Yes, that is correct. The chocolate makers have dabbled in the beverages category for the first time ever with the release of a stout.
But not any old stout — this one is made with dark chocolate and licorice.
You read that right … licorice.
Even the company has admitted it was “controversial” and may “shock” some beer lovers, but they’re also pretty confident it’s going to be a winner, especially with Father’s Day around the corner.
They described the limited-edition beverage as a “beautifully bitter” dark chocolate licorice stout that is rich and creamy.
How exactly did the concoction come about?
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How does the thought of a licorice beer sound to you? Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
Darrell Lea figured it could spare some of the 40,000 kgs worth of licorice it produces each year for a bespoke creation — and to help bring their vision to life, they thought why not team up with a local brewery known for its quirky craft beers.
And so they contacted Kerrie Abba, who’s Nomad Brewing Co is based in Brookvale in Sydney’s northern beaches.
After 10 weeks, a few pints and the help of some Bullets (chocolate coated licorice), the world’s first limited edition licorice beer was born.
“They told us they wanted to do something different for Father’s Day, to present some of their best selling products (Bullets and licorice) in a completely different category,” Kerrie told news.com.au
“So we came up with the idea of doing a rich double milk stout and put licorice and chocolate in it.”
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Darrell Lea have partner with Aussie brewery, Nomad Brewing Co, to release the world’s first limited edition licorice beer. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
But, knowing that licorice isn’t for everyone, Kerrie knew the biggest challenge was balancing the flavours.
“It’s not the easiest product to play with because it is divisive, so it was about getting it right,” she said.
“We actually had a few different goes with it, but the best part was our brewer actually hates licorice. So when he tried it he was like ‘it tastes good but I wouldn’t drink it’.
“So we tried it again and this time we added more chocolate malts and focused on Bullets — and now it’s like a chocolate stout with a hint of licorice.
“The brewer also loves it and thinks it’s the best beer we’ve produced, and if he will drink it, I think everyone will.”
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Nomad Brewing Co owners Kerrie Abba and her partner Johnny. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
Kerrie, who’s been running the Brookvale brewery for eight years, has a reputation for making some of the most unique beer flavours including tiramisu (soon-to-be-released) and a salted caramel peanut brittle chocolate stout.
But when this opportunity came along, she couldn’t wait to collaborate with the iconic confectionary company.
“I grew up munching on Darrell Lea’s Liquorice Bullets as my father used to own a pharmacy selling Darrell Lea products, so this collaboration really resonates with me a lot,” she said.
Darrell Lea invented its famous Batch 37 Fresh Soft Liquorice back in 1957 and it’s still manufactured today. But they were keen to try something totally different, in a market they’ve never broken into — alcohol.
“We know people who love our licorice are passionate advocates for the flavour which some may consider to be controversial, so we wanted to breathe some new life into it with the Batch 37 Dark Chocolate Liquorice Milk Stout which has real Milk Chocolate Bullets and Batch 37 Liquorice in the brew,” Darrell Lea’s general manager of martketing, Johanna Campbell told news.com.au
“Partnering with the team at Nomad Brewing Co. to create this beer was a really exciting and new process for us.
“We’ve been making any occasion better since 1927 and we wanted the beer to showcase a whole new way to enjoy Darrell Lea’s licorice.
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It’s been described as bitter dark chocolate licorice stout that is rich and creamy, infused with Darrell Lea’s iconic Batch 37 Liquorice, and a hint of natural licorice flavour. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
“Many dads are big fans of our licorice products, and what better way to say cheers to our dads than combining two of their favourite things?”
The limited edition Darrell Lea Batch 37 Dark Chocolate Liquorice Stout is available to purchase via Nomad’s website and in select retailers and online for RRP AU$11 per can, $45 per 4-pack when purchased via Nomad.
You can also receive a bag of Darrell Lea Batch 37 Licorice gift with every purchase via the Nomad website or brewery.