Dark Star Brewing Co. Critical Mass

Critical Mass

 

Dark Star Brewing Co. in Partridge Green, West Sussex, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  Strong Ale - English Winter
Score
7.08
ABV: 7.4% IBU: - Ticks: 29
Strong, dark roasted flavoured winter ale.
 

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

On cask at the Sussex Arms, Twickenham Green - 28/01/12. Dark brown in colour, verging on black with a little ruby hue around the edges when held to the light, topped with a small white/off white head. On the nose a whiff of chocolate, liqourice and berry fruits. On the palate a complex series of tastes, alcohol, malt, sugars, burnt sugar/malt flavours, faint chocolate notes dried berries, liquorice, maybe other spices thrown in, a little aniseed? Full bodied beer, smooth on the palate. Overall I was a little disappointed by Critical Mass, too much of a ’pure’ alochol flavour in the taste that wasn’t disguised and built into the beer well enough in my opinion!

Tried from Cask on 05 Aug 2012 at 07:13


5.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

4th December 2009
Pigs Ear. Opaque dark brown beer. Dry palate. Rich dark malt. Unsweet dark toffee and dark fruits in the undertone. Warming bitterish dry finish.

Tried on 17 Jun 2012 at 05:57


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

Cask @ Red Squirrel, Edinburgh 270312
Black, ruby edges, tan head, good lacing
Aroma of rich dark soft roasted malts...liquorice..rich dark fruits..dark caramel malts
Taste of rich dark malts, very soft roasted malts, some liquorice, soft chocolate, dark fruits, tiny hint of aniseed, alcohol very well hidden
Palate - soft carb, medium body, quite sticky texture, very soft, smooth. Finish - more roast comes through then cleans off...hint of vanilla in the tail...slight saltiness
Overall - great tasting stout/old ale hybrid - reminds me a bit of Durham’s Temptation

Tried from Cask on 29 Mar 2012 at 11:36


8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

deep black ... thin light tan head... dark chocolate malts ... sweet dark toffee malts ...light treacle nose ... chewy chocolate ... dark malts ... heavy body ... little treacle ... dark sugers... great... wonderfully sold roast malts

Tried on 24 Mar 2012 at 10:03


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask Gravity at the Green Dragon, Croydon. It pours very dark brown, with a thin beige lace. The nose is coffee liqueur, liquorice, sweet pear and vanilla. The taste is liquorice, clove, roasted malt, tire, tar, alcohol warmth, burnt fruit cake, menthol aspect, spice, coffee, salted caramel and charcoal, with a dry finish. Full body, soft/low carbonation and slightly sticky mouth-feel. An interesting winter brew.

Tried from Cask on 01 Jan 2012 at 10:15


7.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at Cask Pub and Kitchen, Pimlico, London last November. Dark brown/black coloured pour with a healthy beige head on top, Pleasing malty, spiced aroma, Tastes roasty, rich, dark fruit, caramel. Rich and warming Christmas beer.

Tried from Cask on 06 Mar 2011 at 11:14


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

Cask. A dark brown beer with a dark brown head. The aroma has notes of alcohol and brown sugar as well as a light note of prunes. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, prunes, and brown sugar.

Tried from Cask on 12 Feb 2011 at 03:51


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

(Cask at Gallows Real Ale Festival 2011) The beer poured deep brown with red shading. Head was small. Aroma had soft fruit candies and chocolate. Palate was medium bodied and bit warming. Flavours were malts, sweetness, mildly roastedness and mild bitterness. Aftertaste was malty. Quite ok warming beer.

Tried from Cask on 30 Jan 2011 at 07:24


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

Cask-conditioned at the Sussex beer festival, Seven Stars, Bristol 6/1/11. Near black with a decent, off-white head. Aroma of caramel, nuts and liquorice. Sweet, black treacle flavour with fruit cake and a decent bitter finish. Enjoyable.

Tried from Cask on 07 Jan 2011 at 11:18


6.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Cask (Bitter Virtue, Southampton) - Dark brown in colour. Fruity and slightly roasted aroma with vinous fruits, caramel and alcohol detected. Rich and full-bodied taste with fruit cake, caramel, raisins and nuts standing out. The finish is warming and fruity.

Tried from Cask on 05 Jan 2011 at 11:06