Lacto Traditional Stout Beer - Simonds Farsons Cisk Plc.

Offa

California

4.6/5  rDev +67.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a wonderful, highly drinkable stout, packing a lot of flavour and character into a very low ABV.

Essentially, but not quite, black, it has some dark red-brown light at the bottom. It has a medium-large brown head steadily shrinking to a foamy ring and wispy top. It leaves some nice rings of lace.

The aroma is full-bodied but light, with mineral, brown sugar, caramelised prunes, dried figs, brown bread. It is very pleasant.

The taste is similar, light in body and feel, light on the toungue, yet with plenty of flaovur, engaging compliexuity, and sweet but not too sweet. Up front, it has fermented, lightly caramelised prunes, lightly sweet brown bread with brown sugar, drying to light, drier toasty-woody-leafy finish with mineral and hints of spices and plum wine. This morphs into a long, light aftertaste of sweet brown bread, toasty leaves. The dryish, light finish, balances out the sweetness nicely in the absence of bitterness. It's light and lively, not oily but not watery, either, and has a nice consistent feel that beautifully balances lightness with full feel and character.

This makes for a nice, engaging, light, and very easy-drinking beer that gives you a lot for the alcohol. Keep in mind that this is a lighter, traditional "restorative"-type beer, not the heavy-duty, high-ABV sweet stouts some now make to satisfy drinkers of imperial stouts, etc.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2009 18:01:51 | More by Offa

generallee

New York

4.05/5  rDev +47.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 11.2oz bottle into a pint glass. There is no freshness date on the bottle.

Appearance: The body has a nice dark chocolaty brown color with a light brown, chocolate milk shake like head on top. The head has very good retention makes tons of thick light brown lacing on the glass.

Smell: Its aroma has a mix of leafy hops, minerals and smoky roasted grain.

Taste/Mouth Feel: The flavor has hints of coffee with cream, some smoke, sweet roasted gain, leafy hops and a light dusting of dark coco powder. It has a nice medium body with a silky smooth texture and soft carbonation. It is slick but not overly thick or cloying at all.

Notes: There is a lot of flavor packed into this little beer that has only 3.8%abv. This could be a nice dark session beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 21:12:50 | More by generallee

Lauthaha

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +40.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a wine glass.

Appearance: Head looks a little bubbly...mellows down to a razor-thin foam on the surface of the dark brown brew. Mostly opaque, but did not pour as thickly as most stouts do.

Smell: It smells milky, haha. Almost like chocolate milk, with just a hint of coffee and some undertone esters. Very good.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Over-sweet, milk-like texture. Slight Pacific coffee flavor, lots of cream, lots of sugar. Despite the cloying aspect of the brew, it has a lot of redeemable qualities. Better than average, especially considering the ABV.

Drinkability: I could probably do one of these with breakfast every morning. It'd be great with pancakes or waffles.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 05:15:37 | More by Lauthaha

BrewerB

California

3.83/5  rDev +39.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma of coffee/roasted grains was most noticeable. Some sweetness lingered behind but it was a bit low for a milk stout. Low level of esters.

Appearance is black and opaque. Dark tan colored head was thick at pouring but receded down and persisted. This is exactly right for the style! (Despite some of the low scores)

Moderate level of dark chocolate/roasted grain type flavors. Some level of sweetness also apparent. Hop flavor and bitterness are both low. Increase the sweetness, bitterness, and fruity esters and you'll have a better class of beer. Perhaps the trip from Malta does the beer poorly?

Medium-full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Feels somewhat thick and creamy. Non-astringent and smooth. Again - exactly what this style should be. (Despite other low scores)

Overall this beer is missing out on some sweetness and bitterness that would improve drinkability. Not a bad beer, just missing the characteristics to make it great. I'd stop with one glass but were you to twist my arm, I'd drink another.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2008 22:34:38 | More by BrewerB

germanbeer1

Maine

3.8/5  rDev +38.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a solid black with a tan head. It's difficult to discern at first any noticeable smell, but there are some hints of milk. This stout has a nice body with minimal after-taste, probably because of the sort of milky, but mostly sweet sensation. I was expecting more of a milky taste, but it is more creamy than anything else. Still a pretty solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2008 02:56:43 | More by germanbeer1

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +36.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked this up in Brooklyn today, not everyday you come across a Maltese beer. Looks appropriately dark and has an attractive, bubbling chocolate head. With so much carbonation, there is a mass of bubbles on the side of the glass that makes this brew look like cola. Nose is faintly sweet but mostly insignificant.

