6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draught Huge topped-up, brownish head, over dark chestnut beer with, indeed, a purple shine. Lots of caramel, toffee, liqueurish, sweet bread, like a Bock. Warming up, I get more dark candi sugar. First dry taste, leafy, then sweet-bready, going over again to dry, rather toasted taste. Caramel seeps in, making up for a very malty beer indeed. A bit of Valerian retronasal. Gives a probably exaggerated full bodied impression, slick, viscous nearly, but in fact, the beer is a bit thin, really. Good amber ale, for lovers of a good malt dose.
Tried
from Can
on 20 Nov 2006
at 06:30
6.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draught Original ale, was 7.5 / 8 7 8 6 8 Thick, voloptuous head, slightly yellowish, leaving some lace over near-clear orange-golden beer. Nice hoppy nose, as with fresh UK hops. A bit toaste, dry aroma of excellent malts. Very British. Nice, dry hoppy taste, really very good. Ends lightly sweetish with a light corn flakes flavour. Very refreshing, just a bit burning sensation. There’s a retronasal flavour/aroma that reminds me of Belgian yellow asparagus tips. Light to medium body. Excellent beer, more than worth going out of one’s way for.
Pilsener version bottled Small white head, fast going over clear golden beer. Herb nose, some "hot" pale malts, popcorn without the butter. Dry-ish, faintly hoppy bitterness with a sweet finish - pale malts with restsugars. Light body, undercarbonated and a tad slick. Or: how to turn a remarkable beer into a mainstream pils.
Pilsener version bottled Small white head, fast going over clear golden beer. Herb nose, some "hot" pale malts, popcorn without the butter. Dry-ish, faintly hoppy bitterness with a sweet finish - pale malts with restsugars. Light body, undercarbonated and a tad slick. Or: how to turn a remarkable beer into a mainstream pils.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Nov 2006
at 06:24
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Black colour with a small tan head. Sweet malty aroma with some hints of smoke and licorice. Sweet malty flavor with some smoky hints and hints of licorice. Malty finish with some hints of chocolate.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Oct 2006
at 14:44
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
(Bottle at GBBF, London, 4 Aug) Colour is pitch black with a huge, explosive, but quickly disappearing, brown head. Nose is roasted and smokey with notes of tar and black coffee. Taste is roasted and tarry with black coffee and liquorice. Modest bitterness in the finish. Rather thin body but nice taste.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Aug 2006
at 15:42
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
Bottle at GBBF 2006. Black beer with thick dark beige head. Smokey charcoal aroma with some dark malts. Lacks a certain depth. Smokiness is nice. Charcoal finish, with a certain dryness. Good effort.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Aug 2006
at 12:07
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Christmas bottle
Nice hazy amber color; the head is persistent. The aroma is light, malty, some sweetnees and some hops, light fruitness and light yeast. The flavor is not very complex, but harmonious, well malty and quite sweet, without being cloying nor thick, just corrected by the spices; the bitterness is quite low, maybe showing more at the very end. Very pleasant.
Nice hazy amber color; the head is persistent. The aroma is light, malty, some sweetnees and some hops, light fruitness and light yeast. The flavor is not very complex, but harmonious, well malty and quite sweet, without being cloying nor thick, just corrected by the spices; the bitterness is quite low, maybe showing more at the very end. Very pleasant.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jul 2005
at 02:35
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
(I tasted Ghisa on draught two years ago on GBBF - now the bottle) Dark brown, nearly black; very dark brown-purple head, huge & tenacious. Undoubtedly smoked nose, tobacco, smoked wood, malt, lavender. Again smoked, taste, lots of tobacco & cigar ash. Slight acidity, malt is there, but not overmuch. Problem is that apart from the smokey flavour, not much else is going on. Not supported as the Bamberger Rauchbiere. Warming up some chocolate notes. Reasonably full bodied, warming. Well, it's definitely not Bamberger. Still, I like the style well enough. "Ghisa" is Milanese slang for a traffic policeman. They are daily smoked meat too, it seems.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Mar 2004
at 16:09
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Hazy golden color. Nice malt and hop aroma. Good sweet body, malty; lightly fruity (banana).
Tried
on 28 Oct 2003
at 02:54
7.4/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Red-amber color, creamy head. Light malt and cherry aroma. Good body structure, enough malty, a bit yeasty.
Tried
on 28 Oct 2003
at 02:51
7.1/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
2009-03-21, nitro-draught at the brewpub, 6-3-4-2-10=25
Black color; creamy head. Mixed aroma of roasted malt and chocolate. Lean body; there is some chocolate flavor, but overall it’s very watery, with light roasted malt, but otherwise empty. Simple final. Disappointing.
2003-10-20, draught at the brewpub, 5% ABV, 7-5-7-3-13=35
Black color; brown creamy head. Nice roasted malt aroma, coffee. Light body, nice roasted malt and a hint of smoke.
Black color; creamy head. Mixed aroma of roasted malt and chocolate. Lean body; there is some chocolate flavor, but overall it’s very watery, with light roasted malt, but otherwise empty. Simple final. Disappointing.
2003-10-20, draught at the brewpub, 5% ABV, 7-5-7-3-13=35
Black color; brown creamy head. Nice roasted malt aroma, coffee. Light body, nice roasted malt and a hint of smoke.
Tried
on 28 Oct 2003
at 02:47