Swale Oyster Stout

Formerly brewed at Whitstable
Style: Stout
Maidstone, England

Pours an almost pitch black color with a small tan head. The aroma is of roasted malts with a touch of coffee. Thin body with light carbonation, the flavor is a little weak but slight notes of chocolate and coffee do come through. A good stout to drink in mass quantities, but a little thin in mouthfeel and weak in flavor for my liking.

I have heard that this brewery is either closed or closing soon which is a shame. Pours almost black with a medium light brown head. Very thin lacing. Aroma of coffee with underlying chocolate. Body is rather thin with coffee, cocoa and roasted malt flavors. Finish is a little sweet and a little sour. On the grand scale this Stout was not stellar, but I would like to try it again if I can get my hands on any more.

Head is initially average sized, fizzy, brown, fully diminishing. Body is black, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (caramel, chocolate, nutty), trace hops (herbs, flowers), with a note of vanilla, hints of anise and kelp. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, soft carbonation. Intriguing and very pleasant aroma, but the highlight here is the outstanding bitter/sweet flavor balance...each sip just begs another, you could literally drink this all day long and not get tired of it. Very clean. Only disappointments are the surprisingly fizzy & quickly dying head, and the not-so-surprisingly thin & watery body. I'd much sooner call this a porter than a stout, as it really has no roasty quality at all, but this is good stuff nonetheless. If this were just a little meatier and richer, the local $6/500ml pricetag would be worth it.

Pours a thin black with little head. Light roasted smoke and salt aroma. Pleasant sweet roasty body with good flavor, but a little thin. Still a good English stout.

Mouthfeel is very light and not overwhelming at all-I guess I've been drinking so many imperial stouts these days I tend to ignore these less intimidating brews. A roasted malt characteristic that is unique, with a subtle smokiness. THese beer also tastes slightly sour to me. Body is smooth and slightly lacking.

Looks like a porter because it doesn't have much of the large, frothy, stouty head. Very smokey flavor, some coffee, some chocolate.

Black, creamy, but no real head. Roasty aroma with hints of sugars. Medium roasty and chocolatey flavor. A smoked quality and some bitterness emerge later in the flavor, which I guess makes it good for having with seafood. A decent sweet stout, but not a great one.

Black smooth vinous; lightly roasty, chocolate and anise - all of this was overwhelmed by the medium sour lactic qualities. Finish dried out as it warmed. Not especially special.