Mackeson XXX Stout – Take it to the Max, Trini-Style!
Hard to believe, but true – I made it through Lent without one single, solitary taste of beer! (Don’t ask me how much rum I enjoyed over those 40+ days…) In celebration, I’m wishing I was in Trinidad for a happy hour taste of Mackeson XXX Stout!
In and of itself, Trinidad would seem a smart choice for beer. The good folks at Trinidad’s Carib Brewery produce 10+ different brands, including the one deemed #1 by me on LargeUp.com.
I love Stag, but today I’m feelin’ frisky. I need something a little sweeter. A little darker, sexier, and packed with real West Indian vigor. In that sense, it must be Mackeson XXX Stout for me.
You’d never know it, though, if you know Mackeson’s roots.
Original Mackeson Milk Stout
First brewed way back in 1907, the original Mackeson hails from the UK. Specifically, it’s from Hythe, Kent, England. Think stodgy, old; stiff upper lip and all that.
Yeah, there’s not a whole lot that’s remotely West Indian, sexy, or energetic about it.
As you can see from this 2012 ad, the Mackeson made in Trinidad is a good bit different than the Old World UK brew…
Trinidad’s Mackeson XXX Stout
True to macho West Indian tradition, Trini-style Mackeson Triple-X Stout packs a good bit more alcohol than its UK cousin; 4.9% ABV for Trinidad vs. 2.8% for the UK. At the same time, though, the Trini version still retains the trademark smooth sweetness for which Mackeson is legendary.
The XXX on the Trinidad Mackeson label isn’t there for show either. At least not according to its popular marketing. This is a beer brewed to deliver satisfaction, energy, and pleasure. Three X’s equal three times the fun!
I don’t rightly recall getting a jolt of energy out of the bottle pictured above, which I enjoyed awhile back in Tobago. The pleasing sweet taste and smoothness remain ingrained in my memory, though, providing nice inspiration for my next visit, which can’t come soon enough…
Cheers!