Lion Stout - Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited

Lukie

Australia

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Sinha Stout, as the bottles are in Australia.

Pours out a jet ink black, with a firm brown head, which looks like coffee, dissipitating to small lacing, which clings to the sides of the glass like a spider web.

A huge hit of coffee, vanilla bean, cooking chocolate, and rum. Very rich smell which would put most other stouts to shame.

Coffee and cocoa, with some raisins, plums and roasty flavours that kick in. Very little hop character, but just a touch in the back.

This is amazingly smooth and creamy. Just a wonderful stout that is easy to drink, high in alcohol, and a must try for stout (or any) lovers.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2008 15:02:41 | More by Lukie

MissLynx

Ontario (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this one a little while back, at Fionn McCool's on St. Clair in Toronto (where it's called Sinha Stout rather than Lion Stout - apparently two names for the same product). I'd ordered it mainly because it was a stout I'd never had before, and I'm always up for trying new beers of my favourite types. Wasn't sure what it would be like, though -- I'd never really thought of Sri Lanka as a big stout-producing country.

To my surprise, it was really nice. Not necessarily about to be one of my very top favourites, but certainly very good and something I'd happily order again any time. It had a really rich, interesting flavour, with strong overtones of dried fruit -- black currant or maybe dried cherries or something. A little bit reminiscent of Unibroue's Trois Pistoles in that respect, although I certainly wouldn't call them equivalent (Trois Pistoles is a pretty hard act to follow). Also nice hints of dark chocolate and caramel.

All in all, a really enjoyable, unexpected treat. I will definitely order it again next time I'm there.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 07:39:58 | More by MissLynx

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Deep reddish black, bubbly khaki head which disappears very quickly. Moderate lacing.

S: Espresso beans, Earthy and sweet malts, Dark candied fruits like blackberries and prunes. Hints of bittersweet chocolate and alcohol present themselves.

T: Raw coffee grinds, big espresso coffee bite right off the start. Fades into a more complex flavor, with a thick fruit flavor and sweet caramel-like malts. Nice hop bite levels off with the body. 8% ABV is ideal for this brew. Bitter chocolate and dark coffee aftertaste.

M: Watery, sticky and sweet. Solid body, medium carbonation, which should be a bit lower in my opinion. Great aftertaste.

D: Very nice. A great stout, i love this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 23:31:59 | More by YouSkeete

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle: poured a pitch black with a gorgeous mocha puffy cap. Moderate carbonation for a bottle conditioned ale. Nose recalls coffee, dried fruits, toasted caramel sweetness and grassy hops. Full bodied, rich, and silky mouth feel. What a wonderful mix of flavors..all very mellow and not sharp or over bearing: cocoa, chickory, dates, musty apple, slightly charred toast...all kept in balance with lashings of lemon grass acidity from the hops and a soft drying charred finish that is totally in balance with sweet caramel tones...the finish is the mellowest, evenly balanced I have ever tasted in a stout...this is a world class stout and probably the best foreign stout available in bottles. Smooth, well rounded and very drinkable for a stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2005 21:49:40 | More by pootz

thelagerheads

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

In between bites of my bologna and mustard sandwich and dabblings in the fine delicacies of M&Ms chocolates and swigs of Lion Stout I can't help but be reminded of St. Augustine: "All things that are corrupted are deprived of good. But if they are deprived of all good, they will cease to exist. In so far as they exist they are good. Evil is no substance." But how can this be when EVIL is the man who has never gotten his PAWS around a LION STOUT?!?!

So what is it about me and coffee? I've never drunk the stuff more than 10 times in my life and each time with more sugar than a Pepsi and half milk. I'm a late comer to beer as well so it's quite peculiar that in concert these two should form the corpus of my favorite brews. I literally want to hug this lion. Both for the 8% alcohol involuntary lovefest and also to squeeze the daylights out of Michael Jackson (the brew guru) and his big mustache who adorn the back label. It also comes in a top-notch case which is as good looking as a hat box. 5 knocking stars and filaments.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2006 21:00:39 | More by thelagerheads

kboett77

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, this stout rocked me. I wasn't expecting much from a Sri Lankain beer, just wanted to taste it for the novelty, and what do you know, I think this is my current favorite stout. Nice creamy mouth feel with out being cloying or sticky. Just a touch of alchol finish, but not to much. Strong semi-sweet/smoky chocolate flavors without overpowering some lovely hop bitterness. Please try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 15:47:13 | More by kboett77

DoctorDog

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 330 ml bottle into a snifter.

