%, Brazilian is a proper flavour-packed cask porter, with coffee and vanilla doing the talking while Goldings and Fuggles bring some classic British brewing character underneath. And Ash isn’t the only one who rates it: Brazilian has picked up multiple awards, including winning the Speciality category at CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain. Colchester Brewery says it’s regularly one of the first beers to disappear at festivals too – so perhaps Ash’s trouble finding a pint is partly because everybody else keeps beating him to it.

There is one catch: Brazilian isn’t brewed on cask all year round. It’s part of Colchester Brewery’s rotating dark beer range, making finding that 4.6% cask version all the more satisfying. So if you ever spot Brazilian on a handpull, take Ash’s advice and give it a try while you can. And if Ash happens to be standing behind you in the queue… perhaps leave him a pint.