Dirty Stop Out

Bottle. Black color, tan foam. Slightly smoked aroma, burnt barley and coffee. Textured smoked and cream taste, roasted malts, dry and bitter finish.Good for 5 % abv.

The somewhat rebellious label promises me "all the characteristics of a heavy night out". Being not unfamiliar with this concept, I am curious to find out what this first beer from this Welsh brewery - to me - has in store. Very dark mahonagy colour, practically black, under a creamy, relatively thick, light beige head leaving a thick layer of lacing on the edges of the glass. Aroma is not as strong as I expected: black coffee, celery, charcoal, smoked herring, fondant, hint of raisins, iron but in a good kind of way (like in a draught Guinness), hazelnuts, dried leaves, bacon, leather, cigar ashes. Full, creamy onset, restrained raisin sweetishness but overall dryish from the start, minerally, quite sharp carbo, mouth-lining coffee-like roastedness setting in early, drying effect of smoked malt, some subtle sourishness, caramelly and subduedly chocolatey malt backbone, retronasal coffee powder effect, metallic ’zing’ but not too disturbing, finishing in a coffee-like roasted bitterness aided by leafy hops, establishing a ’joint’ bitterness which lasts for a long time (a half hour after this, I still felt a black coffee-like roasted bitterness in my throat). Smooth, not very thick but satisfying indeed, and less smokey than I had feared (smoked stouts are something I still have to fully master, despite many attempts); this is a pleasurable, relatively gentle yet tasty stout, but not a beer I will remember for a very long time. It will not change the (beer) world, but there is nothing to dislike here. I had heavier nights out, but that’s just me, probably.

Dark color with small tan head. Roasted malts, a hint of smoke. Dry stout feeling. No sweetness. Hints of smoke in the finish, nice bitterness. Mouthfeel is dry, not even that watery and carbonation is low, but fits. A fine brew for this ABV.

Cask @ Old Gate, Hebden Bridge. Black with a creamy off-white head. This is a mild tasting stout with a decent roasted malt nose, although a grittier grain more evident in its light roasted taste.

Bottle at Komachi. Lovely nose, smoked chocolate, cream. Black with some orange tints. Very rich, full, medium smoke flavor. Lovely body with a bit of fruit. Good stuff. Feels bigger than 5%.

There’s a light smokiness in the aroma and flavour. Also some aniseed and other herbal notes. Low carbonation and quite an oily texture.
Earlier Rating: 12/5/2014 Total Score: 3.2
There’s a light smokiness in the aroma and flavour. Also some aniseed and other herbal notes. Low carbonation and quite an oily texture.

Duft av røyk og noe karamell. Mørk brun farge, nesten sort. Tykt brunt skum. Smak av røyk og karamell.

Dark brown colour, diminishing off-white head. Aroma of coffee, light smoke, caramel, bit mineral, roasted malts. Flavour coffee, caramel, roasted malts, hops, quite sweet. Sweet finish, coffee and malts. Quite nice.
(from 33cL bottle shared @ a weekly tasting, Oirschot)

330ml from BottleDog. Spotty lacing from a declining, tan coloured head. Dark brown coloured body. Smoked malty nose, semi-sweet. Similar taste with a backdrop of chocolate and oatmeal. Malt bite to the ending. Medium bodied. Quite enjoying (hotel room, London 28.09.2014).

Bottle 33 cl at Selmas, Ludvika, on September 24, 2014.Clear dark red to black color, tan head. Sweet, soft, hoppy taste. Low CO2, fairly soft mouthfeel, low bitterness. Sweet, light hoppy scent.