Lion Stout - Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited

Crayz

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured into an oversized red wine glass. Slow rising rich tan head. Very smooth, with a fluffy characteristic. Lingered for a bit before dissipating to a thin film - minimal lacing. Extra points for the nitro like pour.

S - Very inviting and complex, yet simple and smooth; tons of dark fruit, chocolate, a little coffee/mocha too.

T - Roasted malts. Lots of roasted malts that blend nicely to create a smooth chocolate flavor with underlying dark fruits. Raisins, dates; a great finish with a slight caramel bitterness.

M - Smooth. Have I mentioned smooth anywhere else?! Fairly light mouthfeel for the style and alcohol. Overall a very creamy feel that matches the looks of the pour.

D - Great beer overall. A soild stout that lives up to the style. Could drink a couple in a row, but the roasty presence and warming alcohol as it warms keeps it as a nice sipper. Though the smoothness may lead you elsewhere....

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2009 05:37:32 | More by Crayz

wallpaperbag

Alabama

1.73/5  rDev -56.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Gross.
I don't waste beer, even bad ones, and after several attempts to hand out my 6-pack I almost threw the last couple into the woods.
I love big stouts but this was strong in a uniquely bad way. All the wrong dark fruits soaked in salt water and dipped in cheap chocolate.
The only good thing I got out of this was a deeper sleep and a lesson in buying stouts from Sri Lanka. Please give me a Sierra Nevada Stout or a Bell's Double Cream.

Serving type: can

01-19-2011 09:40:18 | More by wallpaperbag

danimal22

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Received Lion Stout in a holiday gift pack from work, and was pleasantly surprised! Served in a pint glass poured from 12oz bottle

A: Pours a very nice dark, near opaque color. Decent fluffy brown head lingers for some time leaving noticeable lacing.

S: Dark roasted nut/grain smell. Very pleasant.

T: Very nice! Dark roasted, near smoky nut flavor with hints of cocoa. Nice balance with a very slight hopping.

M: Mouth feel is good. Moderate carbonation allows the taste to "tickle the taste buds".

D: Very drinkable stout. I recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 03:36:09 | More by danimal22

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

fischerr3

Japan

4.63/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

WOW

what can i say... chocolate chocolate chocolate... but i am pretty sure they used actual chocolate so its not getting a 5 from me

but damn... its done right. not like the sapparo chocolate which just tastes like a yoohoo. this is good

the mouth feel was a little grainy but that could have to do with the glass i drank it out of ... or not... but it was good

another one of those strong beers that you just cant sit down and drink 3 of... crap 2 of these and im ready to switch to water hahahaha but... its worth every bit of it

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2010 05:11:50 | More by fischerr3

TheBeerLovesYou

New York

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Discovered this one at my local deli tonight. I had never seen it before and I figured I'd give it a try. The whole "lion" thing is kind of odd and the guy on the back sipping out of a chalice is kind of creepy. But all of that is just window-dressing for a pretty solid beer.

A: Here's a thick black pool of liquid from which no light can escape. The head forms a nice brown cloud and settles without too much effort. There's a good bit of hang and viscosity from swirling it around the glass. Overall it looks like a stout should and appears pleasing.

S: Not overly rich, not overly complex, not overly ambitious either. But it smells like a stout should. There's a nice mix of chocolate, bits of wood or oak, not overly burnt, and just a hint of licorice. But it also seems like it has a big, heavy, lead foot pressing down on all of it. Nothing jumps out...but nothing is overwhelming. Again it's solid but not a knockout.

T: The best part of the beer, in my honest opinion. I don't think I've ever called a stout "crisp" but this one has a crisp finish. It's got flavor but doesn't linger so long that you feel like you've swallowed a chocolate cake or a full meal. The flavor is a bit front heavy, not leaving much at the back end...but that really didn't bother me much. All in all I'm very happy with the taste of this beer.

MF: This is probably LS's weakest feature. The mouth feel is, for all intents and purposes, lackluster. There's no perk to fermentation or pep in this beer's groove. It sort of falls on my palette and goes "what?!" and I just respond with "oh, sorry...didn't mean to disturb you." I don't know what I want from this beer MF wise...but I don't like that it's as flat as it is.

D: at 8% this beer isn't messing around. At that level of toxicity I might go for something that leaves me a little more...how should I put it...impressed by it over the long term. That being said, I could certainly have more than one in an evening. As far as stouts go you could do much worse...but you could also do much better.