A- Oily black/opaque. Pours with ~2 fingers of fluffy light brown head, which fades slowly, leaving a thin cap. Ample lacing noted.

S- Even with severely diminished olfactory capacity due to a cold, smell of sweet chocolate, coffee, and a hint of a liquor/molasses. Extremely pleasing aroma that has me ready to dive right in.

T- A bit of sweet chocolate, coffee, and molasses flavors. The alcohol is very well concealed/blended here. Excellent.

M- Smooth and creamy.

D- A fantastic desert/late night sipper, but even so, I could've sucked down a few of these in a row. Very, very drinkable for an 8% ABV stout.

Future outlook: Repeat business imminent.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2008 04:23:34 | More by DoctorDog

tanousa

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Beautiful dark tone with a nice tan head.

S- Mocha , roasty smell and bitter chocolate.

T- Nice tasre of molasses , chocolate and coffe, very complex flavors mixed in this stout.

M- Nice body, little to medium carbonation , cramy and delicious.

D- you can drink more than one because its so good but remember the 8 % ABV , this beauty can get you in trouble!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 23:26:38 | More by tanousa

sirdrinkwell

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a: pours a rich and opaque coffee black-brown with ample tan head..

s: sweet hops and malt blending with nice burnt caramel coffee...

t: beautiful chocolate bitterness with a nice smoky edge...

m: very full bodied, a nice mouthful...rich and smooth...

d: a wonderful stout from an unlikely locale, Lion Stout is a complete success in my book and gets 10 thumbs up...i'll drink this again with pleasure!

salud!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2009 21:32:46 | More by sirdrinkwell

tchenery

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This looks like a true stout. Pourrs a deep, deep brown (pretty much black) color. It has an off-white/tan head that leaves a nice lacing.

It smells like dark chocolate and dates or raisins. At 8% you can certainly smell the alcohol, but it blends nicely.

It tastes very soft on the palate, especially for its ABV level. I had imagined it would taste more of dark chocolate than it does, but to me it has more of a raisin, bread pudding flavor. There are coffee notes on the very very end.

It's not sweet, but it's not dry either. Very well balanced beer, especially for the amount of malts that must have been used.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 01:13:06 | More by tchenery

popery

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a great stout and, for me, it fits the Foreign/Export style quite well. Lion Stout pours wall to wall black with a creamy beige head. The aroma is cacao nibs, cocoa, coffee and a sharp fruitiness - apricots, strawberries, grapes - that differentiates it from most imperial stouts. The fruit notes come through in the flavor with a refreshing acidity. The beer starts sweet with cocoa and coffee and finishes with acidity and smoke. It's quite easy to drink. The creamy mouthfeel helps, as well. This beer has a lot of roasted malt character and manages also to be refreshing. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 02:45:31 | More by popery

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

When I got this I saw what the price tag was and I was hoping that it was going to be good. I took a 4 pack to my friends house one chilly night in 2008. The beer poured out as a dark black brew that had foamy brown colored head. The head settles a bit but still managed to leave a pretty good lacing down the glass. The smell of the beer is very roasted with a good amount of coffee on the nose. The taste has some really nice roasted flavors in there mixed with chocolate. The mouthfeel is pretty thick feeling. Overall this beer is very enjoyable to me. I am glad I've had it and I'd really like to have it again one day.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 23:51:45 | More by Knapp85

ckollias

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this 11.5 oz bottle out of a pint glass.

A: Pours a pitch black color with a one-finger tan head that leaves a gorgeous trail all the way down the glass and ends in a wispy lace.

S: Great aromas of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee.

