Valhalla Sjolmet Stout

Brewed by Valhalla
Style: Stout
Unst, Shetland, Scotland

Pours murky brown with a small light brown head. Smells of dark syrup, spruce shoots and herbs. Tastes sweet; sour and a bit acetic from start to finish. Light bodied with a watery texture and soft carbonation. (9.12.2009 Bottle @ Cardinal, Onsdag^2)

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. All bottled beers from this brewery are filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Low beige head of poor retention. Nice aroma and flavour of roasted malts, notes of dark chocolate and mild coffee. Fairly dry, a slight acidity in the finish. A decent enough stout, but not so very special.

From cask@Bow Bar, Edinburgh. Low espresso head. Black body, limited clarity. Aroma is dry an dusty, with chocolate, dark malts and notes of coffee ground. Dry-sweet, powdery cocoa flavor. Chocolate bitterness and faint fruitiness. Not very filling, but smooth in the mouth. Dry chocolate-malty ending. Rounded, moreish and very easy to drink.

50 cL bottle. Pours a rather clear and deep amber red to dark brown with a small bubbly and off-white head. Aroma is roasted, mild hops fruity and of light liqourice. Flavour has the same with level of bitterness and mild acidic hard roasted note. Lingering roasted flavoured finish and dry bitter too. Thin mouthfeel.

Cask @ 3 Judges. Dark red / blackish colour, short tan head. Aroma of rated malts with a hint of coffee and red fruits. Flavour: glue, roasted malts, fruits, and bitter coffee.

Moderate beige head that stays well. Very dark brown body colour with a few ruby highlights. Nice laceworks. Smell of chocolate malts. Dark malty flavour modestly roasted. A bit salt and peaty. Medium bodied. 500ml bottle from Luvians [St Andrews, 03.11.2008].

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 2     Light Brown(1)->Pitch Black(5) : 4     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 2   Off-White(1)->Dark Brown(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 2   Nitro : XX
Aroma:
Intensity : 2  
Yeast : 1   Bread : XX   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Ink : XX   Tar : XX   Olives : 3   DMS : XX
Malt : 3   Biscuity : 2   Burnt Toast : XX   Caramel : XX   Nuts : XX   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : XX   Coffee : 2   Dark Chocolate : XX   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : XX   Blackberries : XX   Cherries : XX
Hops : 1   Noble(1)->American(5) : XX   Leafy : XX   Floral : 3   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : 2   Wood : XX   Mint : XX   Smoke : XX   Soy : 1   Bourbon : XX   Anise : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : XX   Lactic : XX   Bitterness : 2   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 1   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : 4   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : XX   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Weird flavoured oily stout with olive notes.

Cask (handpump) @ GBBF 2007, London. Dark brown color with a small to average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, mild coffee. Flavor is light to moderate sweet and bitter with a average duration. Body is light to medium, texture is watery, carbonation is flat.