Bass P2

Hand bottled, by me, from a mini-cask, sorted from the brewery in an grand-scale logistical coup pulled off by cgarvieuk. Cheers to the brewers: I hope you are able to brew to your own lights again at some point in the future, maybe out from under the Coors thumb. You clearly have skills. Really big thanks Craig for working this deal out.

A month and a bit after hand bottling, this still has a really nice level of carbonation. Pours black with a nice layer of persistent light tan head. Soft tinned coffee aroma, like the stuff that comes pre-ground by the gallon. Rubbish to drink, but that first sniff, when you break the foil seal, is lovely. (It’s the souls of all those murdered coffee beans, brutally ground to powder while still so young...so young.) After the coffee, green grapes, milk chocolate. There is an odd stale butter note right after the pour, but that happily dissipates after a swirl or two of the glass. Very soft chocolate flavor with a hint of smoke and an earthy finish. It appears that a month in the bottle (and a month or more in the mini-cask) has given the last brave yeasties a chance finish their work. This is a much better beer than fresh on cask. Less sticky than fresh, and in the absence of the heavy sweetness, I feel like the body actually softens and is much more refined. A nice lingering bitter chocolate finish. Really wish the brewers could bottle this. As nice as cask beer can be, this beer belongs (live, unfiltered) in bottles.

(Previous rating: Gravity, Reading Beer Festival. Black, brown highlights, light tan head. Figgy/date sugar aroma, a nice touch of leather, fumes. Very sweet raw sugar flavor, smokey dark chocolate, rum. Fairly light bodied for the abv. Warming, very flavorful, with the sense that the flavors are pulled from opposite sides of the flavor spectrum. Leather, grapeskin, oyster brine finish. Really fun to have a chance to taste this! 7/4/7/4 15)

A Mes rate: Gravicask at the White Horse.
At last, I have been chasing this one for a long time. At every festival I have been to that has had this on, it has finished by the time I have got there. Thrilled to see it on the list at the White Horse and it was an easy choice for my first beer. It didn’t let me down either. Dark opaque mahogany with a thin tan head and some legs from the alcohol. Aroma of nuts, caramel, chocolate malt and some slight hops. Thick, chewy and tar like in the mouth but not at all cloying. A proper imperial stout. Coffee, lots of chocolate, almost chalky, lovely bitterness but not really in a hoppy way. Glorious alcohol notes. Fantastic stuff all round.

A great stout! A really great stout. Brewed in the bass micro brewery next to the main factory. Very drinkable!

Deep reddish, almost black colour with a small light brown head. Roasted malty, dried dark fruit sweet aroma with a light chocolate note. Malty, fruity sweet flavor with a vanilla note.

Bottle. Almost black colour with a small beige head. light roasted, fruity, chocolate aroma and taste. Medium body with a dry finish.

(Bottle 27,5 cl) Comes as "Czars P2 Imperial Stout". Pours a clear, reddish mahogany with a small, off-white head. Vinous, lightly tart aroma. Only medium body with malty, vinous accents and plenty of dried fruits. Discreet bitterness. Thanks to kook for this yummy brew. 240706

A black beer with a red shine and a dying brown head. The aroma is sweet with powerful notes of roasted malt as well as lighter notes of chocolate, alcohol, and berries. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, wood, and prunes, as well as roasted malt. The mouthfeel is very smooth.

Bottle. Dark brown coloured with a beige head. Aroma of malts and caramel with notes of dried fruits. Roasted flavour of caramel and dried fruits.