10/09/2005. ROYAL OAK, Lower Bristol Road, BATH, Bath & North East Somerset, England (FOUR COUNTY INNS)

7

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

From bottle @ EBF 2008. Dark chocolate and even some porto in the aroma. Thinnish, but firm chocolate flavor. Notes of grapes. Good!

6

Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

50cl bottle, courtesy of Blairgus. Pours like flat cola, need I say more?! The nose is very interesting - smokey, chocolate, strong cheese and something earthy. The taste has burnt dark chocolate, some pistachio nuts, with a hoppy/burnt finish. The palate has a medium body, with a thin texture and a burnt finish. Overall, it peaks at the nose but then falls away fairly rapidly, but the nose keeps me interested..

7

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

Cask at Euston Tap. Darek, red_brown with a sturdy, off-white head. Some roast and wood on the nose. Light sweet, smokey, woody, ashy. Light bodied with fine carbonation. Sharp ash on the finish, wood, faint cocoa and plenty of lasting roast. Nice.

7

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

Cask @ 3 Judges. Dark ruby-red brownish colour, off-white head. Aroma is light roasted malts, sweet vanilla and perhaps lemon? Flavour is roasted malts, hint of coffee, fruits and some hoppyness. Dry and bitter finish.

6.5

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

16th March 2009
Dark, almost opaque, brown beer. Smooth soft palate. Lively fruity sour - like a good porter. Dry finish.

6.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

500ml bottle from the Real Ale in a Bottle Bar, GBBF 09. Inky black with a shiny surface. Dark, leafy hops to the nose. Leafy flavour followed by nuts and chocolate from the malts. Some dark berries too. Rounded in the mouth. Well balance. Different and likeable. A bit thin on the swallow (shared with Finn H., hotel room, Earls Court 06.08.2009).

6.5

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

Cask at Charlie’s Bar, Copenhagen. A pitch black beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is sweet with strong notes of roasted malt and a bit of soy sauce and chocolate. The flavor is sweet with strong notes of roasted malt, and medium notes of chocolate as well as a bit of soy sauce, leading to a bitter and roasted finish. The body is a bit thin.

7

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

From cask at Charlies. Pours dark brown to black with a small and tan head. Roasted malt aroma, dark breadish and somewhat chocolate like too. Flavour is dark roasted, breadish and light liqourice note too. Liqourice, bitter and slight acidic roasted malt flavoured finish.

6.6

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

Cask @ Volunteer Arms, GBBF 2008. Pours a very dark brown almost black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted maltychocolate aroma with some hints of coffee. Roasted malty chocolate and coffee flavor. Hasa roasted malty chocolate and coffee finish.