Black Grouse

[50cl bottle from the Co-op, Milton, Staffs.] An opaque brown pour with an amber gleam and a tight beige head; coffee aroma; sweet in the mouth with a silky body and coffee and caramel flavours. A satisfying stout.

Bottle from Co-Op in Oakham, Rutland. Poured black with a thin tan head. Aroma of vanilla pods and roasted malt. Initial hop resin bitterness rounded with some dark fruit and a burnt toast and coffee bitter palate.

Bottle. Black beer with a strong light brown head. The aroma is roasted with some mellow maltiness. The flavour is bitter with mild roastedness, and a fairly long finish. Overall a very nice gentle stout. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle conditioned (500ml) review, best before end of Sept 09, drank and reviewed 7 days too late! The label claims it is suitable for veggies and vegans, so no Sturgeons swim bladder used to clear the brew. I wonder what they use instead? Poured into a pint vase shaped glass (Old Speckled Hen badged): The third review of my ’Dark Beer Evening’. This really is a black stout, I had to hold the glass up to the electric light very closely before I could detect a deep, dark maroon colour hiding within. A good creamy tan coloured head sat on top of the brew. The smell was of burnt malted biscuits, dark chocolate and plums. The taste was very dry throughout, the aftertaste emphasised the dryness almost turning it into a cheek puller-inner. The flavours followed the smell, add some burnt brown toast. The bitterness from the dark chocolate (and whatever hops they used) taking centre stage and almost overpowering everything else. The bitterness and dryness together made the beer very different to the rich, creamy mass produced stouts that are common in the UK. I liked this style of stout and the 4.5% suited it just fine. Both wheat and barley are used in the brew, no hop details are given (haven’t consulted the website). A well made stout and one I’d willingly try again.

A deep black colour, roasted malt nose,. bitter maltness a good enough example...2.9 Tk 2 ... Bottle for Jet Garage Thanks to fin for the recomendation of the 300 beer garage... Didnt realise it was a rerate...k ... Deep black thin bubbly head ... decent roast malt ... again a good roast but body is a bit thin ... little smokey little coffee... bit fizzy ... the balance just isnt there ... its just not workin 2.9

Bottle 08-04-06. Almost black, medium off white head, whilst this was enjoyable it was also a bit thin, finish was dry.