Cask@Dartford BF. Maybe i liked this more than i normally would have, because i was desperate for something that was dark, and at least half good at this stage of the fest. This was better than just good. Slightly acidic, bitter chocolate, roasty malts. Oaty and lightly chalky, dry finish, tasty one.

<b>A Mes rate: Bottle from Utobeer.</b><br />Solid black with a slim tan head. Fruity and hoppy aroma with some solid dark malt underneath. Chocolate and coffee flavour. Strong bitterness. Almost soapy. Almost salty. Quite strange. Malts are ok. Hops are really quite good. It’s just a little bit wrong. Nothing quite works and the soapyness gets more pronounced by the sip. Chocolate and coffee finish saves the day. Extremely dry. Odd stuff. Certainly interesting, just not great.

Very dark oak brown colour. Coffee extract aroma - a little musty, with a resinous edge. The taste also has a woody, resinous character with roasted malt, licorice and a slight sourness at the end. I thought this was more like a porter than a stout. Whatever it is, I liked it. Cask &#40;gravity&#41;, Thurrock Beer Festival.

Cask Conditioned at The Bulls Head, Leek, Staffs. A black with red hints stout or dark mild, I couldn&#39;t quite make up my mind. Dry, roasted flavours not unlike peanuts and a long bitter fruity folow through. A pleasant black beer worth looking out for.

Cask Handpump at the Smithfield Hotel, Manchester 17/07/2003 Black fruity and slightly rich on the palate. Some bitterness in a full roast finish.