Hook Norton Double Stout (Pasteurised Bottle)

500ml brown bottle from Ron’s Market in Farmington. Pours a black body with ruby-red highlights and a quarter to half inch of very light tan head. Smells roasty, with caramel, nut and butter notes all very present. Tastes like chocolate, butter, nut, caramel. Flavors are each subtle, but together make a pleasant and tasty brew. Medium in body with moderate carbonation. This one is an easy drinker for sure, despite the rich flavor and moderate mouth-feel. Not sure what makes this a ’double’ stout, but it’s a phenomenal English stout, possibly the best I have had.

500 ml bottle. Deep, dark brown colour, tan head. Roasted malts and dark chocolate in the aroma. Medium-bodied, rather smooth carbonation. Roasted malts, coffee and some chocolate sweetness in the flavour. Bitter and a little burned aftertaste. A nice stout, easy to drink.

Bottle. Black poor or very dark brown. Very thin layer of mocha cream. Aroma is mildly roasty and slightly chocolaty. Flavor is pretty mild, with just a touch of a burnt finish. I imagine if this was available on tap at the bar down the street and cost about $2.50/pint, I’d be all about this. But paying $5 for a single bottle makes it very difficult to not be disappointed.

500. Thanks, Hogfodder! Pours nearly black, but with bright amber highlights at the very edges if there’s enough light behind it. Thick, creamy tan head. Big roasty, caramelly, bittersweet chocolatey nose. Nice mild, light body. Decent active carb. Mid-palate tastes like spent grain, bittersweet chocolate, and caramel. Nice mild chocolatey finish. Great little stout.

Appearance: Dark, redish brown. Bit of head, not lasting. Aroma: Coffee and bit of chocolate. Bit of fruit. Taste: Coffee and fruit. Bit of chocolate. Bitter. Burnt. Info: 500ml bottle, 7/6-2006, 118/300