Overall, this is a nice stout that surprised me for being better than I expected initially, but eventually landed in the middle for me beer wise. If you see it in the store, I fully recommend picking it up, but there are far better examples of stouts out there than this beer, regardless of what the creepy man on the back of the bottle might say.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 05:14:51 | More by TheBeerLovesYou

jboles074

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served into a pilsner glass. Thin, dark head. The smell seemed to be missing something and so did the taste. Has a hint of chocolate for sure not the most powerful quality but it is a nice hint. overall it is a very good beer especially for the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 01:41:33 | More by jboles074

mhoudeshell

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A roasty, very dark stout in the imperial range for ABV but just low enough not to burn. Sweet, but not too sweet, with notes of chocolate, coffee, toffee. Impressive head for an imperial, but it didn't stay around long. A bit like a high-alcohol version of the old Dragon stout (Jamaica) but with more kick, more roastiness, more subtlety.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2006 15:44:07 | More by mhoudeshell

seanorear

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very good stout indeed. I was not able to see anywhere what style of stout it was, but it is very similar to a sweet stout (though I would not be surprised if it was an oatmeal stout). It has a very deep black color and tan head that make it beautiful to pour. It has a very light nose, which is normal for this style of beer. Sweetness and malt are the most prominent smells (like a dark candy). I was very impressed with its taste. It is lighter bodied than I expected, but not light in taste. It has a sweet and full taste and mouthfeel but finishes light. I agree with the first poster who said this is a very drinkable beer. I recommend this to all whom love sweet stouts.

P.S. - This beer would probably make a great stout float. Put 2 scoops of good real vanilla ice cream in a stout glass and top off with this beer. You'll love it!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2007 03:37:32 | More by seanorear

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

mains

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pilsner glass, with a dark brown if not border line black color to it. it poured with a 1 1/2 inch chocolaty head. Very attractive brew. It has a nutty kind of smell to it, which some hints of chocolate, maybe some vanilla, and perhaps some cherries? The taste is simply superb. It has a definite chocolaty taste to it, some coffee, vanilla, a nutty kinda taste to it, and some cherries. Flavors just fuck the palate with flavor. The mouthfeel is full bodied, really fucking top notch. The drinkability is good. Its 8 percent abv, so if you have a low tolerence you could be fucked before you know it. you can taste the alcohol somewhat well, but it is a smooth brew and it doesn't hold the beer back by any means, i think it adds some good robust flavors to the brew.
Notes: It wasn't that expensive. It was about $34 or $35 dollars and with tax around $37 or $38. its worth the price. So buy it and do yourself a favor...This Shit is top notch mother fucker, buy this shit and you wont be disappointed. Fuck Yeah!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 08:00:19 | More by mains

mambiso1123

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I bought a bottle of this on impulse at a bar that sells beer from around the world. I'd never heard of this brew, but I decided to give Sri Lanka a try.

Wow.

This blew me away. It has a nice chocolatey flavor, but it's thick and smooth at the same time. It's strong enough that you can only have 2 without getting plastered.

I just bought a six pack from a high end liquor store for 9.99. Imagine, swill sells for about 2 dollars less. This will be on frequent rotation in my fridge. A great find!!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2009 23:58:03 | More by mambiso1123

zosoworm

California

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

Aroma: Mocha and Toffee up front with a toasty and caramel behind. A little alcohol warming as well.

Appearance: Black with a hint of copper. Dark tan head that last a good while.

Flavor: Sweetness on the tongue. Chocolate and toffee flavors. Moves to a dry finish and a caramel after taste.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and creamy.

Overall: Nicely balanced. Good dark stout to drink on a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2009 03:12:48 | More by zosoworm

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

knightred

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought as a close out beer because the cap has a lion on it. I collect bottle caps, and thus I drink outside my comfort zone if I see a new cap. Just noticed, my bottle doesn't have the gold foil top, or else I wouldn't have seen the bottlecap.

A: Nice brown, head is light but chocolate in color. A thinner stout, but still opaque. Lacing is ok when you drink but immediately sinks back to the beer.

S: Chocolate, some malts and molasses like grain smell.

T: Slight metallic taste to me. But I taste metal a lot. The rest is chocolate and light coffee taste. A little smoke perhaps.

M: I want to say thin gruel like mouthfeel. But it doesn't have like pieces of grain in the beer I think the carbonation is causing the chunky feel.

D: Easy to drink. It says it's 8.0% but you really can't tell. It just rolls down the throat and provides a pleasant albeit carbonated chocolate burp.

Myself, I prefer hops in the Sierra Nevada style, but this is surprisingly decent to drink. I was surprised it was from Sri Lanka, I think of more refreshing and lighter lager styles from places that are hotter. I probably wouldn't buy it again, it's not bad just there are more choices in my preferred style. If you are a stout person you should give it a try.

j.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 08:25:40 | More by knightred

Conk

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: This beer pours an opaque dark brown with a moderate golden brown head that receded to leave faint lacing and a ring of foam clinging to the glass.

Smell: Dark roasted or near burnt malts that carry espresso and dark syrup notes. There are definite roasted nuts and aromas of dark chocolate. This beer has a subtle yet complex aroma profile.

Taste: The initial flavors that I taste are black coffee and dark chocolate. There are certainly some bready flavors of squaw bread and sweet molasses.

Mouthfeel: This Stout has a silky smooth, rich mouthfeel that is both very full in flavor and in body. The carbonation is ever so slight after the pour, though the beer is bottle conditioned and poured rather lively.

Drinkability: Though this beer is rich and full bodied, it would be a very drinkable beer where it not for the 8% abv. Delicious yet more of a sipper than a full blown session beer.

