20/01/2011. NATIONAL WINTER ALES FESTIVAL, 371 Oldham Rd, Miles Platting, MANCHESTER, Greater Manchester, England

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

Cask @ Costello’s, Stockton Heath. Very dark with a thick, creamy, slightly off-white head. Has roasted malts in both aroma and taste but very light textured and drinking.

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

The third bottle in my twelve brews of Dunham Massey Breweries beers: 500ml, bottle conditioned, best before March 2011, drank and reviewed December 2010. Poured into a huge ’Judas’ glass, just for the hell of it! It looked superb, a mass(ey)ive foaming quilt head of tanned bubbles sat majestically above the darkest of dark bodies. Rarely have I seen a Jet black body, so Jet black. No idea if any sediment got into the glass, couldn’t see a bloody thing. The aroma is all about roasted/toasted and burnt chocolate malts all in equal quantities giving it a dark, dry chocolate smell. The taste is also heavy on the chocolate malt theme with a hop bitterness adding to the dark chocolate feel. Well carbonated and easy to drink, the beer however lacked a richness in the body and although not watery, seemed almost thin towards the end of the mouthfeel. Another fine beer from this brewery: 3 out of 3, so far.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Bottle 500ml - Roast malt aroma. Really silky, creamy texture. Flavour has lots bittersweetness from the malt and subtle hints of cocoa.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Cask, 4.2%. Roast coffee aroma. Black colour. Stable creamy light brown head. The flavour is also roasted, hard roasted malts and coffee. The mouthfeel is a little thin.

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

cask at NWAF ... deep black... thin lacing ... roast malt ... light milk suger nose ... light milky roast malts ... soft sweet roast ... light milk chocolate ... ok