Lion Stout

Brewed by Lion Brewery (Sri Lanka)
Style: Foreign Stout
Biyagama, Sri Lanka

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

Black, a bit of brown glow. Generous tan layer that leaves a viscous lacy ring and lingers all the way through the glass. Aroma is exotic and complex: raisins lead, with smokey molasses and a bit grilled meat. Almonds, cola. Heavily black roast flavor, creosote, smoke, but a surprisingly dry, utterly clean finish, that is almost refreshing (quite a feat for such a strong dark beer). Lots of sparkle to the mouthfeel, but fine textured and not aggressive. Been looking for this one for quite some time--fun to finally get to try it. I have to give this a bonus points for having a good story; the treacherous mountain journey to get ingredients to the brewery. Then the treacherous journey to get this bottle from Sri Lanka, to Aarhus, Denmark where I found it, to London (narrowly escaping a last minute baggage weight purge--other bottles were not so lucky), coach to Oxford, to Woodstock, to my glass, which I raise back to these intrepid brewers.

UPDATED: JUL 2, 2005 Bottle at beerbistro. Pours black with a small brown head. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. Smells great. The flavour also consists of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate but I would like the coffee and/or chocolate to be even more prominent. Hides the 8% extremely well. Body’s a tad too watery. A little bitter. This is a wonderful beer.

Pours a very dark brown with a couple inches of solid brown foam. Rich dark malt in the aroma. Good lacing. The flavor is rich and full of roasted malt, with hints of mocha, molasses, and even rum. Smooth and full bodied - VERY filling.

Flavours of coffee, toffee and dark chocolate. Nice dark colour and it went down very smooth. A great stout!

Excellent beer! Poured with a dark tan head and some lace. Opaque brown color. Aroma is roasty, malty, a bit sweet and hint of fruit. Flavor’s got lots more going on. Kind of reminds me of a cross between a baltic porter and a sweet stout. Has all the aroma characteristics plus much sweeter yet balanced with a bitterness, dark fruit, madiera, and even - cream. Mouth is fine carbonation and creamy, but with a lingering bitter sweetness. A little boozy. A session beer that’d get ya snockered. Impressive brew. Tamil tigers oughta get a few cases and take a break, Ok, cook with it then. sheesh.

"Who would have thought Sri Lanka made good beer. Pour a pitch black. Head was average with same lacing. Smell of coffee and chocolate. Thick smoot creamy mouthfeel. Very rich taste with a burnt flavor finish. Awsome beer."

Big thanks to TheBeerCellar2 for this one. Smells very fruity and a bit metallic. Taste was delicious, notes of coffee, caramel, vanilla, and molasses. All of this on a very gentle, medium mouthfeel, which I found pleasing. Enjoyed this a lot, wish I could get it where I live.

330 ml bottle. Dark body with a nice reddish brown head. Aroma is smooth, light roasted malt with a little hint of liquorices. Flavor is sweet, roasted malt, with just a little touch of acidity, making a fine balance against the sweet malt. Not very bitter, still a fine and balanced brew. Rather quaffable.