Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Bottle from Ian Guénard, from St. Lucia (Winward and Leeward Brewing Co., maker of Piton, the watery beer!). Dark clear brown with a thin off white head. Light aroma of coffee and grapefruit. In mouth, almost citrusy, very hoppy with little chocolate notes. Hops are almost overbearing, metallic, tinish. Not well balanced.

Bottled Cameroon version provided by Mads Berg and served in my GL Snifter: Pours nearly opaque topped by a frothy but slowly fading beige head that left good lace. The aroma has notes of plum, prune, cherry, molasses, corn syrup, smoked malts, earthy and dusty yeast esters, and a touch of star anise.

The taste is part heavy sweet malt and part twangy fruit. A bit sour (i.e. lactic) upfront as well before turning to a bitter finish that is equally coffee-ish, bittersweet chocolate and burnt ashy malt. Ended on a oaky dry and puckery after taste. The mouth feel is surprisingly lively and oily, bone dry on the finish and almost metallic.

A top notch strong Foreign Stout. The twangy sour undertone kept it from becoming too sweet or overbearing. Nice.

Bottled from Sainsbury’s. Has Funchal Maderia on the label. Very dark black in appearance with light chesnut coloured head. Wonderful roasted and slightly smokey flavours, lovely bitterness and plenty of oomph from the alcohol. I really like this version and buy it regularly from Sainsbury’s.

1. Bottle at the Edge, Nottingham 18/07/2004 Black smooth on the palate and strong in alcohol. Lasting bitter slight roast finish. 2. Bottle 24/02/2007 Very fruity aroma. Small tan head. Black very strong in alcohol and warming. Crisp fruity and dry very bitter coffee roast finish.

Bottle from the Guinness factory in Dublin August 2004. Like its counterpart Guinness Original this is a carbonated stout very different ffrom the draught version. Its alot stronger and you can taste it, it almost warms you when you drink it. Taste ofs burnt coffee with a very slight burnt chocolate flavoury sweetness.

Dark black in colour with thick creamy toffe coloured head. spicey coffe flavours, peperry aroma. Can notice the difference from big brother is more carbonated and not as thick.

"Poured a black coffee like color with a medium light tan head. Aroma was a tad smokey. Flavor was the same with a semi sweet taste at the end. This was very different Guinness not as good but okay. "

33cl bottle from Sainsbury. Black in colour with thin beige head. Attractive roasted malt aroma with choc/coffee and roasted raisins. Grainy dark, bitter choc. Bit of heat from the alcohol. Bit of sourness and liquorice. Nice finish has dry burnt flavours. Overall a pretty good strong stout