ESBman (50), Andover, Bedfordshire, England
Jan 23, 2006
Tasted by a pint at the Marble Arch brewpub during my trip there last week for the National Winter Ale Festival 2006 held in Manchester. A wonderful pub, with a range of decent craft beers served on handpumps, and all organic and vegan-friendly!! This one is their seasonal brew, made with addition of dashes of port wine.
It pours an opaque ebony hue, with a brownish frothy beer head, leaving very tight lacing. Elegant~~
Raspberry+sour cherry fruitiness on the nose, decorated with a touch of cherry eau-de-vie and vinous note, lightly herbal and a trace of coriander+mint, on top of a deeper scent of leather and smoked maltiness... overall very complex, 3D structured yet refreshing for a stout.
On the palate, fortified wine (port? apparently) and herbal/grassy tea flavour sits on top of a very deep, very dryish bitter, roastiness of malts, leading towards a bone-dry, even slightly tannic like, superbly-lingering bitterness, almost like root-herbs used in some mixed Chinese medicine. Overall, it’s surprisingly light-bodied yet full of flavours, while the dryess of roasted barley makes this stout utterly drinkable and more-ish. A very decent seasonal brew it is!
 Magicdave6 (4153), London, Greater London, England
Feb 23, 2008 Bottle thanks to ronnie. Pours with enourmous head, very carbonated. Aroma is bursting with hops,. very very hoppy indeed, typical of marble chalky citrus notes.Taste is completly different, chocollate malt out its nut, distinct port fruityness and tastyness, medium body goes down well. Only complaint is the carbonation.
fonefan (6078), Ulfborg, Denmark
Feb 6, 2008 Cask (gravity) @ The National Winter Ales Festival 2008, Manchester, UK. Clear dark brown color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate malty, burnt, chocolate, coffee, light to moderae hoppy, flowers, perfume, sulfo. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and bitter with a long to average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is flat. (170108)
MesandSim (4713), Highgate, Greater London, England
Jan 5, 2008 Updated: Jun 24, 2008<i>A Mes rate: Take out bottle from the Marble Arch Inn.</i><br />Good looking black brown colour with a very well behaved tan head. Stunning balanced malt and hop aroma backed up with some excellent fruit and chocolate. Very noseable. Flavourwise, only the English can make stouts like this and how proud I am. Everything a stout should be. Bitter chocolate malt, tarry, almost oily and finished with some glorious resinous hops. Port is there throughout and gives it a bit of a kick all the way through. Great beer. I’m proud to be a Mancunian.
DJMonarch (4091), Northwich, Cheshire, England
Feb 10, 2006 Cask Stillage from the cellar at the Marble Arch Inn, Manchester 26/02/2005
Black slightly rich on the palate and strong in alcohol. Some dryness, bitterness and fruit flavours in a warming roast malt finish.
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