Lion Stout

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

The Lure:
Ashes and dark chocolate bathe sumptuously under the rich, compact head.

The Festivities:
Roasted malt and bitter coffee beans bring me to admit I was expecting a much sweeter Foreign Stout. Excellent! Charred dark chocolate and lactic undertones roam in the smooth and wealthy mouthfeel, where alcohol is well-hidden and all is geared towards soothing and comforting.

Transcendence:
A long purr.

(bottle, best before Nov. 2005) Almost black coloured with a big brown foam. Roasted malt aroma with burnt caramel, dark cacao and dried plums. Bittersweet flavour, full bodied, smooth carbonated. Moderarately sweet initial taste with roasted malt, chocolate, crusts of german Schwarzbrot, caramel and liquorice. Warming alcohol in the bitter and nutty finish, thus it is quite well integrated. Very complex and quaffable Stout.

Bottled: Almost black as a moonless winternight in Scandinavia. Huge light brown head that last long. Aroma is a palate of impressions. Sweet roastyness is the dominant impression, but coffee comes to mind as well. Flavour is very coffeeish and roasty. Pleasant bitterness imediately on the tongue and palate. Alcahol is nicely hidden but a little delicious alcaholburnt is present on the tongue. This is a nice surprise, that I will revisit whenever available.

Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells of dark roasted malt, some dark fruit, hints of spice, some earthy hints, chocolate. Tastes of sweet malt, some nice roasted malt, lots of nice spicy hints, touches of bitterness. Great beer!

Dark black beer with a deep dark brown head. Aroma of dark licorice, leather and sweet dark fruit. Lots of plums and treacle. Heavy, rich dark chocolate and heavy char. Roasty flavour with a rich sweet dark chocolate flavour. Rich character and a lingering rich sweet raisiny character. Excellent example of the style.

Bottled. Almost black, with a tan head. Weak aroma with coffee, burnt malt, hints of licorice and chocolate. A mellow flavor with chocolate, coffee and roasted notes. Full-bodied, with a dryish, bitter finish. This must definately be one of the best Asian beers available. (060801)

Am I rate-whoring for a new country, or am I trying another new stout? Can it be both? This stout pours deep brown, but with a bit of light through the body, and a large dark tan head. Smells like the quintessential foriegn stout, if you can define such a thing: roasted grains and light smoke, some dry malts, some almost-hot alcohol or bite of some other sort. Semi-thick, very roasty and robust, very sharp on the palate with a bite of alcohol, smoke and toasted grains. I’m into this one, it’s definitely worthy of the praise I’ve heard.

A beautiful chocolately brown head with an aroma to match, this is what I’d always imagined a stout could be if the brewers worked at it. Dark brown in color with a deep malty, burnt chocolate flavor to match, it slides down the throat unchallenged by any overbearing flavors of alcohol or sweetness or anything offensive. As of my first sip, my favorite stout.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>