Shot in the Dark Oatmeal Porter – Wildcard Brewing Co. – 92 Rating

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Shot in the Dark is based on one of the first beer recipes I ever made. Originally called “Chocolate Giant” because of the immense amount of chocolate malt in the recipe, I made it while at Brewlab at the University of Sunderland in northern England. Since then the beer has gone through a few changes but the base recipe is still the same. The bitterness is low as is traditional for the style. I could see a London Porter sipping on this while waiting for his ship to come in.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
My favorite aspect is definitely the aroma. Every time we brew this beer the brewhouse smells different than any other style we brew. All the way to mash to pint, there is a rich malt character that you pick up on. There are no aroma hops used in the Shot in the Dark. It’s sweet aroma is very rich and distinct.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The beer name coincides with the story of our company’s founding. We opened a brewery in small town in Northern California. Although California has famously shaped the craft beer industry, Redding had not seen a successful microbrewery and many felt the demand for one was simply not within the community. On a shoe string budget with optimism and quality beers in hand we’ve been able to build on our foundation for four years now. Truly a Shot in the Dark and worth the risk.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
No, this is my stuck in a snow cave beer.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Robust. Malty. Roasty. Creamy. Dark. Delicious.  

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
As part of the course work at Brewlab we were able to create a beer on the school’s brew system and it was required that we also approach a local pub to sell it. My classmates and I visited one in particular on a daily basis and enjoyed their lineup of English Bitters. Shot in the Dark was the first dark beer of any kind to go on the beer engine during our time in Sunderland. It sold out in one night.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
I enjoy it with a strong cheddar such as Dubliner.

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