Lion Stout

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

I’m a sucker for big fat stouts, and this baby is one fine example. A rich, complex aroma brimming with all the flavours you expect of such a hearty brew- and more: Fruitcake, prunes, figs, coffee, coveture chocolate. I’m in heaven, and the dry sherry touch to the tongue adds yet another extraordinary element to an already excellent stout. I will definately revisit this one time and again.

Good solid stout - how does Sri Lanka (Ceylon) do it? Starts out sweet and finishes with a pleasant bitterness. Heavy, thick pour with black as night appearance - favorite stout to date.

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 with a two-finger light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a good lace. Totally black color. Good carbonation. Nose is coffee/caramel. Strong coffee/carmel flavor, nice, sweet, beefy stout. $6.49 for a 6-pack of 330ml bottles from Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA.

Bottle: Excellent aroma of malts with coffee, cream, and chocolate. Pours a very dark brown, virtually black with a big tan head with great retention. Excellent lacing. Great flavor. The balance of coffee and chocolate malt provide and excellent combination. Mild hops in finish never become too dominate as they do in some stouts. Pleasant mocha and coffee aftertaste. Not too sweet, not too bitter. No strong alcohol presence considering the 8% abv, which I like. Alcohol becomes a little more noticeable near the end of the bottle but never to the point where it’s overpowering. Creamy mouthfeel. This is just an excellent beer. I don’t drink too many repeat beers because I’m always looking to rate something new, but I’ll make an exception for this considering it’s quite the bargain at $2.49 for 625 ml. Complete opposite of their lager. Finally did this side by side with Speedway Stout and had to knock the score down a few points.

Excellent Stout. This is not Guiness. It should be classifed as an Imperial stout with all that alcohol. So many flavors you won’t be able to drink just 1.

"Look to the Stars Above, Cho-Simba One" "SInha" bottle with the lion on it. Deep ebony and deep tan head, beautiful and thick. Aroma coffee, chocolate milk, a touch smoky, hazelnut, cola. Flavor assertive coffee/chocolate malts not unlike St. Ambroise, but with added sweetish molasses fullness, smoky. Extremely drinkable... alco is dangerously hidden... complex notes of earth and woods play with you and refuse to be figured out. Great integration of hops, which sparkle and yet don’t get in the way of the malts. Excellent-value stout from historic Sri Lanka (Ceylon) solidly made with top ingredients.

Rich, complex flavors: chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, mocha, caramel... Ans a superbly creamy texture. Everyone I’ve ever served this to becomes a convert.