Lion Stout - Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited

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

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark tan head of solid, tight bubbles. As it dissipates, large bubbles form with remnants left on the glass with a similarity to hot cocoa. Pours a dark brown where light cannot pass through.

Strong chocolate aromas; a little chaulky. Very mild.

Creamy body with a low carbonation. The flavor is similar to milk chocolate without sugar. The aftertaste lasts a long time with a coffee-ish touch and strong alcohol warmth.

I'd love to try this against some milk stouts and some imperial stouts as this beer seems to have attributes of both.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2007 21:42:17 | More by smcolw

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a nonic)

A- This beer pours a dark black body but it is not super dense however no light comes through the glass. The only carbonation that can be seen is the few random bubbles stuck to the glass. The head is a creamy thick foam of oatmeal color that fades to a film after a bit.

S- This beer has a dark smooth malt flavor with a note of cream and a slight perfume note to it.

T- This beer has a creamy dark roasted malt flavor with a light band-aid hint and a soft sour note to it. The finish has a very faint alcohol nip in the finish. As the beer warms the note of chocolate malt comes through with the dark roasted malt.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel but no real alcohol heat.

D- This beer is smooth and mellow but has a nice malt flavor and some subtle depth that is hard to put in words. A bit of some wild notes or perhaps smoked malt but whatever it is, it is soft enough to be intriguing and not offensive.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2007 02:13:49 | More by rhoadsrage

Wasatch

Utah

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Bitterbill for this brew.

Pours a dark brown/black color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger plus creamy tan head, which leaves some nice sticky lacing. The nose is malty, slight vanilla/roast, good touch of toffee, chocolate, and caramel. The taste is slightly sweet/roasty, malty, with some nice toffee/chocolate/caramel tones. The alcohol is hidden very well. Medium body. Very drinkable, a very nice stout in deed, recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2007 03:26:36 | More by Wasatch

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I heard this was an interesting beer, and it's from Sri Lanka, probably the first thing I've ever had from there. Here's the review, enjoy.

A: Pours super dark with a huge rich creamy head. The head rises to be 50% of the glass with a thick dark chocolate colored creamy foamy head. It slowly pops downwards. The black stout doesn't let any light through, so it's basically pitch black.

N: Nose is interesting, with some creamy malt aromas, spicy alcohol, toasted aromas, slight fruit, almost an aroma of toasted seeds, like toasting pumpkin seeds. Sweet malts and syrupy aromas also take a liking to it. It's a very unique and strange nose that I can't even pick out aromas to describe.

T: Starts with some nice chocolate flavors, creamy milk chocolate. Then some tangy spicy flavors that are also semi strange and interesting at the same time. Some light smoky flavors, and some char, like taking a bite from a charred log, literally. It's weird. The strange toasted seed aroma comes out slightly in the taste as well. It's so unique and interesting. Not amazing flavor, but interesting. A slight coffee taste comes through on burps as well. Some dark fruits also come through, fig and raisin mostly, with tastes of nuts and nutmeg.

M: Pretty creamy and thick, and despite the head not much carbonation.

F: Finishes semi bitter, slightly tangy and spicy as well. Pretty dry too, and leaves a chocolate powder flavor in the mouth, like chewing on cocoa powder. There's also some lingering fruit flavors and the stout like bitterness sticking around. It does hide the 8% abv well though.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 04:46:38 | More by jlindros

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a two-finger light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a good lace. Totally black color. Good carbonation. Nose is coffee/caramel. Strong coffee/carmel flavor, nice, sweet, beefy stout. $6.49 for a 6-pack of 330ml bottles from Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2004 22:50:35 | More by jdhilt

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

Billolick

New York

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 ouncer sampled, no freshness dating. Pours black, little light shining through the edges. Dark tan head, any lacing sliding down the side of the glass. Nose is funky, and of burnt malt. Taste is a bit on the thin side, just a hint of burnt malt, some chocolate and drying hops. Alcohol is on the hot side and a bit up front. Decent product, but other stouts come to mind to try next time.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2004 23:19:39 | More by Billolick

Zorro

California

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

Pours a black colored beer with an average tan head.