Rating: This is a delicious dark and rich stout with great roasted, rich, malty flavors that are supplemented by the faintest dark chocolate bitterness. Yumm
Final Words: If you like stout, Taste Lion Stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 22:07:18 | More by Conk

hhboulder

Colorado

4.65/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an oil black with ruby around the rim when held up to the light. Tan with some orange head with decent retention and thin wispy lacing.

Get the typical roasted and chocolate malt nose, but, beyond that, is much more interesting than typical stouts, even compared with guiness extra foreign--a great stout. There are sweet caramel notes as well as fruity esters similar to a port wine.

Sweet roasted toffee and chocolates but also goes above and beyond with dark fruits. Minimal bitterness, definitely balanced to malts. Finish is a little dry but very enjoyable with lingering sweet caramel and toffee.

Warming alcohol that is somehow very pleasant for this ABV. Creamy with medium body and moderate carb.

Surprisingly VERY good stout in a can from Sri Lanka. I'll be buying this over Guiness Foreign Extra from now on. It just has more going on than the typical "chocolate, coffee, espresso, roasted" flavors of a stout...

Serving type: can

11-04-2011 02:40:51 | More by hhboulder

Jhun

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Well I was in the liqour store looking through the fairly large beer selection and I saw this by itself and in a six pack, so I decided to pick up the six for ten bucks.
I opened it up and poured it into a nice clear glass and danm me if it didn't look just perfect nice and dark like a stout should be.
It smelt strongly of chocolate to me and just a hint of alchohol just to where it was actually refreshing.
I thought it was a creamy texture and just like the smell a chocolaty flavour and a refreshing amount of alchohol with it to give it a nice bite.
I in the end got drunk off of it and Finnegans Irish amber. I really enjoyed every bit off it. As you can See I highly recomend it!!!

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2006 05:17:08 | More by Jhun

SwordandSorcery

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a dark black with little head if any

Aroma is feint and alcoholic

BIG dark bittersweet chocolate taste with a lot of carbonation, fizzy even

hints of coffee and maybe licorice that gets creamy the more you chew it

sweet bitter finish

one of my favorite stouts, its very different from most of the offerings on the market and will probably taste interesting aged.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 01:45:31 | More by SwordandSorcery

HighestGravity

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured well with not too much head. Very dark in color though not as dark as some Stouts. The head had a chocolate brown color to it.

S - Smelled good though there was nothing overhwelmingly great about it. It certainly did not grab my attention in either a good or bad way.

T - A tasty stout. Not too bitter or strong tasting especially compared to other beers at 8%, yet still having an array of flavors to offer.

M - This beer was very smooth. When I drank it, it was very cold and it went down well.

D - Definitely a sipping beer (as with most stouts) though probably a little more drinkable than most other stouts.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 19:47:56 | More by HighestGravity

bragelito

Sweden

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle bought at the swedish Systembolaget.

Appearance:
Dark liquid with a rwo fingers thick foam.
Smell:
Some malt, licorice and some notes of chocolate.
Taste:
Malty, the licorice i caught in the smell stands back here for the chocolate. The alcohol is very well hidden.
Mouthfeel:
A nice creamy mouthfeel.
Drinkability:
I think the drinkability is nice when you think about the high ABV.

I was a bit surprised actually about this one, I didn't have high expectations but it was rather good! It will propably find it's way to my home again =)

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 14:28:21 | More by bragelito

jordansbaker

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a very sweet stout. Very different from the dry stouts I'm used to (guiness extra stout... etc.). Strong chocolate, light coffee, and roasty malt taste. Mouthfeel is thick and grainy, like a meal in a glass. I like to swish the last bit in the bottom to get the residue out of the bottle. Really fun to drink. What a surprise from Sri Lanka! Similar but better to other cream stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2009 14:06:14 | More by jordansbaker

Ottoman112579

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is an exceptional tasting stout. The mix of roasted malts, vanilla, cherry, coffee, and chocolate make this stout among the true leaders in taste. Very easy on the pallet making this stout a good compliment to desserts.

The appearance is pitch black and the aroma is very distinct. The smell of chocolate is strong but does not overpower the subtle aroma of cherry and vanilla.

I would highly recommend this to any fan of stouts!

Serving type: can

06-10-2010 01:41:00 | More by Ottoman112579

irishbrendan

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Found at local store wanted to try the difference between Guinness foreign extra stout, and a non-Irish foreign extra stout found that Lion was and exceptionally smooth drink with enough kick to make the stout very well in the winter. I've referred this beer to other to definitely put on there list to try

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 04:56:37 | More by irishbrendan

reslo

Australia

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Being Irish I take my Stouts seriously and this is a great find. Despite not favouring carbonated stouts the carbonation present is not intrusive and certainly not a distraction.

Bottled under the name Sinha Stout in Australia at least, at 8% this is not to be taken lightly especially as the alcohol is not at all noticeable at first. This ones not for the too young at heart as it will be drunk too quickly and not in the manner that is required to truely appreciate it.

The chocolate and caramel smell makes you believe in a taste that is to be cherished, unfortunately the real life experience doesn't quite get there for me but its certainly not a problem.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2007 13:12:41 | More by reslo