6.8

Cask at Bennets bar

7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Cask at Lodge, Alsager. Pours a very dark reddish-brown with a small foamy tan head and good lacing. There’s a strong aroma of roasted malts and coffee. In the mouth it is sweet and juicy with beery fruits to the fore. Flavour also has malts, blackcurrant and a hint of vanilla. Later there are traces of liquorice, dried fruit and cola as well. Finish is dry and slightly fruity. This is decent.

6.6

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

6.3

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

Cask at the Forum (JDW), Hexham, 15/05/2025.
Black topped with a lasting khaki head.
Nose is mellow roast, light charr, liquorice, lactic tang, dried fruits.
Taste comprises brown bread, spice, dried fruit rinds, mellow roast.
Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying close.
Okay stout.

7

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

Final beer before heading to the hotel on a Monday night in February in the Scottish capital. It's pretty busy... Must be incredible crowds at weekends in summer. This is a gentle but very drinkable easy porter.

7

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

Cask, hand pull at The Justice Mill, Aberdeen. It pours darkest brown to black with a decent khaki head. The aroma is smooth roasted malt, coffee grounds, cacao, milk chocolate, toasted nut and praline. The taste is smooth, bitter - sweet, toasty, roasted malt, earthy, woody, cacao nibs, coffee grounds, nutty and dried fruits with a toasty finish. Average body and smooth, velvety carbonation. Decent drinker.

6.4

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

Keg at the malt and hops. Pours deep ruby brown, nose is roasted, earthy, little sweaty, taste is sweet, toffee, creamy, liquorice.

6.8

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

Nitro keg at the Brewery Taproom. Pours black with a thin beige head. Aromas of light roast and dark chocolate. Taste is more of the same. Thin finish.