Smell is chocolate; coffee and figs with some cake like malt aromas. Slight acid edge to this mixes with the fruitiness to give it the smell of sour plums.

Taste is on the sweet side with a big chocolate flavor. There is a little blistered coffee bean flavor to this that gives a mocha flavor but it is really chocolate more than anything else is. Fruity flavors are in this too figs, and cherry. Quite tasty but this is my first beer of this style.

Mouthfeel is good and thick.

Extremely pleasant to drink. Tasty and a more complex than your average stout there are only few Stouts that are better than this one. Highly recommended.

Checked the other reviews, mine might seem a bit high but I stand by it, this is a damn tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2006 06:21:32 | More by Zorro

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep black, some dark red shows at the edges, big tan head, some lace. Smells like bitter roast, grass, some skunkiness is detectable? Wow, coffee and cream, little yeasty and sour, pretty roast. How the hell is this beer so smooth? The 8% doesn't show at all, insanely smooth and creamy, very slick mouthfeel. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2005 02:11:28 | More by Viggo

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

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

625 ml Bottle reviewed on it's best before date (Sep 2011).

I was really impressed, this looked, smelled and tasted like a good quality Stout. Lovely velvety looks, those rich, smooth malty aromas of roasted and toasted barley just carried on into the mouth. Chocolate and mild Coffee flavours linger in the mouthfeel as the brew level slips slowly down the glass.

One of the simpleist and best tasting Stouts I've had, ever.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 19:02:49 | More by BlackHaddock

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Almost black. Thin light brown head. Bubbly collar leaves some adequate lace. Aroma reminds me of a charcoal barbecue. There's also some nice milky notes and blackened malts and coffee. Really nice nose. Flavor's got some nice bitter roasted notes to it. A little chocolatey. Dry. Vanilla bean. Sweet lactic sugars add a bit of a "baltic porter" feel to this stout. I like it. The body is medium-full. Lightly carbonated and easy down the chute. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2004 05:21:13 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.46/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Black to super dark brown pour, not much in the way of head to this one. Aroma was roasty, lacking chocolate or coffee.

I pulled more brown sugar out of this than any type of dark fruit. Seemed thinner in body than it was in appearance, would like to see it thicker, might cover up the discernable alcohol presence a little better. The chocolate that was lacking in the nose rears its non ugly head in the taste, although it is far from awe inspiring quantities. Lots of booziness, seems the brown instead of black aspect may have been from some caramel and brown sugar.

Extra half point for it being inexpensive and made in an area you would never guess could make a decent beer. For me, its on par with Guinness, even though they are very different beers. This has more 'taste' per se, but Guinness is smoother and less inconsistency.

EDIT: After having it in the can while doing some disc golfing, I found it to be better than my previous drinking foray in the bottle. Less alcohol, more chocolate, good.

Serving type: can

10-10-2011 22:46:43 | More by Beerandraiderfan

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep opaque black with a huge bug loosebubbled head of mocha-cream foam. Lacing is superlative. The head looks a little too much like styrofoam to my mind, but it's pretty nice.

Quite odd on the nose. Some dark roasted notes, with a really unnerving hint of weed killer. There's something sharp there - it reminds me of wandering into the garden shed. Otherwise the toasted, slightly smoky aromas are pleasant - maybe it's just a boozy hint that's putting me off, but it's certainly odd.

Deep and toasty palate, crusty and dark at the start, but mellowing to a rounded high-cocoa chocolate sweetness. The full body of the palate is rather short, but there's a single note of carbonised bitterness which lingers through the centre as the rest subsides. A hint of booze just pops up near the end. It doesn't have the complexity to be truly great, and the mouthfeel is certainly weaker than is warranted, but it's not bad all up.

