8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9.5
Cask handpull at The Chambers, Folkestone. I was so excited to get a new Dark Star beer. Made with Challenger and East Kent Goldings hops added late to the boil and Maris Otter malt. Copper colour with lasting thin off white head. Earthy hop aroma, some late citrus. Earthy in mouth. Interestingly simple yet good quality pale ale/bitter? Reasonably full in the mouth with some pear drop. Then a drying finish with earthy hops. If only all British beer could be this good. Such a cut above your average 4.x% beer. The subtle malt flavour in mouth, followed by dryness in amazing. Like licking a calf skin glove worn by the woman you love. Classy. Subtle bitterness on finish. Not huge not intense but brilliant for its subtlety, quality and the way it makes you feel. Some biscuit on aroma. Moderate juicy malt in mouth. Amazing.
Tried
from Cask
on 08 Feb 2007
at 03:37
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Half pint on cask at The Rake, London Bridge. Filmy layer over a pale golden body. Floral to the nose with a taste of hoppy grapefruit mixed with a malty touch towards the end. Firm mouthfeel supported by some hop bitterness towards the end. Moreish, but a bit watery (01.02.2007)
Tried
from Cask
on 07 Feb 2007
at 13:47
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
(Cask at Akkurat, Stockholm) Dark reddish brown colour with ruby notes, creamy beige head. Malty nose with caramel, fudge, chocolate, dark berries (cherries, blackberries) and a hint of tobacco. Malty taste with chocolate, fudge, caramel and blackberries. Rather sweet but with roasted, bitter notes of coffee in the finish. A bit thin, but quite tasty.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Feb 2007
at 14:16
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Cask handpull at Wenlock Arms, London. Black beer with thin tan head. Nice roasted malt aroma. It’s a very competent Dark Star beer, good concentrated dark choc, and some liquorice. Decent intense dark beer, especially for the strength.
Tried
from Cask
on 31 Jan 2007
at 07:42
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask Greige head, meaning to stay, if small over nearly jet-black beer. Liquorice, meaty esters, bitter nuts or acorns. Malty background. Probably caramelcolouring. Bitter, drop , liquorice - and a certain mineral, salty quality. It’s generally very severe. Medium to well-bodied; alcohol obvious. Actually, not my cuppa - coffee. It’s got something, but being so wry, it’s like sucking a graphite pencil.
Tried
from Cask
on 30 Jan 2007
at 11:15
5.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Cask Black beer with a small cream-coloured head. Very subdued nose, little bit of ink... Ink again in the taste, going into walnut peel, charcoal, burnt grains. Dry, little sweetness, except for the very finish. Medium bodied, bit of wheat-like slichkness. Aftertaste has some distinct dryness. OK stout, nothing special. Cask does not do the same thing to stout as to bitter, compared to a (good) bottled version, IMO.
Tried
from Cask
on 30 Jan 2007
at 02:32
6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Cask Quite pale orangey beer with a white rim, proving quite persistent. Flowery, greenery UK hops. A bit of dishwater (beer or the glass?). Nice, dry, bittery flavour, hoppy character, ending on some serious bitterness. A bit like tired, even oxydized, but seriously α-laden hops. In the aftertaste, however, I get some honey. Light bodyy, but just on the right side of watery. Why all the water - one has to loose it afterwards, no?
Tried
from Cask
on 29 Jan 2007
at 12:08
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask handpull at Red Lion, Histon. Copper colour with thin off white head. Ginger/aniseed spicey flavour. Ginger nut biscuity aroma. Fairly solid in mouth and then spicey/earthy finish. Very good. Nice spicey winter beer.
Tried
from Cask
on 22 Jan 2007
at 07:26
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 8
The coffee aroma leaps out as soon as the bottle is opened, rather reminiscent of Kahlua than of "proper" coffee though. Very dark chestnut, almost black, with a coffee coloured head. Bitter taste, initially with the malts predominanting and a hint of coffee grounds, but then the coffee seems to launch itself forward. Unsurprisingly the aftertaste is dry, and similar to a good espresso.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Jan 2007
at 16:51
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.8%. Golden colour, like a pils, some chill haze. Decent white head, nice lacing. Aroma has first strong notes of tropical fruits (aromatic hops), then the aroma subsides and I get moderate notes of honey and flowers. Moderate carbonation, soft moutheel. Flavour has first some moderate fruity notes, then a gentle hoppy bitterness takes you by the hand and leads you through the finish and aftertaste. The beer is light bodied, and is indeed one for those hot summer days - but I quite enjoyed it in the dead of December too. I imagine this would be a good "introduction ale" for lager louts - the first step into the world of better ales, so to speak.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2006
at 13:19