The first taste is nicely balanced and smoothly toasty. The lack of body instantly surprised me. There is some dairy detections of taste as the glass empties. The texture is thin but pleasant and smooth, just not real close to the style. Overall, easy drinking and a bit different.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2007 05:23:37 | More by daliandragon

brownbeer

Missouri

3.73/5  rDev +36.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark and opaque with a rather attractive brown head.

Nose has a European feel to it, I think it's the yeast. Chocolatey and milky, maybe a hint of licorice and raisin with a fruity yeast note lying underneath.

The palate is where it fell apart for me. Starts out chalky and metallic, which I have to say faded into a better mouthfeel later on. Suprisingly fruity with stout notes only in the background. Finishes chocolatey and dry.

Once it opened up it got substancially better and very drinkable. In the meantime though, i'm in no hurry to pick up more.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 00:28:26 | More by brownbeer

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +35%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A frothy, deep orange-brown head rises majestically over the almost completely opaque black-brown body as your pour. Only a sliver of glimmering deep mahogany can be seen at the base of the glass when you hold it to the light.

As you nose the glass you pick up a thread of sharp fruit (some berries, some citrus, some tropical) and some mild leafy hops mixed amidst its sweetish caramel malt.

The body is medium and supple with a fine-bubbled, moderate carbonation that leaves it remarkably smooth across the palate.

The flavor is as the nose suggests, with more citrusy, tropical fruit (even some papaya) and a distinct tea-like quality to the hops. It's caramelish, and mildly sweet; and not particularly chocolatey or roasty at all. The bitterness is restrained, but present, and it finishes drying with some lingering caramel, lactose, yeasty fruitiness, and leafy bitterness.

It's interesting to a certain extent, and it continues to evolve a bit throughout the serving, but it's not particularly rich - full flavored, yes, but rich, no. That does lend it some drinkability, however, although the residual "sticky" lactose and twig-like bitterness do hinder the otherwise smooth and caramel-fruity finish. Very "English" in character. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2007 17:21:32 | More by NeroFiddled

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev +34.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice solid blackened brown color with a substantially bubbled cocoa colored capping thats slim and fairly lasting. Keeps tiny speckles of lace sticken across the glass.

Aroma is of sweet milk and a slimming cocoaness, quite clean and refreshing, just not all that booming. Not really excpected for a milk stout though.

Taste is fairly good, richly milken and mildly sweet with a titch of chocolate, vanilla pods, and some hazelnut based cream lift off the finish as its stays mostly undertoned in a sweet milky flavor and body.

Feel is a soft medium body, ummm...milky, creamy, with a nice chocolately nudge in the middle along with a stout base of carbonation that builds nicely across the palate and stay there with a soft fluff of creamed chocolate milk.

A decent milk stout and very drinkable. Wasn't sure where Malta was, no I do, thanks Google, but if I ever visit there in travels and this is available, this stuff will definately do.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2009 18:21:42 | More by tavernjef

Halcyondays

California

3.68/5  rDev +34.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz. bottle,

A: Pours black with a brown/tan head, solid lace and head retention.

S: Roast and brown sugar, caramel candy.

T: Lactose, malted milk balls, quite sweet with a light roast backbone.

M: Light-bodied, creamy, crisp carbonation, easy drinking.

O: An interesting effort, it certainly has a distinct flavour, perhaps a bit too sweet in the end, but an enjoyable example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 18:18:01 | More by Halcyondays

yesyouam

New York

3.65/5  rDev +33.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Farsons Lacto is a solid black beer with a dense, splotchy brown head that has excellent retention and lacing. It has a sweet roasted aroma that somehow smells warm, like a freshly baked cake. It's medium bodied and a bit sharp with a quick finish. It's sweet, cola-like and a little buttery. It's like drinking a cake. It's a little bit like a Baltic Porter, I suppose. I enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 17:56:02 | More by yesyouam

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev +33.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330 mL bottle. Pint glass.

A: Pitch black pour; dark tan head that last about 5 seconds.

S: Oats, cocoa, lactose, and caramel.

T: Wet and slightly state oats, some sweet and tangy dark fruits, lots of sweet lactose, and some roastiness.

