Town Hall Merlot Stout

One of my favorites last summer. A dark brown color best served on cask (from the tap does not do this one justice). Lots of oak in the flavor with roasted malts.

Pulled from the cask, this a very dark, nearly black colored beer. Only a slight deep purple-red hue when held to the light prevents it from being all black. It is topped by an inch or so of the smoothest and creamiest head of light brown foam that you’re ever likely to see. Very good head retention, light lacing. You kinda have to look for the aroma, but it is there - of chocolate malt and red wine. Delicious beer, both the stout flavor and the wine flavor are plentiful. The stout is smooth and rich of bittersweet chocolate and roasted grain, with a hint of tang in the finish. The wine flavors come through - robust and fruity - with raspberry and sherry undertones. There is also a nice oak character to the beer, again most noticeable in the finish. The mouthfeel is sublime - smoother than smooth, with flavors that linger in the aftertaste.

Recognizable as their oatmeal stout but softened a bit by some time in the cask. The beer was served not at cellar but warm room temperature; it works for this beer. Black and thick foam. Roasted malt, and lots of oak in the flavor. Actually oak is the dominant flavor. Just a hint of tannins, and only there because I was looking for some kind of wine quality. Very light port as well. Full bodied, but lacks the complexity I expected. Very smooth out of the cask, easy to drink. I wonder if the casks are worn out?

Aroma is sweet malt with woodiness. Black color is perfect with nice creamy cask head. Flavor is roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate with the wood coming through and a winelike fruitiness. The finish is dry, but the bitterness is not due to hops so much as tannins/burnt malts. Mouthful could be a tad thicker I think, and even for a cask beer this was quite warm. I would put this as the most interesting beer I’ve sampled from Town Hall, and I look forward to working through their numerous other brews.

Cask. Vinious aroma, sweet malts and figs as well. Smooth cask mouthfeel. Deep and richly flavorful. Some tannins and roast give structure to the delicately sweet and deep malts. Not overly alcoholic, which I like, many wood-aged beers I find overly alcoholic. There is an alcoholic presence here, but its more felt in the mouth than tasted. Impressive.