T: Similar to the smell, roasted malts, chocolate and coffee flavors cross the palate. Smooth brew with a creamy body.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Hands down, one of the best stouts I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 01:08:59 | More by ckollias

ski271

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: clear, very-dark ruddy brown, with a small, tan, creamy, head that diminishes to just a ring.
S: Like a port wine in a way! Alcohol, plum, cassis, and light roasted malt aromas.
T: Wow that’s big and beautiful. Fruity, dark and balanced. Chocolate definitely present, especially in the finish.
M: slick up front with a dry finish, medium body, low carbonation.
D: Hell yeah! This is my kind of brew. Very good, and doesn’t hurt that it came at a time when I was getting tired of all the summer brews I’d had been having lately. But something about this one just really impressed me… made me smile. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2007 19:16:53 | More by ski271

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle version from Spikes..
Poured black with a slight brownish tint of brown in the light. Head was pretty nice, light brown and somewhat thin. Nose just smelled extra smooth and subtle. Some dark chocolate and mocha with a slight roastiness. Taste is chocolate upfront and the mocha hits you about halfway to finish. Not dry either like most stouts. This was very smooth and no bite. Very interesting stout. This stout is one of the most drinkable stouts I have ever had. The ABV was just right and very mellow with lots of taste!!!. EXCEPTIONAL

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 03:25:25 | More by barleywinefiend

starsbleedblue

Virginia

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

a-jet black in color with a thick caramel colored head
s- very sweet smelling, like a malty mocha with some vanilla notes
t- super rich espresso and chocolate... its like dessert in a bottle:)
m- thick, creamy, and velvety smooth
d- this is already one of my favorites so ill definitely be having it again

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2008 03:44:41 | More by starsbleedblue

mynie

Indiana

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled at the Plam in Milwaukee. This is from notes, and those notes were kind of drunk...

Very nice pour. It's rare that a pour looks creamy, but I'll be damned if this one doesn't look creamy. Dark, nearly opaque black with a tall brown head.

Smells like a really good, firm dry stout. Strong raw porter grain mellowed out by chocolate malt with a firm hop in the back.

Tastes very much like smells, only everything is lightly improved by the magnificient creaminess of the body.

Really nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2008 06:16:33 | More by mynie

jujubeast6000

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed 9/13/2009 (Bottle):

Pours an extremely dark brown color body, huge head, light tan, very lasting, creamy. Roasty aroma, some espresso, maybe chocolate. Very good smelling. Creamy mouthfeel, coffee and chocolate flavors. Slight ashiness. A little boozy. Less hot as it warms up. Very good tasting.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 15:38:24 | More by jujubeast6000

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

from a 12 oz

Pours a jet black with no transparency, with an oak colored head. Good head, retains as lacing.

Smells sweet like chocolate and malts, with hints of spices like nutmeg and a smokey aroma.

Taste is similar, with a mild dark chocolate bitterness accompanying the sweet notes. Rich.

Feels full bodied with a thick, oily texture. The carbonation is minimal but present in the feeling.

Absolutely delicious, a real treat. Hides the abv well. The only gripe is it disappears too fast.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 02:30:29 | More by Cylinsier

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This beer pours a black color with a finger of tan head that falls to coat the beer. The nose is really full of chocolate with hints of raisin in there as well. The taste is really chocolatey, slightly raisiny flavor on the start that mellows totally to a chocolate finish. Nice. The feel is moderate to thick. Just where I expect things for this beer. Drinkability is fine and dandy for a 8% beer. I would not expect a beer like this to come from a country like Sri Lanka.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2004 02:09:18 | More by kmpitz2

sleepingbear

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Chocolate City meets the Pacific.

I must admit I had a slew of predispositions about this beer.
I was thinking a Sri Lankan brew, really?

After watching the rolling, silky, fat-girl-in-satin-nightie pour- the first taste coaxed me into submission until I was lapping at the lion's paw.

A beautiful soft, round mouth feel is accented with rich, delicately sweet notes of cacao and coffee muted with a beautiful slightly sweet finish.

There’s something about a beer with a purpose that turns me on.
I mean anytime I eat any coconut curry (Indian or Thai) I will either be drinking this beer or thinking about drinking this beer. The Lion Stout even at room temperature is absolute fantastic combination with all hot curries dishes. This will be in attendance in the cellar for its occasions.

*side note: This brewery stopped brewing its beer to bottle water for victims of the tsunami.

