A / 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | drink: 5
rDev: +9.6%
Inky black in colour, topped by an inch of fairly well-retained mocha head that sticks to the walls of my tulip in small splotches. It smells of dried fruit, like raisins or cherries, and brown sugar; hints of chocolate and coffee also linger in the background. It has a wonderful bittersweet and tangy flavour reminiscent of sweetened black coffee. That dried fruit character is there as well, along with notes of chocolate, caramel, and a hint of smoke. That tangy taste starts to take on a life of its own as it approaches room temperature, becoming vinuous and vaguely reminiscent of madeira. The potency of this strong stout is very well hidden, the alcohol is barely noticeable to the palate.
Medium bodied with velvety carbonation, it feels smooth yet also relatively light for something so richly flavoured. A little bit more heft wouldn't hurt it, but it's pretty hard to nitpick when something tastes so damned good. This is fine just the way it is. I like it a lot just the way it is. Full flavoured yet mellow. Great beer!
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 12-10-2010 01:23:36
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Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Belhaven Scottish Stout
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- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:22 am
- Location: Barrie, Ontario
I enjoyed it, although it was a bit thinner and a little sweeter than I typically enjoy. I've been drinking a lot of Peche Mortel and other good RIS's lately, so perhaps the Belhaven is suffering by comparison.
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. "
-Ernest Hemingway
-Ernest Hemingway