Harveys Bicentenary Stout

A Mes rate: bottle at Chris_O’s Ha Ha Ha Ha Gimme the Cheese Tasting.
Ang has had some bottle of this growing a little bit older and a little bit wiser for some time now, we just havent got around to opening one yet, although the one in my ’cellar’ winks at me everytime I open the door. This particular bottle came from Casper (Ethereal) who found it in his gran’s kitchen. Jesus nobbing Christ, what a find mate. Superb black with tan looks that is about as close to perfection for a stout as I have seen. A little mellow in the aroma compared to what I was expecting but it’s still damned amazing. Thick and chewy caramel malt with a tarry and almost smoky character. Wonderful alcohol notes. Rich as hell and nothing short of incredible. Such glorious chocolate. Absolutely bloody awesome. Unreal length. So ridiculously good.

Sorry for the crap rate I just got too carried away and had to scribble notes furiously at the end. This deserves much better and I’ll attempt to do so next time I have some... Ang???

Bottle (275ml). Courtesy of Ang (reakt), and The Man, mes of mes_and_sim - a true "Mother" of a beer lover!. Rating #2999. This poured an amazing viscous purple-black with a smallish lasting light brown head - oh I love that look (5-). Aroma - oh my, I’m in love: oily figs and coffee laced with anisette, oil-based paint, musty old wood, alcohol, sweet cream, mint, cocoa, dried wildflowers ... complex, mysterious and R-to-the-Oasty. Taste - like you made a thick porridge, laced it with coffee and alcohol, then burned it and stuck it in the blender - thick, carbonized, syrupy, a little boozy and tongue-coating - thick and sweet, lactic and very bitter, sultanas and sour cherry reduction - amazing stuff. Thick, sticky and bitter yet syrupy, a little carbonation percolates up through this le brea tar pit of a stout, but the roast just grabs your palate and stays overnight. Amazing stuff - thanks mes ... I feel guilty for not sharing this! (and next up: #3000).

Bottle. Red brown colour with a beige head. Aroma is alcohol, licorice, sweet, malt. Flavour is sweet, alcohol, vinegar, sour, licorice. Too much vinegar in the body.

Bottle. A quite dark golden, clear bear without head. Nice oxidized nose with alcohol and sweetness. Port as well? Sweet, slightly vinegary flavor, proving that oxidation can be good, but it’s too sourish/vinegary in the finish. Medium body. A complex, lovely oxidized beer. Suspect it’s even better fresh, though. (080118)

Bottle. Red/brown body with a small beige head. Aroma is sweet malt, alcohol and a bit roasted coffee. Flavor is very sweet malt, liquorices, alcohol, coffee, some kind of sour bitterness. Nice, but I think I’m not completely convinced.