Viva Lion!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2006 06:04:09 | More by sleepingbear

coldmeat23

Oklahoma

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

GLASS: Imperial Pint Glass
TEMP: Cellared @ approx 45 degrees

Pours black into the glass. Beautiful two-finger coffee colored head of thick foam. Retention is okay. Lacing is great.

Very nice nose. Smells of cocoa, vanilla and leather. Roasted chocolate malts. Very nice smokey notes. Dark fruits.

Big chocolate and coffee flavors. Huge roasted malt flavor. Slight hints of molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, and cherries. Touch of dried fig flavor. Here, also, is a very nice touch of smoke.

Feels very good. Nice and medium thick body. Slick and almost oily. Personally, I'd like it to be a tad bit thicker, but it is still very good.

This is an excellent representation of what a good stout should be. I'm very surprised that this is from outside of America. Tastes like a big American stout. Alcohol is very well hidden.
This brew is extremely drinkable. I want more.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2008 16:18:06 | More by coldmeat23

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've been meaning to try this for a while, so I finally caved and purchased a four pack (at a fair price) for Surdyks some time ago. Finally got around to trying it.

Poured into a pint glass, the color is deep black with a huge 3 or 4 finger chunky brown sugar colored head. Excellent retention and tons of lacing all over the glass.

The nose is toasted malts with a spicyness that I wasn't expecting, but it kinda works. There is also a nuttiness and a nice sweet character going on.

The taste is spot on the nose, nice toasted character with a light sweetness and spicyness. Very complex and earthy, a treat for sure.

Mouthfeel is thick bodied with a creamy and smooth feel. Nice carbonation level does wonders for it. Drinkability is awesome. If the ABV was lower this would be an exceptional session beer.

Overall, a great offering. I can imagine this goes well with spicy asian food.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 19:49:06 | More by Mistofminn

Brianito

Tennessee

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is my very first review and I'm surprised that I've chosen a random impulse buy rather than a favorite. Perhaps this is best though to get used to objective appraisal.

**ORIGINAL REVIEW (6/04/09)**

Appearance - Pours black, as any good stout should. Nice tan head that fades rather quickly, very modest lacing.

Smell - Immediately upon opening there is a strong molasses/soy smell. Seemed odd to me and was a little put off. As it warmed this calmed down to more burnt malt with an "old coffee" undercurrent. Smell may still be a possible drawback to some.

Taste - Sweet chocolate with alcohol at the back.

Feel - Very light and smooth. Seems slightly thin for the 8% as the alcohol is subtly apparent in each sip. Still, flows nicely over the tongue.

Drinkability - Good. Could easily have a few of these due to the smoothness.

Final thoughts: Picked this up since it was cheap and am not disappointed at all. I think I poured it too cold which I believe contributed to the almost overpowering initial aroma. In future I would let this warm slightly before serving as it certainly improved.

Different than other stouts I'm used to drinking and a nice change which I would purchase again, although only occasionally.

**UPDATED REVIEW**

Upon further tasting, it would seem the bottle I purchased and reviewed above was infected. I picked up a six-pack at another store and was pleased to find that Lion Stout is an incredibly aromatic and splendid tasting beer.

That soy smell is certainly not the norm! I get roasty malt goodness with a smokey, cigar ash undertone. The smell and taste is very unique to me. Again, there is an ashiness that is very pleasant tasting. Chocolate/coffee tones as well. The alcohol is there but nicely concealed. Drinks easily and can certainly finish a six pack over the course of a few hours.

Very pleased I went ahead and tried this excellent stout again. This has become a regular in the beer fridge and is highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 08:29:25 | More by Brianito

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served from the bottle into a nonic glass.

A- Jet black color with massive fluffy mocha brown head with no lacing. Left behind some brown sentiment in the bottom of the glass.

S- Notes of roasted coffee, chocolate, caramel, and toffee

T- Notes of sweet dark fruit, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, toffee, caramel, and vinegar. Finishes with a nice little alcohol burn.

M- Soft, velvetly mouthfeel, and warming. I have never had a beer that was this smooth and textural pleasing.

O- A very well-crafted complex stout that has an incredible soft and smooth mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 01:53:16 | More by Hoptometrist