Leek Black Grouse

Brewed by Leek
Style: Stout
Leek, England

Serve in English pint

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Black or very dark brown in colour, depending on the light. Flavours are initially earthy roast malts then a blackjack tangy licourice sourness. Then a dry finish. Do you get blackjacks in the US? Anyhow, this porter is typical of the style.

Bottle conditioned (500ml) review, best before end of Sept 09, drank and reviewed 7 days too late! The label claims it is suitable for veggies and vegans, so no Sturgeons swim bladder used to clear the brew. I wonder what they use instead? Poured into a pint vase shaped glass (Old Speckled Hen badged): The third review of my ’Dark Beer Evening’. This really is a black stout, I had to hold the glass up to the electric light very closely before I could detect a deep, dark maroon colour hiding within. A good creamy tan coloured head sat on top of the brew. The smell was of burnt malted biscuits, dark chocolate and plums. The taste was very dry throughout, the aftertaste emphasised the dryness almost turning it into a cheek puller-inner. The flavours followed the smell, add some burnt brown toast. The bitterness from the dark chocolate (and whatever hops they used) taking centre stage and almost overpowering everything else. The bitterness and dryness together made the beer very different to the rich, creamy mass produced stouts that are common in the UK. I liked this style of stout and the 4.5% suited it just fine. Both wheat and barley are used in the brew, no hop details are given (haven’t consulted the website). A well made stout and one I’d willingly try again.

Bottle from brown and greens, trentham . Pours black with no head. Cocoa, roasts, good hop balance. Decent but a little thin. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle 50 cl from Open All Hours in Keswick (Cumbria). Dark reddish-brown plumage, pulling the black grouse, rare moss, flat. Silky aroma of roasted malt, bitterness, notes of coffee and blackcurrant. The taste is similar, roasted grain with its bitterness XL, average body, balanced, black fruits, dark chocolate. It finishes dries, on keys of bitterness and toast...

Bottle. Lifeless and flaccid, with no head. Soot and bramble splashes on the nose. Apple and blackcurrant fruit mingled with heavy cocoa, bonfire, a dab of salt. High cocoa, black coffee bitterness long after it’s gone. Love the flavours here, but the body needs work.

A Mes rate: Bottle from Utobeer.
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.

UPDATED: OCT 6, 2008 A deep black colour, roasted malt nose,. bitter maltness a good enough example...2.9

Tk 2 ... Bottle for Jet Garage Thanks to fin for the recomendation of the 300 beer garage... Didnt realise it was a rerate...k ... Deep black thin bubbly head ... decent roast malt ... again a good roast but body is a bit thin ... little smokey little coffee... bit fizzy ... the balance just isnt there ... its just not workin 2.9

Bottle 08-04-06. Almost black, medium off white head, whilst this was enjoyable it was also a bit thin, finish was dry.

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.

Cask at Stoke Beer Festival 2004. Has a sweetness that’s continually reined in by some lovely chocolate coffee malts.

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.