M: Thin body with low carbonation.

O: This is light, tasty, and from Malta!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 14:36:29 | More by bucklemyshoe

86sportster883

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +29.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The Lacto Stout is a very drinkable low alcohol milk stout with some roasted character and mild creany sweetness. But, you have to let it warm up quite a bit to really appreciate any hint of complexity. Not a great beer but, then again, it strikes a nice balance between sweet and bitter (falling clearly on the side of sweet) and then finishes a little dryer. I thought it might be a little fuller in body, given the style. Overall the Lacto Stout is a decent easy drinking beer, but there are much more interesting milk stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2008 02:40:02 | More by 86sportster883

alexgash

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz. bottle. 3.8% abv.

I just don't seem to have many Maltese beers these days... This one pours a dark ruby brown with garnet edges. Small finger of khaki head with decent lacing. Nose of licorice, vanilla, sweet milk chocolate, and root beer. Interesting. Cola sweetness up front. Light roasted notes in the background. Some fruitiness toward the finish with another flash of mild roastedness. Dates in the finish with a hint of oxidation-like sherry flavor. Moderate body with gentle carbonation. Goes down pretty easy. Not as bad as I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2009 23:03:11 | More by alexgash

LumpyGuitar

New York

3.45/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this up on a whim, I'd been looking for a milk stout for awhile.

Poured a solid dark brown with a finger of tan head. Retention is good, lacing is mild.

Smell is of chocolate malt with a light sweet background.

Taste is better than I thought it would be, especially with the "added" flavor. Flavor starts with the usual bitter roasted malt of a stout and finishes with a chocolate-milky sweetness. I like it.

Mouthfeel is medium to heavy bodied, carbonation is weak, very smooth for a stout.

Drinkability is average. This is an interesting beer, and easy to drink. People can say what they want about the artificial flavor, its still a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2009 01:49:48 | More by LumpyGuitar

templar316

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

As I sat down to write this reveiw, I was saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary Michael Jackson. As I first heard about Lacto through his work it seemed fitting to dedicate this reveiw to him. Michael you brought me and many others a greater love and appreacation of beer which will persist long after your untimely demise. You will be missed.

The bottle of beer reveiwed has been ageing in my basement since march and I noticed a noticable improvement in flavor after a few mounths of lagering. There was a noticable disapearence of the strong coppery flavor many reveiwers complained about which settled back and blended with the other textures over time. Lacto pours well with a nice carmal colored head which fades quickly. The body shows ruby highlights held to the light. While many reveiwers deduct points for the "carmel color added" claim on the label, I am reminded that the traditional defination of stout merely adds another ingredient to the brewing process (ie milk, oatmeal, oysters). Rather then a beer with a extraordinary amount of chared barrley leading to the extra black extra dark assosciation many have with the style. With all this said I wish the brewer would have left the caramel color out and allowed their beer to show for itself. Unfortunatly after a nice softly malty, milky nose the flavor of this beer does not deliver. The overall character is realatively understated and bland, with a slightly dirty mouth feel. I wonder I both this "dirty" feel and the afore mentioned coppery taste are a result of impureties in the water used at the brewery and may have changed over time. Overall however this is a much better beer then it's detractors give it credit for, but I'm personally glad to see that the style has evolved past this, toward the powerfull american stouts we all know and love.

Cheers Michael.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2007 04:36:27 | More by templar316

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a brown 11.2 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smells of malt with some hints of caramel. Taste is mild, malty and just a bit bitter. Feels creamy in the mouth. Not really a beer I could spend the whole evening drinking. Overall this is a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 23:12:20 | More by tone77

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours opaque black with a tan head. Nose is slightly sugary sweet. Flavor is okay. Kind of metallic with a constant sweet tone that really doesn’t deliver much beyond that. Feel is low on carbonation and a bit watery on the liquid. This is drinkable, sure. But for the style, it is kind of lacking.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 05:05:20 | More by RblWthACoz

jwc215

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours pitch black with a thin light brown head that soon becomes patchy.

The smell is somewhat thin - some milk and slight hints of sweet, dark grains.

The taste is of mildly sweetened milk. Sweet graininess in the back. Some earthy bitterness balances out the sweetness, A decent enough taste to give it the benefit of the doubt between the two scores I was between. But, not much to it.

