Dark brown with a few bubbles. Dark chocolate aroma, rather like a porter. A delicious sweet-sour fruit and chocolate malt taste with a full body and warm, dry alcoholic finish.

What a great ale! Chocolatey coffee nose and initial flavour. Pours dark ruby with little or no head. Taste is stunning - rich but fresh at the same time, with a balance of dark notes and sweet berry fruit all finishing with a lightly bitter caramel malt. One of the nicest english ales I’ve had in a long time.

Bottle. Dark brown beer with a good sized white head, malty and ever so slightly hoppy in the aroma stakes. sweet roasted malty flavours with some fruit flavours present and good full body to this tasty ale. Very good beer indeed.

Bottle. Very dark brown with a dense cream head. Aromas are roast malts with chocolate and lots of berry fruit. Flavours are sweet coffee malts followed by strong alcohol notes. Also has winter fruit with mollases. Smooth on the palate with a dry, warming alcohol finish.

Cask Handpump at the Crown Hotel, Malton 11/12/2004 Mid to dark brown coloured and strong in alcohol. Fruity. Some bitterness and dryness in a lasting finish.