Williams Brothers Black (Bottle)

50cl dark brown bottle, with different label (which is, likewise, dark brown now). Pours a pitch black with medium, soapy beige head that doesn’t last long but leaves generous lacing. Aroma is of stewed prunes, malt and a touch of vanilla. Mouth feel is a bit thin and watery, typical of schwarzbier. Low carbonation. Coffeeish roasted malt dominates on the palate, the taste being much drier than the sweetish aroma indicates. A note of dark chocolate maybe "hints" at sweetness, but the finish is bitter, with an espresso-like after taste. Fruitiness, suggested by the company’s taste notes, is barely evident. For devotees of stout, this is a disappointingly straightforward and even onedimensional brew. As a Scottish schwarzbier it’s more effective, and those who like beers like Krusovice or Breznak should appreciate it. Won’t order again, as it’s fairly expensive.

Pour is dark with a rocky tan head. Looks marvelous. Aroma of roasted malts, chocolate, some dark fruit- not much though, brown sugar. Body is a tad on the thin side. Powdered chocolate, roasted malts, and some mild bitterness round out this beauty of a stout. This is no World Wide Stout, nor is it trying to be. I could drink a few of these in a sitting, and at just over 4% I don’t see why I wouldn’t.

From the Bottle at Tom’s Ultimate Glasgow Tasting, Blackfriars 01/12/2007 Some sour fruit and roast aromas. Dark red coloured and fruity with a crisp dry malt finish.

Bottled. Pours out in a dark brown colour with a small beige foam. Roasted malts, black currant and anise in the aroma. Light-bodied with notes of anise, plums and roasted malts. Roasty and papery finish with a rather low bitterness.

Well, it is black...and black is beautiful. Williams Brothers dish out some amazing brews that withstand a complexity test even with their low alcohol content. Fans of good taste and fine brewing should check into them. This one’s a polite Stout in taste, but more of a Porter for style. Faint pleasant smell of chocolate and roasted coffee beans. Taste is very very smooth, semi-creamy and with a tiny bit of a chalky feeling. Mr. B’s finish left me thinking of smoke in the vanilla coke and hints of coconut, pepper, and toffee in the coffee.

Bottle. Nice head with medium duration. Color is black. Aroma and taste are roast malt and smoke with coffee notes.

Bottled(500ml). -Cola coloured, small off-white head, light coffee nose. Roasted malt, coffee, brown sugar and some fruits with low carbonation and pleasant mild coffee aftertaste. Good stout.

Bottle. High and lasting creamy off-white head. Clear dark brown body. Roasted barley malt aroma with caramel, coffee, choccolate and sour berries. Same with flavor. Low carbonation, short aftertaste.