A true classic Brains Dark has been brewed continuously since the 1920s and is still winning awards today. For many years it was our biggest selling beer and it remains one of our most popular and recognisable pints.
Chocolate malts help create this distinctive treacle coloured yet easy-drinking ale with its distinctive creamy head.
Chocolate malts help create this distinctive treacle coloured yet easy-drinking ale with its distinctive creamy head.
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7.6/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 5
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle as a gift. Quite surprised I’ve not rated this as the cask version is one of my favourites. A good first rate for 2017. The pour is very dark brown and only slightly translucent. A lovely big khaki head sits on top but dissipates quite quickly. The scent is muted: there’s Ovaltine and coffee grounds, and a tinge of filtered-beer metallic artifice. The taste is where this beer comes into its own: sweet, milky and dotted with milky coffee, vanilla and chocolate malt notes. Smooth, creamy finish with a full body for the style and ABV. Not a patch on a well-conditioned pint of cask but still gorgeous.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jan 2017
at 15:59
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
500ml bottle. Almost black colour with a one-finger light tan head. Aroma: malts, light roasted, chocolate, liquorice. Taste: same as the aroma, lightly roasted chocolatey malt with a hint of liquorice, caramel. Finish is mildly bitter. Smooth mouthfeel, medium body and carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Nov 2016
at 11:36
6/10
Tried
on 15 May 2016
at 12:27
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
A very dark mild with a tan head. Surprisingly full-on aroma of molasses, licorice, roasted malt. Palate is much more as expected: smooth and a bit on the thin side. Sweet with dark sugars, licorice, mocha, some slightly astringent roasted malt. Refreshing.
Tried
on 12 Feb 2016
at 04:24
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Cask at The Goat Major. Pours dark brown/creamy beige head. Aroma seems darkly fruity; mild/smooth dark malt. Near med body. Flavor is aroma plus, perhaps, a light touch of chocolate. Finishes less than dry with detectable hop bitter. Very nice flavor.
Tried
from Cask
on 29 Sep 2015
at 13:00
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Really enjoyed the bottled version, so when I saw the Brain’s Brewery Bar at the Peterborough Beer Festival on 26th Aug 2015 I tried a half-pint of the cask one. Very pleasant, dark brown with a good head on the hand-pulled beer. Malty and semi-sweet in nature this is a true classic Mild in my eyes and I really enjoyed my half.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Aug 2015
at 15:00
6.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask at GBBF 2015. Pitch black with pff-whte foam. Nose is cocoa, a bit of roasted malt and coffee. Lightly roasty, creamy flavor, cocoa and some charcoal. Light and smooth. Decent mild.
Tried
from Cask
on 12 Aug 2015
at 02:38
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask gravity at K&ES BF. Black ruby edges no head. Bit flat. Some chocolate. Pretty nice chocolate to be honest. No real hop good dark mild.
Tried
from Cask
on 19 Jun 2015
at 12:49
5.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Cask @ Archies, Prestatyn [090615]
Amber brown, dense white head, good lacing
Aroma of very soft malts
Taste of light soft fruits, soft dark caramel, dab of dark malt
Palate - Light body, quite creamy. Finish of soft malts
Overall - Seems rather light for a mild, rather thin in flavour
Amber brown, dense white head, good lacing
Aroma of very soft malts
Taste of light soft fruits, soft dark caramel, dab of dark malt
Palate - Light body, quite creamy. Finish of soft malts
Overall - Seems rather light for a mild, rather thin in flavour
Tried
from Cask
on 15 Jun 2015
at 15:22
5.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle sample at a tasting at Max’s place. Thanks Max & Stas. Very dark brown with a beige head. Aroma of malt, toast, nuts, caramel, a bit of vegetables. Sweeetish flavor, toasty, slightly roasty, with nuts, caramel, and a drier finish with a bitterish note. Light to medium-bodied.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2015
at 06:45