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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7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Cask@GBBF2012. Deep rubyish black colour with a mediumsized creamy beige head. Aroma is nutty, mild chocolate, some roasted malts as well as mild toffee to it. Flavour is chooolate, mild coffee, some roasted malts, toffee and a bit ripe fruity notes. Nice toasted and chocolaty aftertaste.
Tried
from Cask
on 11 Dec 2013
at 09:29
8.8/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
I love, love, love this beer. This is the one that turned me on to cask ale. This rating is from the Cricketers Arms, Bedford. Almost black. Full sandalwood head. Aroma of charcoal, liquorice, malt. Sublime taste. Sweet and full ending with a bittersweet finish. Dense mouthfeel for its strength. One of the best milds available.
Tried
from Cask
on 17 Oct 2013
at 14:23
6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask gravity @ Bree Louise, Euston NW1. As R.D Dark 4.1%. Pours a dark ruby brown color with a no head. Has a fruity malty caramel and chocolate aroma. Fruity malty grainy caramel flavor. Has a fruity malty grainy caramel finish.
Tried
from Cask
on 20 Sep 2013
at 05:14
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle from B&M Bargains; dark brown pour with frothy light mocha head, earthy aroma, roast malt and coffee taste with dark berries and nuts.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Sep 2013
at 12:26
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Cask-conditioned and tried on several occasions. Near black with tight, off-white head. Pleasant mild with a pronounced chocolate edge and touch of roast in the finish. Good.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Sep 2013
at 17:09
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
GBBF 2013 backlog.
Head: coffee, small, frothy to creamy, avg. retention. Colour: red-brown, almost black.
Aroma: caramel, honey, sweet, burnt sugar, butty.
Taste: toasty, dusty/tarry, some chocolate.
Head: coffee, small, frothy to creamy, avg. retention. Colour: red-brown, almost black.
Aroma: caramel, honey, sweet, burnt sugar, butty.
Taste: toasty, dusty/tarry, some chocolate.
Tried
on 23 Aug 2013
at 08:59
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
From cask. Pours dark brown to black with a small tan head. Aroma is roasted malty, light breadish. Bitter, toffee malty and breadish. Bitter and toffee malty. Dry and roasted smooth malty finish.
Tried
from Cask
on 18 Aug 2013
at 08:34
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
50 cl bottle (4,1%) @ home. Rated on 17.10.2009
Aroma is quite light with some coffee, roasted notes and semi‐dark chocolate. Flavour is slightly sour with coffee, some cocoa and dark chocolate. A bit watery palate. Well roasted malt in the finish. Closer to a porter than mild ale.
7+4+6+2+14=3.3
50 cl bottle @ home
Aroma is slightly sweet with roasted notes, chocolate, coffee and nuts. Flavour has chocolate, nuts, some roasted notes. Finishes with toffee typical to English ales. Pleasant and smooth, better than I remembered.
7+4+7+3+13=3.4
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Feb 2013
at 22:25
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Very black mild with a small off-white creamy head. Fizzes a bit in the palate but goes down smooth. Full of smoked aromatic and flavoursome chocolate malts and full-bodied with a smoked aftertaste.
Tried
on 13 Dec 2012
at 12:38
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Gravity dispense at the Prince of Wales, Farnborough BF - 12/10/12. Dark mahogony brown approaching black in colour with a thin tan head. Dark malts on the nose, light mineral tones, a little toffee. Roast malt taste, toffee, touch of licqourice and a hint of chocolate. Medium bodied, light carbonation, fruity finish. Average but easy drinking.
Tried
on 14 Oct 2012
at 05:00