Lion Stout

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

Have to start by thanking Mark Lightfoot from the International Beer shop, W. Leederville, for recommending this gem. Quite easily the best Foreign Extra Stout I have tasted, and possibly ever will!! Poured into a stumpy tulip, a large dense, light brown head formed, stuck firmly to the side of the glass, and webbed like paint down the sides. Black and completely opaque body with only a little yeast that settled out on the bottom. Intense roasted malt nose, quite sweet and treacly, with wafts of dark chocolate, molasses, coffee grains and light sherry notes (don’t know the age of the bottle). An underlying alcohol spice seemed to compliment the other aromas, and it all came together like a dark, winter pudding dessert and travelled straight through into the mouth. Big in body, lightly carbonated and smooth as silk across the tongue, it finished off with a long warming alcohol and malt swallow, that just hit all the right buttons. Flavours of burnt sweet sugars, milk and dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, plums and other dark fruits and a hint of earthy spices, seemed balanced to perfection and all in unison to complete this wonderful beer. Big in flavour, smooth and creamy and well crafted. A wonderful Stout and one I am sure to hunt down again. Lovely!!!

625mL bottle. An opaque black pour with a HUGE creamy dark-tan head that leaves thick chunky lace. Aroma is full of chocolate and cocoa with some roasty malts, vanilla beans, caramel and hints of alcohol as it warms. Very thick and chewy and velvety smooth. Creamy milk chocolate starts off and is followed by some bitter chocolate and a sugary sweet, spicy graham crackeriness. A little smoke and woodiness are present too. Deceptively complex. Subtle bitter finish that’s a little dry. Alcohol is very well-hidden. Great stuff.

Solid black color with thin tan head. Sweet malty nose with bready grapelike aroma. Palate has a tingly feel. Roast coffee taste offers complex arrary of flavors.

Wow! This is great! Doesn’t taste nearly as strong as it actually is, but is very rich. Great malty and roasty flavor.

Reviewed 9/13/2009 (Bottle): Pours an extremely dark brown color body, huge head, light tan, very lasting, creamy. Roasty aroma, some espresso, maybe chocolate. Very good smelling. Creamy mouthfeel, coffee and chocolate flavors. Slight ashiness. A little boozy. Less hot as it warms up. Very good tasting.

Damn was this good. Sampled it on Christmas Eve with my father and uncle. Dark dark dark (good sign for a stout) with wonderful nose. The flavor is slightly fruity but mainly caramel/chocolate. The aftertaste tasted a little of alcohol, a nice reminder of how strong the stuff is. One nice stout.

12 oz bottle. Smooth, well balanced. High carbonation for a stout Sweet roasted malty flavor. Finish has a slight cherry taste. Great mouth feel, well hidden alcohol.

Wow! this brew was great. Full-bodied but not too heavy. Tastes like a smooth chocolate coffee. You won’t even taste the alcohol