6.6

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

Old rating - 500ml bottle, pours dark brown with a beige head. Aromas & tastes of chocolate, coffee, bread, dried fruits, lemon peel & roasted malt. Medium body. Mild bitter finish

11/09/2021

6.3

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 5 | Overall - 6.5

50 cl bottle thnx to Stuart. Bit over-aged perhaps, as the best by date is 2015. Not sure if still in production ? Pours clear, very dark red glow-on black. Scent is mild, roasty, rye still recognizable. Aged, quite a lot actually, but still OK to my surprise, as oxidation didn't kill this one ! Taste is thin, higher co2, oxidized, still some chocolate, roast, milder rye. Bit boring perhaps. Thin and wattery, but made a great surviving surprise after all those years.

6.1

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Cask at Smithfield, Derby Pours jet black with a small cream head. AS to the nose, well the first sniff ave me vanilla, the second gave me dark chocolate and the third ave me rye bread – so take your pick ! In the mouth there is an initial watery sweetness which gradually becomes more bitter as you progress. Flavours include dark fruits, rye bread, raisins and malts. Finish is fruity and bitter. Lots happening here, but a bit of a mess really.

6.2

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

500ml bottle. Black beer with. A thin tan head. Treacle toffee aroma, flavour is sweet, creamy coffee.

7.1

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

Tried at the 2017 Peterborough Beer Festival. Deep dark brown colour with a tan head. Aroma has chocolate, bread and roasted malt. Taste is roasted bitter. Very smooth.

9

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9

500ml bottle, from trade with AshtonMcCobb, many thanks! Pours dark with medium tan head. Aroma is coffee cake, dark chocolate and smooth roast. Taste has a good rich blend of the aforementioned elements, the rye adding a nice earthy edge whilst retaining a nice smooth, creamy coffee cake character. Really enjoyed this!

6.1

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

Cask @ Bow Bar, Edinburgh. Black with a thin off white head. Has a soapy roasted malt aroma and taste.

6.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Opaque black beer with a thin beige head. Really smoky aroma with a bit of a tangy sweetness. Flavour is a strange combination as you might expect from the description. Like a combination between a red rye ale and an earthy, coffee stout. Leaves a slightly tangy, slightly sickly finish. It’s nice and I like that it’s a bit different but with the distinctive taste and the strength it’s one to sip one of before moving on rather than guzzling, for me.