Stewart Cauld Reekie

Brewed by Stewart (UK)
Style: Stout
Edinburgh, Scotland

Serve in English pint

500ml bottle from Stewart Brewery - pours very dark brown, almost black, with a thin tan head, aroma is roast malt, initially sweet taste, but with a nice balanced finish, slightly oily feel, but this is a nice drink, although I do prefer the Chilli Reekie variant

Pint at the Bacchus Newcastle. Somewhat discomfitted by having to hand over more than a Tenner for a pint and a double vodka and tonic for th missus. Dark brown with a thin tan head which disappeared leaving a glass of what looked like cold coffee or flat dandelion and burdock. Plenty going on flavourwise: lots of mocha, licquorice and soy sauce, but a bit of a thin mouth-feel for a big 6.2% stout. None ot the comforting creamy silkiness you might be expecting. There are better stouts out there.

Cask at the Prince of Wales, Aberdeen. It pours very dark ruby-brown, with a thin tan head. The nose is caramel, toffee, burnt toast, treacle, molasses and liquorice. The taste is caramel, wood, dark fruit, miso, meat, liquorice and roasted malt, with a dry finish. Medium body and soft carbonation. Ok, but nothing special.

Bottle. Pourd very dark brown with thin tan head. Boozy, darl malt nose. Liquorice, roast and chocolate flavour with a dry finish. Slightly oily palate. Good beer.

[500ml bottle, Oddbins Edinburgh] Pours black with a decent cream-tan coloured head. Nose is heavy on the roasted malts. Initially sweet, treacle malt on the taste, before the flavour develops into a more molasses richness. Roasty on the finish, some alcohol, liqourice, bitter linger. Having said there’s some alcohol - it really doesn’t taste 6.2%. Very nice [09122011]

Cask at Holyrood 9A. Deep brown black, thin tan head. Liquorice, chocolate on the nose. Nice roasty milk chocolate flavours, slightly bitter roasty spiced finish. Nice!

Tasted this at The Esquire House, Glasgow (JDW) in December 2011. Cask, handpump dispense. Black mahogany in colour with ruby tints around the edges. Thin creamy tan head, good lacing and a thin, slightly oily mouthfeel which was surprising. Distinctive note of fruity Vimto in the short aroma when agitated vigourously. Dark malt complex gives a dusty burnt toast note from the black malt. Malty robust base gives a full maltloaf flavour, full of juicy raisins, warm clootie dumplings, molasses and prunes. Just a touch of hop prickle evident in the short bitter aftertaste with a touch of pontefract cakes also present. Liquorice note continues into the sweet finish with vinous fruit and blackcurrants still evident. No traces of coffee or bitter chocolate notes in this stout. Is this really an actual stout? Tastes more like an Old Ale in style and reminded me of Williams Ebulum? Due to the thin mouthfeel and texture, this is far too easy to drink quickly, so be aware that the 6.2% will kick in as a delayed reaction. An excellent dark ale from the Stewart brewery, good to see someone bucking the trend! Highly recommended.

Bottle. Dark brown to black with tan head. Nice roasted flavour. Coffee bitterness. Nice finish. A fine beer.