A pretty pleasant stout. It certainly has a good handle on the roasted bitterness. I wish it had upped the sweetness and the body a bit, and lengthened the palate. But not bad overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2009 07:46:58 | More by lacqueredmouse

DoubleJ

California

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

From a 330 ml bottle and into a Guinness pint glass, on to the beer:

Pours a velvety dark brown to black, leaving a pitch black body in the glass. The head implodes from a thick three-finger head into a paper-thin sheet. Smells of hard chocolate and a mild roasted character tease the nose. The roasted flavor isn't bitter at all, but this brew isn't as deep as I would expect. Is it a good beer? Yes, but it lacks a strong flavor and/or complexities related to a strong stout. But hey, it's easy to drink, and that's not a bad quality to have.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2007 03:32:26 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

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

Picked this up at the Liquor Loft in Tallahassee, FL.

Pours completely black with a two-finger dark tan head. The head recedes into a thin pancake on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of roasted malts, molasses, and dark chocolate, in that order. As it warms the chocolate aromas intensify.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The roasted malt flavors are not quite as strong as the aroma led me to believe as they give way to molasses and dark chocolate flavors fairly quickly. The ending has a nice bitterness but also manages to leave a sweet malt aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is good. It's a bit on the thin side but still manages to go down smoothly.

Drinkability is good. I had no problem finishing the bottle and could have a few more, even with the 8% ABV.

Overall this is a very solid stout, comparable to a strong Milk Stout. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2009 13:59:27 | More by glid02

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

BB NOV 2006. Served lightly chilled in a broad-rimmed goblet.

A: pours a very dark brown, almost ebony hue, some ruby hints are seen against light; the tan head comes effervescent and foamy, gradually settling to a thin carpet and leaving tight lacing.
S: lovely and intense aroma of roast nuts and roasted barleys upfront, on top of more settled sticky toffee, coffee-flavoured milk, and burned sugary coating as on cream-brulee~~ True to the style, the aroma is dense but still manageable, albeit a touch too sweet for me and slightly short of complexity.
T: an effervescent-textured maltiness flows onto the palate, introducing peanut-flavoured toffee, crushed roast almond, lightly bitter-sweet root-spice (licorice), burned sugar, and roasted barleys; the nutty edge speaks out loud, providing a different kind of bitter-sweetness from other burned-malt-dominated Foreign Stouts I've had. Only in the end does a tinge of restrained sourness emerge, complementing the bitter-sweet flavour just well.
M&D: although the texture falls a bit thin, the very light body sits in contrast to a semi-strong flavour, and the high alc. content doesn't leave a wee bit trace throughout the drink, making this a very approachable stout. Somehow my impression of this beer is compromised by (unintentional) comparison with stronger and fuller Imperial Russian Stouts, and robust, less sweet and dryer English Stouts. In a sense, interestingly, its texture and flavour remind me more of Sweet/Milk Stouts instead--I mustn't be the only one to speculate that, surely? A nice, but not great, foreign stout worth trying once in a life time.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2006 01:28:36 | More by wl0307

Gusler

Arizona

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

The beer after divorcing the 12 ounce brown bottle it’s resides in its chalice a piceous color with a meaningful chocolate head, the texture creamy and after decomposing the resultant lace a brown drape to cover the glass. Nose is heavy with toasted grain, sweet like over ripe fruit, hint of coffee, pleasant to sniff; start is rich in roasted grain, quite sweet with the top middling in feel to the palate. Finish is light in carbonation, the hops mild but noticeable, very dry with a sweet and long lasting aftertaste, quite a nice stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2004 21:09:52 | More by Gusler

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I CAN't believe how many different CANned beers are available. The CANQuest began as a lark and has become an obsession. CAN you dig it?

First, this lion came roaring out of its CAN! It looked like oil from the current slick in the Gulf of Mexico, courtesy of BP. The head was outrageous, demanding my immediate attention lest its deep-brown rise above the lip of the glass and spill onto my computer. Two fingers that eventually tamed themselves and sat atop the beer like a real lion on a stool. F**ing rampant animals! I despise that! This cat had a real bite on the nose. Deeply roasty with a bit of dark chocolate sweetness, if that passes for sweet for you. Color was ebony black with the light penetration of a black hole. NONE! Zee-roh! Mouthfeel was somewhat thin for a stout, but the taste was dark chocolate, raisins, prunes, my morning coffee (I am a retired US Navy sailor), and smoke. This tasted like the aftermath of a house fire smells. Wow! The finish was dry, smoky, worth seeking out. Good kitty!

