Guinness Special Export Stout (John Martin - Belgium) - Guinness Ltd.

Naerhu

Japan

4.65/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Robbeer for carrying this beer all the way to Japan for me.

This beer is more of a belgian beer in flavor and alcohol than it is Irish. The difference is more than just the difference of 0.5% alcohol. They must be using a belgian yeast.

Espresso crema. Pitch black body.
Extremely vinous black malty aroma.
The flavor is massive and fruity. If only all belgians where as bitter as this, I might understand what the big deal about belgians are.
Very oily mouth feel, but not in a bad way.

Unlike any other guinness product, this is not to be had with food as its intensity and long lasting flavor will overpower any food. This is a stand alone desert beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2004 01:05:42 | More by Naerhu

ToolHead

Denmark

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

30 cl. bottle; served in Duvel tulip.
Black color; nice, creamy, tan head with good lastability.
Bitter, heavily roasted aroma. Impressive fullness and bite in a well-balanced bitter, dry taste that's nicely rounded and complex. The alcohol is impressively hidden and is noticeable primarily as a slowly warming sensation halfway into the glass. Assertive, long finish. Very nice, full mouthfeel. Highly drinkable.
A thoroughly impressive stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2004 10:45:50 | More by ToolHead

kmcnair

California

4.8/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I poured this one from a 33cl bottle into a Chimay goblet. It is a deep dark brown cola-like color and makes a superb off white/tan head. Laces nicely down the goblet as it empties.

Smell is rich, roasted malt and coffee beans with a subtle hints of chocolate and caramel.

Flavor is full of roasted coffee bean and bittersweet chocolate malt. Its spicy and hoppy. Much of the same that was found in the nose is present in the flavor, roasty caramel and chocolate with a huge coffee flavor. There are hints of prunes and raisins on the pallate. Alcohol is hardly present. This is perfection in an export style stout.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and viscous and long lasting coating on the throat.

This is a moderately drinkable brew, it is strong and full flavored and all around great!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2004 08:05:54 | More by kmcnair

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled in Belgium. This is a thick dense beer, much thicker than any other Guinness that I have had. It pours with a tan head. It is loaded with flavor, unlike the draft U.S.A. version, which I find bland. It tastes thick and sweet with lots of roast malt character.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2003 23:37:57 | More by Gueuzedude

francisweizen

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was served to me at an old Dutch bar off of Rue Sobloinerre in Brussels. This stuff is as dark as it gets! An opaque black colour with an immense head of tan. The aromas are of chocolate, deep-roasted malts, booze, and more! THe taste is boozy, malty, chocolate-y and perfect. The mouthfeel is thick but not cloying and the drinkability is wonderful...

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2003 06:06:09 | More by francisweizen

marburg

Michigan

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Guinness in its greatest form, hands down. I got this shipped to me a while back and just tried it the other night, consumed from a chalice. And it was simply awesome. Poured with a fairly generous dosage of head, thick and tan. The same "black gold" look you know and love from every form of Guinness.

Big big roasty, coffee aromas. The alcohol adds a sweetened dimension to it -- almost fruit-like. Initial flavor profile is more or less the same -- with a roasted bitterness kick. Noticeably sweet with a carmelized sugar punch -- it's got to be that alcohol giving it that sweet aspect -- it definitely turns around to bite you in the end with a bitter, dry, powerful finish. No awkward aftertaste, however.

As it warms, the alcohol really takes over. The malt drops away, and it gets a tiny bit harsh -- but not nearly enough to stop me from loving every goddamn minute of it. Heavy, thick, and viscous, this isn't a wimpy beer on the tongue, but it works. I've not had the "normal" export stout, but I do know that with this, it's really got a good something extra compared to Guiness' other products. Top shelf.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2003 22:42:21 | More by marburg

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Looks delicious, deep brown to black, really compact head, tight bubbles. Didn't like the aroma so much (oily, buttery mollasses. Fat toffee and roast, thick and rich. Very long roasty finish, quite bitter. Some mollases and raisins aswell, very thick mouthfeel. Beautiful rich, bitter chocolate finish. A beautifully rich stout.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2003 00:28:33 | More by rastaman

GreenCard

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: just like a regular Guinness Foreign but with more head; dark mahogany, almost opaque, tan head with nice lace effects

Aroma: roasty, coffee, grain, alcohol, slight maltiness, some caramel, soy sauce, cherries

Flavor: very full flavored roastiness is almost too bitter at first but then the substantial malt sweetness starts to be more evident with each sip; tangy, toasty, caramelly, the finish dry and bitter

Mouthfeel: medium-full body, spritzy carbonation, blooming alcohol warmth (a bit harsh in the throat), slightly astringent

Overall Impression: I heard tell of this exclusive version of Guiness about a year ago and now that I live in Belgium, I can finally taste it. Pretty good stuff. Definitely tastier than the original and more "worthwhile" to drink. Give one of these to the people who think dark beers are stronger and they'll think they're right!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2003 19:09:58 | More by GreenCard

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.72/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: A 33cl Tall thin neck brown bottle. Purchased in Belgium during my 2003 Easter Trip. Standard black, red & light orange label, very similar in style to that of Foreign Export Stout. Labeled as “Selected by John Martin, Alc. 8% Vol.”, the middle of the front label has the Red Letter M with a small JM above it, followed by the number “461009”. Brewed in St.James's Gate, Dublin for John Martin N.V., B-2060 Antwerpen. "Belgium Guinness".

Appearance: Pours a thick black color. A darkish brown thin head forms slowly as the beer is poured into my Belgium McEwan’s Scotch Ale Goblet. The minimal carbonation that existed in the beer expired quickly to reveal a rather flat looking darkish brown fluid. However, when the beer was swirled, it slowly allowed more carbon dioxide to come out of solution. The yeast that remained in the bottle slipped slowly into the Glass with the dregs of the pour.

Nose: Deep strong smooth malts. Slight vinuous hints mixed with some Port. Fino Sherry like whiffs occasionally permeate the air as the beer is swirled.

Taste: Massive and complex multi-layered tastes that reveal themselves at various stages. Strong coffee roasted malts that have been smoothly rounded by time in the bottle, lend Drinkability. Has a body reminiscent of a good Port. The 8% alcohol by volume is barely noticeable, yet there is a warming aspect to the finish of the beer in the stomach. Well-balanced.

Mouthfeel: Strong malts dominate the massive presence in the mouth, coating the tongue, cheeks & teeth. This all helps to create a fantastic lingering mouthfeel even after the beer has been swallowed.

Drinkability: A sipper that at times, simply dazzles you with its strong tastes, massive mouthfeel & gorgeous ‘aged’ finish. A simply huge beer, that has stood the test of time extremely well. A true, bottle-conditioned Strong Stout of the highest order and quality.

Overall: Totally Astounding. Sheer Bloody Brilliance. You can keep the Nitro-Can, the naff plastic bottle and the thin watery draft versions.

Oh, but just if all Guinness was like this….<sigh>

Note: The obverse label is dated, but its smudged, 10/11/9…., the last digit could be an ‘8’ or a ‘0’. The Zero is not as far fetched as it sounds. That’s because I bought this dusty old bottle from a tiny little Bar in Huy, Belgium. The woman who ran the Bar sold me this dusty old bottle, and the last 3 of her McEwan’s 1993 Christmas Ales (plus a free Glass) for just €5 this Easter – the stuff of legends!

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2003 16:23:21 | More by TheLongBeachBum