Lion Stout - Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited

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

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fully ebon hue, rich, tan hand, thick and rocky...good looking stout, so far. Nose, soft and creamy, with notes of nuts and cocoa. Taste is smooth at first, but fills the mouth well. Huge malts, caramelly, thick and nearly chewy, very full bodied. Perfect integration, wonderful balance, sweet and tasty, but never too, with a delicate fruitiness, just underneath. The ABV peeks in just a bit, but doesn't mar the enjoyment of what's nearly a perfect stout! Beats the hell out of Guinness, but gets me yearning for an Expedition. Hearty and proud as it's namesake, Lion is a stout fit for a king. Lightly spicy in the end, nutty, and never-ending tastiness.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2004 00:28:52 | More by feloniousmonk

ThreeWiseMen

California

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Lion Stout was a favorite of the wisemen years ago, and we longed to try it again.

Split between Wiseman Nick and Wiseman Zach, though Zach chose not to participate in the review.

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours thick and black from the bottle. Two finger, light brown, latte-like head sits on top. Shades of deep red can be seen around the edges when held to light. Head dies slowly, leaving thick, web-like lacing in it's wake. Looks deeeelish!

Smell: Plums, raisins, coffee, roasted malt, perfumy hops, bread, and other dried fruit. Fruity, smoky, and complex. Awesome!

Taste: Starts with plum, raisins, and fruity esters, then smoothly transgresses to coffee and roasted malt. Possibly some toffee in there too, and definitely some tartness (sour cherries maybe?). Finishes with perfumy hops that slowly give way to smoke and roasted malt in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Feels a bit lighter than an American stout. Smooth and tart, with nice amount of creaminess. Carbonation is on the low end. A bit chewy, and a bit of mouth-numbing.

Drinkability: Perfect. Lighter body allows you to enjoy this one for a looong time. Excellent complexity and flavor progression. Zach and I will definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 18:24:30 | More by ThreeWiseMen

DrZarkov

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I actually stumbled apon this beer by accident. I ordered something else and was brought the Lion Stout, but after one taste it I was rather pleased by the mix up.
Appearence was dark and rich. The taste and mouthfeel were superb. I was reminded of a Scotch Ale, but much darker with a more coffee and chocolately taste.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2006 17:15:15 | More by DrZarkov

billybob

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours pitch black with a large dark tan head with moderate retention and lacing. aromas of prunes, chocolate, roasted malt. some sweetness to the taste with a stale or burnt coffee and chocolate. full bodied with a moderate carbonation. nicely balanced stout, hard to believe that a beer this good can be brewed in sri lanka.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2007 19:50:32 | More by billybob

slyke

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lion Stout pours an inky black color with a generous and lasting tan head.

The smell is roasty and chocolatey with a touch of coffee. The taste is chocolatey, malty, and coffee-like with the warming note of alcohol.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a slightly bitter coffee aftertaste. This is an outstanding beer to sip, but it's smoothness makes it slide down easily. Try this beer if you find it, if you enjoy stouts, you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2008 18:27:53 | More by slyke

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep, opaque sable with a fine-bubbled and fairly persistent tan head. Aroma is smoky with firm tones of coffee and unsweetened chocolate with more than a hint of burnt caramel. Rich, smoky flavor is mainly of fine roast coffee, unsweet chocolate and caramel, subtly sweet. Texture is fairly smooth yet quite fizzy. A must for stout fans!

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2010 02:53:32 | More by Cyberkedi

wcudwight

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

This was recommend to me by the beer guy at my favorite beer store. I have enough respect for his opinion so I bought it on a whim. Man am I glad I did!!!
Pours a pitch black with an everlasting 3 finger head. Tons of sticky lacing lines the sides of my now empty pint glass.
Bitter/sweet chocolate smell with a faint mustiness.
This is delicious! Same bitter/sweet chocolate that was in the nose dominates the flavor with a nice mocha flavor intertwined. Smooth. Sweet, but not overly so. The 8% abv is totally hidden.
Mouthfeel is a bit light for a typical 8% stout, but I think it fits this beer well and adds to the drinkability.
The most drinkable 8% beer I've ever had. Lion stout will find it's way into my fridge again.
Note. It has one of the nicest bottlecaps I've ever seen.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2007 02:51:08 | More by wcudwight