Serving type: can

05-09-2010 19:27:48 | More by woodychandler

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark opaque color with a cherry tan head.

S: A nice roasted malt character on the nose with a touch of smokiness.

T: Dry roasted malt palate, dried fruit (raisins, dates) with a bittering hop presence. Finishes dry with a big roasted malt fade. There is some fresh dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, mocha, and some vanilla bean rounding out the flavor. There is also some burnt woodiness and a nice earthy hop bitterness that is evident

M: slick, almost oily on the tongue and drinks with the complexity of a wine.

D: overall very rich and good drikability. One of the better bears to come out of Asia. The 8% drinks very nicely and is well hidden. A dark roasted treat with a lot of complexity woven within.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2008 17:21:02 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Black with ruby highlights and a tan head. Plenty of fine lacing was left behind as the foam subsided a bit. Malty aroma, with lots of chocolatey sweetness and light roasted coffee. Light bitterness with a strong sweetness. A bit of dark malt character, but not as much as I expected. It finishes a little acidic with just a hint of dry, grainy astringency. The carbonation is well integrated, with fine bubbles supporting the body somewhat. Not bad at all, though the flavour doesn't quite pull through like the aroma does.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2005 22:46:28 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very, very dark mahogany coloured body with mocha collared trim. Opaque but not intimidating. No bubbles although responsive to swirling.

The aroma is a robust blend of flat coffee, mocha/hazelnut liqueur, roast malts, molasses, soy and Worcestershire sauce, chocolate mousse and burnt sugar. It is sweet.

The beer has a tremendously balanced presence of roast. The 8% alcohol gives never a hint as to its presence. A distant note of sourness that competes with roast and bitterness and seems to linger on the tongue for lengthy periods of time.

The taste is foremost of burnt sugar - torched, charred, burnt sugar. Also, creme caramel, bitter coffee beans, a creamy chocolate filling, charred oak, molasses, light anise, burnt toffee, a hint of smoke, maltose, and pure cocoa.

This stout is always a treat and remains still, probably, the finest example of a foreign stout I've tried. It is balanced, endlessly drinkable and chalk full of an unlimited long list of flavours. This would pair wonderfully with a number of desserts and is something I'd recommend every beer drinker try.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 03:51:13 | More by biegaman

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

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

Sinha Stout.

A: Black, with a touch of tan head.

S: Sweet, roasted malt.

T: Very refined, smooth roasty flavour. Doesn't have the burnt bitter flavour of a lot of stouts. Very well balanced (though perhaps it's less bitter than the style calls for?).

M: Moderate, almost chalky.

D: No harsh bite for the beginner, but enough flavour for the geek. The alcohol could certainly be trouble!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2005 12:01:11 | More by Derek

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured int Sam Adams Sensory Glass.

Pours an opaque black, slightly brown around the edges of the glass. Pours a tan head the leaves good splattered lacing about the glass.

Aroma is very smokey. I smelt something like teriyaki sauce and it reminded me a lot of Sam Adams Triple Bock. It was very malty.

Taste was pretty much identical to the smell. It was was too smokey and nothing I enjoyed very much.

Mouthfeel was very creamy, but I couldn't withhold the taste so I couldn't keep it in my mouth too long. There was no alcohol present and it had decent carbonation.

Overall this is probably my least favorite stout to date. I don't plan on buying or drinking another one of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 21:53:02 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

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

This brew is black with a thick and rocky tan head that fizzes away rather quickly. Thick patches of lacing. The aroma is big on roasted malt, with some semi-sweet chocolate in the background. Rich body with a tasty blend of mocha, malt and plum flavors. Frankly I am surprised they make them this good in Sri Lanka. The finish is dry and roasty, with a coffee aftertaste. Proof you can’t judge a book by the cover.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2006 21:39:22 | More by Dogbrick