7.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

(Draught at Craft & Draft, Amsterdam, 17 Feb 2023) Black colour with frothy, beige head. Malty, roasted nose with coffee, dark chocolate and black bread. Malty, roasted taste with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, black bread, liquorice and a balanced roasty bitterness. More than medium body, with a touch of swetness. Solid and well made stout. Very nice.

7.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Can. Pours a very dark brown, medium frothy head. Aroma is caramel, salt, umami, brown sugar, biscuits and nutty. Interesting. Medium body, but a little bit thin on the malt. Flavour is brown malt, biscuit malt, molasses, brown sugar, prunes, bread, nutty. Lots of caramel and the right amount of salt. Again, lots of intense umami, but not really Miso (and I had this along with miso ramen). Finish is salted caramel, bitter and slightly astringent. Not bad, too bad about the lack of miso, and just missing a bit of harmony and balance. But definitely interesting.

7.6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Poesiat & Kater, one of the now many microbreweries situated in Amsterdam (close to the main railroad track), collaborating with famed Kromme Haring in this acclaimed salted stout; can from Gedeelde Vreugde, with the highly recognizable Japan-themed 'mermaid cat' on the label. Initially medium thick, bit irregular, tightly membrane-lacing, yellow-beige head leaving behind patches of foam in the middle and a steady but ever thinning ring around the glass; black robe with misty burgundy to wine red edge. Aroma of dry beef stock cubes, black 'fondant' chocolate, dried bladderwort (the miso, no doubt), indeed salted caramel, Cuban cigars, toasted brown bread, dried porcini, black olives, green walnuts, salmiak, 'blood'-like iron but feeling entirely natural, light toffee, hints of burnt currants, black tea, liquorice, patchouli, sawdust, rainwater, charred steak forgotten on a barbecue. Sweetish onset but not overly so, fig jam and dried blackberry notes, with the sweetness being equal to a pronounced dried porcini-like umami factor and - as announced - a salty edge, subtle enough to maintain drinkability but still clearly hinting at the added miso paste (which presumably accounts for most of the umami as well), with a slight briny effect. Softish carb, very smooth, full, 'greasy' body; a deep caramelliness with bitter black-chocolatey 'core' dominates the middle, with a firm toasty bitterness to it, eventually becoming a bit coffeeish, yet refraining from turning into mouth-filling roasted bitterness - clearly the caramel effect has a lot to say here, as intended, but the saltiness of it becomes more vague towards the end. Finishes in a creamy, full way, with quite a long duration, adorned with coffee cream, hard caramel, roasted nuts and some black-peppery spiciness, still accompanied by this combo of umami and saltiness established by the miso. A daring concept, combining salted caramel and equally salty miso, but somehow the dosage of both elements has been kept subtle enough (clearly present as they nonetheless are) not to overrule the overall effect of a highly drinkable, nicely toasty and full-bodied dry stout. Sufficiently tangy in the end, too, when a peppery hop note sets in, tying the flavours together even if the toasted and bitter-chocolatey maltiness remains the main flavour. Characterful, better balanced than expected, very 'drinkable' in spite of being still a bit challenging: this is a very well-made stout, that much is clear. Dutch craft brewing at a high level of quality, one to remember.

6.8

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Blik gedeelt met BartvG, HilligvG en LiekevdV. Het is een donkerbruin bier met weinig schuim. Het heeft een chocolade achtige wat salmiak achtige geur. De smaak is koffie, caramel en zoutig.

6.2

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

Can. deep dark brown color, caramel, hazelnuts and a hint of salt in the aroma. Malty salty caramelly sweet flavor with hazelnuts and milk chocolate. Watery finish.

7.2

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Can. Black pour. Aroma of seaweed, mushrooms, chocolate, licorice, oyster and caramelised malt. Taste has umami mushrooms, salty caramel, licorice, oyster, chocolate, caramelised malt and a dry umami finish. Very outspoken umami beer, not a lot of beers manage this. Interesting.

6

Roast, donker brood, wat zoete karamel. Inderdaad iets ziltigs ook. Engelse stijl stout. Prima

7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Rootz Winterbier. Black with light creamy head. Sweet roasted chocolate malts. Salty licorice. Sweet and salty. Medium body and soft carbonation. Creamy and kinda nice.

7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Tap at Rootz Winterbierfestival. Black with creamy big dark beige head. Roasted malts, sweet chocolate, light miso, creamy, earthy, dry coffee, blackberries, paper, fishy. Medium sweet and over medium bitter, light salty and umami. Over medium bodied with creamy feel.