Bottled. Black colour with a small but longlasting beigeish brown head. Aroma is liquorice, mild roasted notes, some berries, mild figs and a wee bit of alcohol. Flavour is very similar, but the alcohol is a bit more mellowly weaved into the rest of the elements. Sweet aftertaste.

750ml bottle in a stylish presentation box from Beer Cartel, Sydney. Bottle 260 of 700. Pours black in colour with a beige foam head leaving alittle lacing and aroma of roast malt, milk chocolate, coffee, nutty. Taste is roasted malt, dark fruits, liquorice, chocolate & coffee, raisins, boozy, grassy with some lingering bitterness. Smooth mouthfeel, medium to full bodied, soft carbonation, warm dry roast bitter finish. Very drinkable.

On tap at Catfish after a GABS session. Very well-executed RIS with dark roasted notes with some alcohol burn.

[8/14] Mini growler, 14C. Black with a tan head that sticks around as a coat w spots of lace. Aroma of coffee, molasses, heavy roast, dark berries, licorice, some lighter spicy sweetmeats and floral notes. Alcohol noticeable. Smooth, oily texture. Sweet with dark berries, plums and coffee, roast and some ash come in after a while. Bitterness creeps up and the finish is dry with lingering coffee, tar and a little booze. The balance is _really_ nice though - there’s enough sweetness that it doesn’t seem over-dry or acrid, but not so much that it seems to need cleaning up. Really like that the complexities are ornaments complementary to the main themes. No newfangled hops or spirits, just a big stout with spandrels. Very good indeed. [4.2][6/17]Tap. Since I last had this the new version of Courage RIS has been around. Now it all makes sense. Only a taster this time, so I’ll resist the temptation to fiddle with the score.