Thins too much, though not overly watery. It has a rather harsh carbonated feel.

Not as creamy or smooth as I would expect for this style. It has a decent taste, though not enough to keep me interested for long. One is okay, but enough.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2007 23:15:13 | More by jwc215

StevenBilodeau

Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was an interesting brew. Got it into the store, because I was interested in it due to the fact that it's from Malta, a small island off of Italy which was once inhabited and controlled by the British. However, once the British left, Farson's came out with its very one Farson's Lacto Milk Stout.

It's nice to learn history.

Imported by B United, Farsons Milk Stout deserves to be purchased at least once.

It pours a dark chocolatey brown. With a tan mocha like head. It looks like a dark chocolate milk with foam. The smell is of milk chocolate, and maybe a subtle note of fruit.

The taste is not as sweet as I thought it was going to be, a nice dense mouthful, but not heavy. I really enjoyed this brew.

It reminds me of a low alcohol beverage that tastes pretty good, and hits the spot when you want it.

This is a pretty good beer.

Kudos to Malta.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 02:59:39 | More by StevenBilodeau

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.23/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black in colour, with an orange/brown coloured lasting head. Aroma is lightly raisiny, lightly roasty, failry light in general. Palate is sweetish, lightly roasty, lightly raisiny, slightly roasty bitterness, nice soft mouthfeel, shies away from being sweet and cloying like Mackeson Stout for example. I'm glad i got to try this classic milk stout, even if it wasn't anything special, pretty decent though.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2003 17:20:31 | More by rastaman

SLeffler27

New York

3.15/5  rDev +15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark walnut, but is essentially black, in a tulip glass. A dark, velvety chestnut head turns shiny and rocky before quickly fading to a ring. There is a minimal, syrupy lace and overall the appearance is quite odd.

Has an aroma filled with rich roasted malt and molasses, followed by coffee and bittersweet chocolate. With warmth, the aroma turns acrid.

The flavor is overly sweet with malted chocolate and brown sugar. This one is fairly one-dimensional through a modest, sweet finish.

Has a medium to full body with an odd texture akin to wet satin. The carbonation is prickly. Much to my surprise there is a presence of alcohol in this 3.4% beer.

This one is better suited to a dessert setting.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 19:57:07 | More by SLeffler27

SilentSabre

Georgia

3.13/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Nice and inky black through which no light passes when held to a lamp. Rather assertive pour yields only about a finger thick light brown head. Not a bad looking stout.
Smell is certainly sweet with dark malts and a bit of lactic acidity deep down, but you can definitely smell it. Smells about like I'd expect it to.
Taste, too, it about what I would expect, except the sweetness seems a bit assertive, even considering the style. Really sweet, dark roasted malts dominate the flavour with the lactic acidity making an appearance in the flavour, as well. This isn't a terrible Milk Stout, but the sweetness and exceptionally thin mouthfeel simply aren't for me. I like a stout to be big, thick, chewy, and heavy and this one is none of those things. Still, this was certainly an interesting beer and highly drinkable at 3,4% if the sweetness doesn't bother you.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 23:23:09 | More by SilentSabre

Shiredave

New York

3.1/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I had to try this out of curiosity - despite the label stating boldly that the Milk Stout had caramel color added. Also, the ABV reads 3.8% not 3.4% as posted here on BA.

It looks ok- a bit transparent for a stout but deep, dark brown with a persistent tan head and some nice lacing.

Aroma is sort of stout like - some roasted grain notes but mostly a burnt sugary smell that wasnt really bad just weird.

Flavor is sweet, sweet sweet with some chalky tartness on the side -like Hershey's syrup in sour milk. Slightly beer like but not very satisfying. Pretty one dimensional and boring but not horrible. The body is ultra thin with some mild bittering at the finish.

Very drinkable for what it is - and isnt - I would take this over a Mich Ultra or Bud any day but certainly not something I would be likely to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2009 03:21:28 | More by Shiredave

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.1/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz brown bottle.

It pours a deep blackish brown with a thick and creamy tan head that recedes with a bit of nice lacing.

The smell is interesting, a bit of permanent marker, chocolate, and sugar.

The flavor is light and sweet, there is a lot of metallic flavor, mostly milky milk chocolate, it is a bit buttery.

It is okay, easy to pound and get over with.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 03:26:01 | More by crossovert