Lion Stout comes with a serious pedigree - it's recommended and endorsed by Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter. The exact relationship between Jackson and the Ceylon Brewing Company is not known to me, though the web has some interesting articles about this beer. My own wonderings are primarily limited to why he would endorse a beer from Sri Lanka, rather than his home country of England. But, does it really matter? Aren't you just interested in whether this is good beer or not? Indeed, good questions. But less geeking and more drinking...
One line I did really appreciate from Jackson was this one:
"Tea was not enough to quench the thirst of the Scottish tea-planters, who established what became the Ceylon Brewery Ltd., possibly as early as 1860 (it was certainly in operation by 1881)."
Leave it to my Scottish kinsman...
The Lion pours jet black with a generous tan head, which slowly dissipates into a nice lacing that sticks to the glass throughout the session. As the glass drains, the blackness seems to fade into a dark brown, still beautiful to behold.
The nose is an interesting mix of fruity malt, vague notions of chocolate, and an extremely vague notion of smokiness, all blended nicely to suggest something complex. As it warms, a subtle wood aroma develops but this is not as noticeable as the sweet malt profile that grows with temperature increases.
The mouthfeel is nicely full without being chewy. Creamy, smooth, and not overly carbonated. I would say right on target for a stout.
Taste is dominated by a sweet malt fullness, complemented by a mix of chocolate, prunes, and coffee. There is just a slight tinge of bitterness, maybe sourness. But only "just". Taste is primarily the same from beginning to end, from first touch of the tongue through the swallow. Not overly complex, but straight-forward without being simplistic. This is a very nice sweet stout, well-balanced and delicious. There is an 8% ABV attached to this beer, which one feels mid-beer and afterwards, but well hidden in the taste. Warmth enhances these flavors somewhat, but I drained my glass rather quickly so there wasn't much time to full appreciate it. Maybe next time, I'll have two in a row.
Lovers of sweet stouts should enjoy this one. Reasonably priced, this is available lots of places. Keep some on-hand for all occasions.
Labels: beer reviews