I picked up a bottle of Clever Man’s ‘Ejector Seat’ which is a “Turf Smoked stout” from the Drew Fox Brewing Company in Wexford. Turf is the word used in Ireland for peat and there is nothing nicer than sitting around a turf fire. There is something homely about the warmth and smell of a turf fire but this might be a result of my upbringing in the west of Ireland where turf fires are common place. Anyone who lives, grew up in, or ever visited a rural Irish pub will remember turfs distinctive smell.

My first job, at the age of 13 or 14, was working for a jack of all trades neighbour. Mostly the job entailed lifting, digging, fetching, holding and sometimes herding. Not all in the one day mind you but it was, none the less, varied manual work. One job which we were at for a few weeks was renovating the house of an elderly bachelor. Now, I am using the word ‘renovating’ in the loosest possible sense. This man lived in an old traditional Irish three roomed cottage. which looked kinda like this, albeit a little more run down. The original thatched roof had been replaced decades before with either a slate or galvanised roof but the house had no windows, a barley functioning door and no electricity. The man told me that in the 1960s they had installed electricity in the house but he didn’t like it so had it removed. He lived in the middle, and largest, of the three rooms which contained everything this man needed. Propped against the back wall were a few cupboards which stored food and utensils. However, the only thing I ever saw him eat was thick slices of farmhouse loaf bread lathered in butter. On the front wall there was a small kitchen table where we ate our lunch every day. What was particularly memorable was the fact that this table was covered in issues of the Daily Sport and/or Sunday Sport which, for those who don’t know, was a soft core nudie mag printed like a newspaper. There was dozens of these on the table and scattered throughout the house. For a young adolescent these were the most breast I had ever seen. It was also a very disturbing and uncomfortable experience having so many breasts in view while in the company of two grown adult men in their 60s and 80s. Both of whom would pass comment on the women and tease me for both wanting to look ad not knowing where else to look. The room also contained a bed, bought for the old man by a niece, which was still wrapped in plastic. Instead the elderly man slept on the floor next to an old style open fire with his head on the hearth. The fire was always on and like many people in the west of Ireland he used turf as opposed coal or wood and so my experience of those few weeks is forever infused with the unmistakable smoky earthy smell that comes with a turf fire.

The bottle is nicely designed and using the Northern Irish engineer James Martin (the bottle tells me he invented the ejector seat) is a nice touch. It highlights that this is an ‘Irish’ beer but is not all cheap and twee. The actual connection between ejector seats and stouts in a tenuous one but who cares its a beer! It pours black with a hint an autumnal brown. It has a decent two finger head which lasts longer than I expected. The smell was all dark chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts. I couldn’t get much sense of turf until I took a sip and then the unmistakable smoky turf flavour was there. It was not overpowering instead It was like drinking a lovely rich stout around a campfire. The smoke is just there in the background. There was a dry, slightly bitter and lingering finish. This was a really super beer and at 4.5% could easily become my go-to stout. I can’t recommend this enough.

As you probably already know peat and booze are already linked and is the predominant and unmistakable flavour of Islay whiskies. Despite this classic connection peat or turf is not often used in beer. After trying this great beer I would be interested to see if this brewery could pull off a turf smoked Imperial stout, possibly aged in Islay whisky barrels!! or the Connemara Peated Single Malt!! I have thrown the gauntlet down.

1 (Maple), 2 (Hickory), 3 (Mesquite), 4 (Oak), 5 (Turf)

Aroma: 4/5

Taste: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Overall: 5/5 (go buy one now!)