Lion Stout

Brewed by Lion Brewery (Ceylon)
Style: Foreign Stout
Nuwara Eliya & Biyagama, Sri Lanka

My bottle says "Sinha" rather than Lion on the front but it’s a Lion Stout with an 8% ABV so I guess it is the same thing. Pours a very dark opaque brown with a a large fine bubbled mid tan coloured head. Medium malty and light coffee even fruity, butterscotch aroma. Smooth creamy but not too mouth filling palate. Lightly sweet molasses malt start, big bitter roasted malt, coffee and chocolate middle becoming even more bitter and vinous alcohol in the finish. Ear warming alcohol well masked nicely until the end.

625ml - Aroma is milky with dark malts of chocolate and caramel. Pours black with a big brown head and good lacing. Flavor matches aroma but is a little more roasty. Sweet caramel covered in chocolate. Palate is creamy and dry. Tasty stuff.

Brown bottle, 330 ml, expiry date: Jul 2006; eye: opaque black with a cappucino head that disappears quickly; some lacing; nose: roasted malt; mouth: roasting, caramel and alcool as its peppery aspect FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 330 ml, date d’expiration : Jul 2006; oeil : noire opaque avec une mousse cappucino qui disparaît rapidement, un peu de dentelle; nez : malt rôti; bouche : torréfaction, caramel, alcool sous son côté poivre piquant

I really like this stout. It is very English in flavor, but not in ABV. Pitch black in color small tan head. Flavor is of prunes, raisin, and brown sugar. It has a very English taste that I can’t put my figure on, but I know it fondly. This stout is one of the most balanced stouts that I’ve had, not acidic, not overly sweet, moderate amount of hops. Simply delicious.

An exceptional foreign stout from Sri Lanka. Beautifully balanced. Poured a dense black with a monstrous pillowy tan head but not a bubble to be seen below the plimsole line. Some lacework. Gorgeous aroma of mocha, rum and raisin ice cream, campfires and Bourneville chocolate. Creamy mouthfeel - Gosh, this is smooth. Medium-bodied. Fizzes a little on the tongue. Sweet dark malts initially and a little alcoholic kick in an otherwise restrained finish, given the 8% abv. Strong coffee notes - if you’re an espresso fan, this beer’s for you. Very drinkable for its abv, but it’s a little like gorging on dark chocolate - a little goes a long way. (Bottle, branded "Sinha Stout", best before April 2005)

really smooth probably the smotthest stout i have ever had. Nice roasred malt flavors with chocolate and coffee notes. some hops bitterness, and a good alcohol presence. Aroma was roasted and sweet.

Much, much better than I expected. Is this a Sri Lankan micro? Dark dark light sucking brown with a dark tan head, leaves slight lacing. Nose of chocolate, coffee, dried fruits, dark roasted malts. Taste of bitter espresso, unsweetened and almost sour milk chocolate, dried fruits, burnt malts, and a warming alcohol taste. Full mouth, not extraordinary for a stout.

Rich stout. Good taste overall. Lots of coffee, though not a heavy body. Lots of flavor. Surprise all around.