Lion Stout - Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine July 2007.

Michael Jackson (the beer writer) had good things to say about this beer; he even landed his mug on the packag- ing somehow.

Massive tan head--four fingers' worth--rises slowly. Rocky, dense and bubbly, it drops to a thick lace that sticks all over the glass. Very fragrant with aromas of black currants, blackberries, cocoa powder and mild roast coffee. Amazing smoothness and medium creamy body with a lush mouthfeel. Quite malty to start, with a sweetness similar to sweetened coffee. The 8 percent ABV is deceiving to begin with, but after several sips, the palate warms right up. From middle to end come waves of roasted malt with undertones of dark bitter chocolate and faint espresso bean. Minimal hop bitterness, a little fruity and yeasty toward the end. Finishes on the sweet side with a long note of roasted flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 20:54:20 | More by BeerAdvocate

Jason

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml / 11.5oz brown bottle with an expiration date printed on the bottle. Stellar lacing on the glass with a ring being left nearly every sip. Coal black with virtually no light coming through.

Sweet molasses, prunes and black currants, thick roasted coffee, baker’s chocolate and a estery alcohol are all aromas I pick off of this stout.

Full bodied with a moderate carbonation. Smooth and creamy without a doubt, coffee and unsweetened chocolate come to mind at the first taste. Fruity twang in the middle of black currants, this twang doubles with a roasted grain flavour that is perfectly balanced. Hints of charcoal and earth run middle to end as the alcohol as kicks in with a warming estery character. Finishes slightly sweet with vague remnants of roastedness.

Not as complex as I thought it would be but that is finish being that a brew with such strength can be so drinkable. I’ll going back to this beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2002 11:28:19 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: 625ml brown bottle with a gold foil neck. MJ, the beer hunter, is pictured on the back of the label with a cheesy endorsement. Expiration date printed on the bottle.

Appearance: Black with brown hues. Pours a massive tan head with a creamy/foamy consistency, lots of glass stick and great retention. Unfiltered.

Smell: Caramel, light roasted notes, wet paper, touch of musty fruit.

Taste: A malty sweet brew, smooth and mature in character. Caramel, chocolate and mocha flavours are dominant with a touch of blackstrap molasses in the background. Wet paper flavours pull-thru revealing some oxidation of the beer. Soft, even mouthfeel. Alcohol is not evident in taste, but you can feel it working the brain. Mild astringent bite and dryness. Finish is chocolaty, a bit metallic and dries up.

Notes: Over-promoted by Michael Jackson and over-hyped in general. A pretty average sweet stout that has potential to be something better, but it never gets there. It sits somewhere between a dry Irish stout and typical sweet stout, leaning a bit too much towards the dry with its flat, one dimensional malt profile. Still at least worth a try for all of you stout lovers out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2002 15:18:01 | More by Todd

TokyoCO

Colorado

4.29/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a bottle in Japan, poured into a goblet.

A: Dark black with slight amber on the edges. Large head!

S: Sweet malts, milk chocolate, dark fruits. Quite a robust smell.

T: Starts off creamy and sweet, fruits are present. More bitter malts and slight chocolate/coffee taste is present in the middle. Ends with bitter chocolate and slight alcohol burn.

M: Creamy but not overly heavy.

O: This is good! No one taste is overwhelming as it is well balanced. Not as strong coffee and chocolate as a lot of stouts but the sweet malts and fruit are great. Definitely a sipper!

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 09:14:10 | More by TokyoCO

tdmccarthy

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-23-2013 18:33:20 | More by tdmccarthy

bobbyr5

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-21-2013 01:56:52 | More by bobbyr5

MatterOfOpinion

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-19-2013 02:40:48 | More by MatterOfOpinion

ppvora

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-17-2013 19:24:26 | More by ppvora

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.91/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a shaker pint, the beer is a dark, jet black coloring with a thick, dense, light tan head that starts a solid inch and a half, and settles into a filmy coating as you drink. Aromas of coffee, charcoal, bittersweet chocolate, and a hint of molasses. Very balanced aromas of savory and bitter, with highlights of smoke. Flavors of roast and nut on the forward tongue, with a milk chocolate backbone accented by charcoal and smoke. Very smooth flavors that are layered by subtle bitter and camp smoke characteristics. The beer remains smooth and fairly light in mouth, despite the rich and stereotypically heavy flavors. Roasted and smoky aftertaste, with a smooth, slightly dry finish. Very balanced and easily drinkable stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:54:44 | More by GarthDanielson

bum732

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-15-2013 22:38:26 | More by bum732

Partridge

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%

05-14-2013 13:26:59 | More by Partridge

Thedrizzle

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-13-2013 00:19:40 | More by Thedrizzle

CelticAleMan

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-08-2013 19:43:19 | More by CelticAleMan

Soneast

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-07-2013 00:36:49 | More by Soneast

hardrock

Arkansas

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-05-2013 21:34:59 | More by hardrock

CORunner01

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-02-2013 16:24:01 | More by CORunner01

AugustusRex

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-23-2013 01:55:14 | More by AugustusRex

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a full black color with no opacity. Very thick head at pour relaxes to around the rim with a very healthy spotted lace on the glass. Aroma is dark, sweet malts with some dark chocolate presence and a hint of black licorice. Flavor is dominated by the dark malts - sweet up front with a mellowed backend.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 00:46:14 | More by Oakenator

Dapperticus

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

04-16-2013 05:00:23 | More by Dapperticus

skaboom420

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

04-15-2013 10:39:24 | More by skaboom420

ohiobeer29

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-13-2013 03:19:43 | More by ohiobeer29

johnbosma

South Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%

04-07-2013 14:55:24 | More by johnbosma

avisong

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%

04-02-2013 03:00:12 | More by avisong

bacasnax

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

04-01-2013 23:57:01 | More by bacasnax

sumpjh

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

03-26-2013 14:13:57 | More by sumpjh