cyrenaica

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle
8.0% ABV

I tried this beer on August 27, 2007 at Smokeless Joe's in Toronto. The beer poured a dark chocolate brown into a unibroue tulip glass with a very generous brown head. The aroma was reminiscent of malt, chocolate, and coffee. The mouthfeel is thick with mild carbonation. The flavour was very good, some malt and coffee hints.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2007 01:19:48 | More by cyrenaica

MorningDove

Arizona

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

the bad - Jackson promoted it

The good.

Tastes great, chocolate and molasis (actually tastes more choclaty then your average chocolate stout or porter)

Smells good, sweat strong stout

I like the lion look, some people may not care for cats

Drink, leaves you wanting more

I also have to state here a plus. This beer is relatively cheap. 7bucks for a 6 pack in AZ. This a great beer for the price

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 23:26:33 | More by MorningDove

Mitchster

Michigan

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

$2.79 for a 625ml bottle. 8.0% ABV.

Pours out to a very dark brown, lighter in color than expected, forming a large and robust soapy dark tan head that looks gorgeous with exceptional retention and beautiful solid sheets of lacing composed of microbubbles. Aroma is akin to a Baltic Porter...lots of raisin, dates, figs, and prunes, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, and the faintest suggestion of alcohol. Mouthfeel is very nice...lively but not abrasive, with a medium body and lightly dry finish. Tastes quite nice, what I would expect for a baltic porter. Powdery cocoa with a pleasant light tartness and astringency of black currants, very faint metals in the middle, with some husk and lightly roasted grains. Almost smoky towards the finish with suggestions of diatomaceous earth. The sourness keeps the beer alive, augmenting and balancing nicely with the other subtleties going on under the hood. Alcohol is imperceptable in aroma or taste, but I'm feeling it after one glass. No other off-flavors.

Damn tasty, whatever you call it...I call it a Baltic Porter. I really enjoyed this. Forget the hype and bias and just drink it up. Very easy to drink with a tight body and the brains to back it up. Paired nicely with the 9-grain bread I just made. A wonderful stout and cheaper that Sinebrychoff or D.Carnegie & Co. Highly recommended and an exceptional brew for the price!

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2004 19:32:34 | More by Mitchster

Citadel82

New Jersey

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

This brew was a pleasant surprise! I picked up a single bottle at New World Beverage in Manhattan for $1.00 out of the cooler. Guess it was not a big seller. It is antstanding export stout. It was not exceptionally dry nor cloying in itssweetness. no hint of alcohol. It has a very molasses like character to quote the missus and enough depth and complexity (coffee and chicory, some dried fruit) to make it exceptionally drinkable. I can't wait to grab some more and study it further. If I can get it at a buck a bottle - woo hoo -so much the better.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2006 04:31:57 | More by Citadel82

goo

Ontario (Canada)

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

A: Pours a pitch black with tinted head. The head fades quickly into lacing.

S: Smells distinctly of coffee with a bit of chocolate. Pretty Fantastic

T: Tastes the way is smells. Some nice sweetness to the drink and a decent amount of coffee comes through.

M:Mild/Moderate carbonation maybe a bit creamy goes down nicely.

D: Dangerously drinkable, i never looked at the ABV until after I drank it and I wold have never guessed 8%

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2006 01:13:09 | More by goo

steinlifter

Massachusetts

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

Came in an attractive brown bottle with a lions head on label.
Poured black as coal, inch thick foamy brown head,which disappated but left round broken puffs all the way down the glass.
Faint whiff of chocolate and coffee.
some tangy hops on the start mellowing to a roasted but sweet chocolate flavor.
nice full and creamy mouthfeel,with a touch of chewiness at the end.
I think the drinkability on this is fantastic!..this is one of the best Stouts I have tried...I highly recommend!

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 16:22:47 | More by steinlifter

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