[dropcap]B[/dropcap]reathtaking is a word that is too often abused. Applied to Jade Mountain, however, it seems woefully inadequate. Built into the side of a volcanic elevation, the resort boasts twenty-four infinity pools, a trio of world class spas (one at Jade Mountain and two at Anse Chastanet) and unique panoramic views from all directions, including of the world-renowned Gros and Petit Pitons. For a short while on Thursday, local media personnel were invited to sample not only the one-of-a-kind ambience but also Imperial Chocolate Stout—the result of a collaborative effort by the host resort and the Antillian Brewing Company.
At the launch it was revealed by Yasha Troubetzkoy of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resorts that the stout is the culmination of almost two years of discussions with Andrew Hashy of the Antillia Brewing Company and Ryan Shmidt, Jade Mountain’s food and beverage manager. The goal was to create a beer which celebrates Saint Lucia, not just in terms of being produced here but, more importantly, because it is made using raw material grown in Saint Lucia.
In the tradition of the Antillia Brewing Company, which uses a variety of local produce in its beverage production, including passion fruit, golden apple, orange and lemon, the beer is produced using locally-grown cocoa. It is brewed from fresh cocoa beans grown on Jade Mountain’s forty-two acre organic farm where they have been growing and making their own chocolate for the past five years. Troubetzkoy explained that the stout is qualified as ‘imperial’ in homage to the Russian background of Nick Troubetzkoy, the architect who designed and built Jade Mountain.
“It’s so combined with what you do and what you are here . . . it’s the first time we’ve ever seen anything done like this,” declared Hashy. “A collaboration between a resort that actually grows a product and we take it, process it and bottle it.”
It’s dark and heavier than the average beer. It is recommended that the beverage be served in a brandy snifter and sipped a little at a time because it packs a deliciously surprising punch. Thus far about 1,000 litres has been brewed, with plans to brew a lot more.
The use of local produce in the brewing of the new Imperial Stout is not the only way Jade Mountain and the Antillia Brewing Company are giving back to Saint Lucia. Hashy indicated that the company, which is only a little more than three years old, currently employs nine Saint Lucians, with a view to greater local employment in the future, and is currently evaluating areas, particularly in sports, where it could be of assistance.
For its part, Troubetzkoy indicated that Jade Mountain has about 560 staff members and one of the highest ratios in the Caribbean of staff per room: about 7.5 staff per room. The hotel is also currently sponsoring a cricket tournament in Soufriere and assisting the Soufriere Foundation in the resurfacing of a basketball court. In addition, the hotel continually sponsors schools and routinely assists individuals with serious medical conditions, who are not able to afford their medical expenses. Troubestzkoy also revealed that the hotel offers interest-free loans to its employees, issuing, on average, fifty thousand dollars in such loans annually.
As for the taste of the beer: it has a rich constitution which hugs the tongue in a pleasantly jolting, bitter embrace on the way down the throat. Though the alcohol content is higher than the average beer, it is not overpowering and the aftertaste is negligible, which is unusual for a stout.
