jamestulloch (9642) reviewed Dark Abbey from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle from The Beerhive. Dark brown body with a medium off-white head. Light lacing. The aroma is quite medicinal with notes of TCP, charred wood, prune and alcohol. Flavour of smoke, prune and blackcurrent. Medium body with an oily mouthfeel. Average carbonation. A tasty beer, but for me it is eclipsed by the depth and complexity of their Christmas 2013 beer.
jamestulloch (9642) reviewed Christmas 2013 from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle from The Beerhive. Dark brown body with a medium beige head. Nice lacing. Aroma of black forest gateaux (thanks to @drinkmongered for that), Christmas pudding, rum and brambles. Flavour of ash, tangy berries, roasted malt and spice. Medium body with a slicky, creamy mouthfeel. Soft carbonation. A fantastic winter ale from a really promising brewery.
jamestulloch (9642) reviewed Schmankerl from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle from Cornelius. Hazy golden body with a medium white head. Lively carbonation. Excellent lacing. Muted aroma of oranges, chalky wheat, bread and grass. Lovely flavour of white pepper, underripe pear, tangerine and a hint of salt. Initially sweet with a bitter, slightly spicy finish. Medium body with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Nice carbonation fizz. Very tasty.
cagarvie (40076) reviewed Christmas 2013 from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle at home ... deep brown ... thin tan lacing ... soft deep berry fruit ... big spice nose ... dark malts ... chewy roast ... huge clove spice ... soft fruits ... mellow malt ...big berry ... softlicorice .. i quite like this
cuso (17193) reviewed Dark Abbey from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle from scopey as part of secon European local swap. Very dark brown color with small beige head. Strong alcoholic, medicinal aroma. Taste, dark malt, coffee, ripe fruit, coffee, yeast, booze. Not bad, but too much alcoholic and unbalanced.
Theydon_Bois (46224) reviewed Staple from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle, from Tomlinsons Inverness, on the train from Inverness to Plockton 19/10/13. Hazed golden with a moderate off white covering. Nose is toasted malt, light citrus, bread dough, grass. Taste comprises orange pith, mandarins, toasted malt, citrus tang. Medium bodied, fine carbonatin, drying finish with light grassy bitterness. I’d probably have this as a golden blond, hop presence and ABV wise.
Theydon_Bois (46224) reviewed Smoked Porter from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle, from Tomlinsons Inverness, on the train from Inverness to Hereford 21/10/13. Dark black with a good sized tan covering. Nose is dark malts, liqourice, smok, charred wood, chocolate, toffee. Taste comprises earthy cocoa, molasses, chocolate, light ashtray, dark malt. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, smooth on the palate, light peaty smoked finish. Top draw smoked porter, the level of smoke is pitched well and keeps this as a porter style wise.
Theydon_Bois (46224) reviewed Dark Abbey from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle, from The Highland Bottle Shop, on the train from Inverness to Hereford 21/10/13. Extremely dark mahogony brown vergeing on light black with a good sized light tan head. Nose is dark fruits, dates, lactic tang, spices, dark toffee, touch of booze, earthy resonance. Taste comprises tangy dark fruits, xmas cake, pinch of spice, dark toffee. Fullish body, fine carbonation with a little prickle which helpt to keep this number drinkable and moving along, boozey strains in the finale. Decent Belgian.
Scopey (25115) reviewed Smoked Porter from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle at home. It pours jet black with a thick light tan head. The nose is roasted malt, toast, smoke, honey glazed ham and chocolate. The taste is rich roast, toast, smooth smoke, salted liquorice, cocoa and nice bitterness with a dry, roasty finish. Medium body and fine carbonation. Nice fulsome flavour. Good balance. A well-crafted brew.
jamestulloch (9642) reviewed Smoked Porter from Top Out Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle from The Beerhive. Black body with a medium tan head that holds well. Excellent lacing. Aroma of dark chocolate, smoke and charred wood. Flavour is like the aroma but with a hint of tangy underripe plum. Medium body with a slick, oily texture. Soft carbonation. A rich, full flavoured Smoked Porter.