6.6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

7

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

Pours black with a small, mostly lasting, foamy beige head. The aroma is roasted malts, charred grain, dark fruit with liquorice and chocolate notes. A moderately sweet roasted taste, roasted malts, dark plummy fruit, liquorice and bitter chocolate flavours with a light drying, liquorice and bittersweet roasted finish.

7

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

Deep dark brown, near black, with a creamy tan head. Soft bitter coffee on the nose, medium bodied with dark fruit, roasted malt and coffee and then the hops pile in to mash it all up

8.1

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Handpump at cloisters. Darkest brown, big brown lace. Nice smuke and licorice nose. Medium light mellow, nutty, light toffee, chewy, nice mousse.

8

cask at cloisters ...dark black ..thick tan head ..soft sweet chocolate Roast malts nose ..big soft pine chocolate roast ..mellow pine woody chocolate roast malts

7.5

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Keg draught at the Ale Wagon, Leicester. Dark brown, almost with a hint of purple (or is that the light?), translucent with a thin tan head. Aroma of dark malts with the contrast of sharp foraged berries. Raisins in there too. Sweet taste, berry and light chocolate character. Bitterness quickly rallying at the finish. Full body for the ABV with carbon the low side. Brill.

6.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

1/3 pint, cask at Hamilton Hall. Shared with Finn. Wetherspoon Beer Festival, March 24. Patchy, beige surface, near-black body, scattered lacing. Moderate smell of grainy chocolate. Dark malt-forward taste of choco-caramel, hints of dried fruits in the background. Brown malty finish, lightly roasted. Pretty tasty. (London, 16.03.2024).

7

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Cask at the Falcon, HWY, 15/03/24. Black with a decent lasting khaki head ... lacing ensues ... solid looking brew ... easy to dole out a rar 5 for appearance . Nose is roast malts, chocolate, liquorice, charr, dried fruit esters. Taste comprises light roast, charr, cocoa powder, faint ashen nip, touch of liquorice. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, light drying close. Tidy stout if a touch thin in places.

5.9

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

Cask @ Crystal Palace, Glasgow. Very dark with a thin light-brown head. Quite floral and hoppy, could be initially thought of as a black IPA, however some chocolate eventually comes through in this one.

7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at The Gordon Highlander. It pours black with a handsome thick tan head. The aroma is dark roasted malt, burnt toast, dark chocolate, charred, umami, hit of liquorice and dull dark fruits. The taste is dry, punchy bitterness, charred pine, umami, strong, liquorice, coffee grounds, burnt toast, ash, dark chocolate and a lick of booze with a drying, bitter roasted finish. Medium+ body and moderate, fluffy carbonation. A robust and pleasingly savoury stout beer. Satisfying.