7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at Borough Arms, Crewe. Pours a very dark reddish-brown with a small foamy tan head and good lacing. There’s malts, chocolate and biscuits in the aroma. In the mouth it is sweet and smooth with a creamy texture, but also a little watery. Flavours are roasted malts and milky chocolate with some hops and cocoa thrown in too. Later there are hints of liquorice and plums leading to a sweet and fruity finish. This is nice and easy drinking, though a bit lighter than expected.

7.1

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

7.6

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

Cask at the Harp, Covent Garden on 4th June 2025. Intense ruby black with tan foam and full lacing. Rich coffee roast malt aroma. Coffee and dark chocolate in-mouth, and a finish of the same plus just-shy-of-ripe stone fruits. Smoothish mouthfeel. Body is a touch lighter than expected for a stout, but a fine overall drinking experience.

6.6

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

Cask at the Cornfield Garage, JDW, Eastbourne. Poured almost black in colour with little life. The aroma is roasty, ashtray. The flavour is moderate liquorice bitter light sweet, with a smooth, roasty, light caramel, dry ash, liquorice bitter palate, medium bodied with soft carbonation.

7.5

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Gravity poured half pint at the Black Bear (Whitchurch) beer festival on 23rd May 2025. Black with a smooth, soft beige crown. Malty with a chocolate leaning, slight liquorice hints in the finish. Nice!

6.9

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

Cask ale, one-third pint outside in the backyard at Beer Engine. Near-black body, fair lacing from a low, beige head. Roasted chocolate malts on the nose, semi-dry, promising. Dark malt-driven taste with caramel-chocolate, joined by moments of dark fruits. Mid-dry, roasted malty ending. Likeable. (Sheffield, 30.04.2025).

7.8

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Half pint, cask.
Poured black in color with a thin off white head.
Licorice and chocolate in flavor. Smooth, light roasted malty aromas. Good.

6.8

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

Half pint on cask at the Hallcross beer festival.
Medium creamy beige head. Clear almost black pour. Some chocolate

7

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

Cask handpull at Humphrey Bean JDW Tonbridge. Black beer lasting tan head. Decent stout. Some dryness on the finish some chocolate some coffee flavours. OK in mouth good condition and temperature. Solid stout. Yes good first beer of the day

6.5

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

Cask at the strugglers inn Lincoln. Black colour with a pale head. Aroma and taste are malty some chocolate light smoke. Smooth slight sweet finish.