O'Hara's Leann Folláin - Carlow Brewing Company

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

The perfect beer to review for St. Patricks Day. Best before date reads March 28, 2014. Poured into a balloon glass.

Leann Follain was originally O'Hara's Celebration Ale that they made for Easter years ago. It was well-received and they decided to make it a year round product.

It pours with a rich black body topped with a tan head that sits two fingers thick. The tan head recedes slowly into a craggy, rocky head that does a great job of sticking around. When held up to light, brown highlights shine through at the very edge of this beer. An otherwise very dark beer.

Initially served a bit too chilled, but first impression was that this beer had a HUGE roasted malt aroma, possessing a great smokey, ashy aroma. Not as intense as a rauchbier, but certainly present and perfect for a cold winters day. Notes of campfire, chicory, carob, and vintage leather all underlay a chocolate and dark fruit aroma. This beer has more complexity and depth than you would normally find in any Irish Stout. Simply amazing.

On the palate, it starts with a creamy full body. A tinge of hop bitterness up front, followed by flavors of roasted grains and smoke towards the finish. For something this full-bodied, it possesses a surprisingly dry finish. Lingering flavors of cigar, campfire, cocoa powder intermingle in the aftertaste, joined by a light earthiness from the hops. Well-balanced flavor that sits somewhere between hoppy and malty. The carbonation is just spot on as well.

This is just about the most perfect Irish Dry Stout I have ever had, from the bold, complex aroma, to the perfectly balanced body, to the fantastically dry finish, this beer has the style down in spades. Absolutely will be drinking this again...today, and in the future.

Pairs well with Irish Beef Stew!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 17:27:50 | More by MusicaleMike

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a seidel at The Bull and Castle.

A: Pous a deep, dark brown with a gorgeous mocha head. This is what a stout should look like.

S: Smells strong and sweet. Deep roasted coffee beans, rich dark chocolate, smooth milky malts.

T: Coffee and chocolate rule the taste, with a bit of mild hop bitteness in the finish.

D: Easy to down and very complex. The mouthfeel is prickly but very smooth. It is very dynamic for the style and ABV.

Overall: This is what Irish stouts should taste like. The best in this style that I've had. It isn't a Foreign Export, because it lacks the sourness and heavy hops, and it isn't a true Irish dry because it's a bit heavier and much more robust. Take it for what it is: one of the best beers Ireland has to offer. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 19:17:23 | More by JohnnyChicago

lawlerj

Nebraska

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had off the cask at the Bull and Castle in Dublin.

A - pours a deep black w/ a solid head, leaves moderate lacing. Looks like what a good stout should look like.

S - strong on sweet chocolate and roasted coffee beans. There is also a bit of alcohol on it, but not too much.

T - rich chocolate & coffee w/ some hop bitterness. Creamy and delicious - the taste, as it should be, is where this beer really shines. I couldn't get enough of it.

M - Again, rich and creamy, medium to heavy.

D - it took me a long while to drink this beer - as it was already almost at room temperature off the cask, that wasn't a problem. Not a beer I would want to have more than a pint of at a time. Definitely for savoring. The best Irish beer I had on my trip to Ireland.

Serving type: cask

03-27-2011 15:54:40 | More by lawlerj

BogBoyJD

Ireland

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried to get this brew for St Patrick' s day. But wasn't back in stock till April. Like the look of the bottle, small Carlow brewery.

Poured beautiful black viscous liquid head turns from fizz into a dark dense cream topping. Like froth from a malt milkshake. Really want to drink this!

Taste is of treacle, whole cream, an burnt sugar. Maybe sligh tobacco. Similar to Guinness FES. Really like this one. Blows a brew like Bad King John away!

Mouthfeel is syrupy, creamy. Very pleasant.

This was very much like a chocolate stout. Wasn't t expecting it. Tried the pale ale from this brewery and wasn't t near as nice a brew as this one. A dessert beer, no doubt. Enjoyed, will get another one for ageing.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 12:44:53 | More by BogBoyJD

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle brought back from Ireland by a buddy's dad, thanks Alex! Pours black with a creamy tan head. Spotty lacing and decent retention.

Nose is rich and fruity with even a hint of smoke. Roast is not too heavy and has a nice, mild sweetness.

Taste is excellent! After having the regular dry stout, this one is much better. Roast is exceptionally smoother than most dry stouts, an amazing feat that fades seamlessly into dark chocolate. Fruit is prevalent, but never goes overboard. Body is full without being sweet, another impressive aspect. The bitterness throws in a nice curveball too. Best 'o the O'hara bunch me thinks!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 01:37:55 | More by twiggamortis420

Ruaidhri

Ireland

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up in Sheil's off Licence on Dorset Street, Dublin for about E2.40 per bottle. Pours almost pitch black in colour with a dark brown hue on closer inspection. Head is latte in colour - settles after pouring to about a fingernail's height in the glass and is retained well. Aroma is quite complex - cocoa, coffee and malt with some burnt/roasted notes. Taste is slightly bitter with strong coffee, smoke, and dark chocolate flavours. Mouthfeel is quite dry and cleansing on the palate - goes down nicely. Very drinkable dry stout that doesn't fill you up too quickly and the 6% volume isn't too taxing. All in all, it's an excellent stout and well worth a go.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2009 14:13:47 | More by Ruaidhri

Onslow

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

wow, what an aroma! coffee and chocolate- easily in the top ten of any beer i have ever had! the nose is wonderful .. . tastes of coffee, chocolate, light tar, minerals, and earth..lots of minerals actually, very unique! - very tasty, this is great stuff! .. . delicious and quite unique, nothing really like it .. carlows best and an exciting beer that would love to have again, thanks ma! .. . .

What's the matter, Craig?

What does it say on this jar?

"Craig."

Well I'm glad someone around here can read. The jar holds fourteen pickles. I had three yesterday, two for lunch today, and one and a half for snack. And now there are six and a half pickles in this jar. Simple math indicates...

Are you counting the one in your hand?

Ok, false alarm.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 01:08:46 | More by Onslow

LukeK1231

New York

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Overall a very good Irish Extra Stout, although I would choose Guiness Foreign Extra over this. I had it from a bottle while in Ireland.

A- Very dark appearance with a "dirty cream" looking loose head.

S- The smell was very caramelly with a little chocate aroma also.

T- Although it smelled very caramelly the taste was more chocolate-like and not creamy.

M- It had a good mouthfeel, nice and strong and flavorful.

D- Overall the drinkability was a little hard, i would probably only have 1 and only once in awhile. I would have it again when I'm looking for a change in pace in Irish Stouts.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 15:34:18 | More by LukeK1231

StJamesGate

New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tar black with only the slightest ting of garnet and rocky, puffy beige head. Tar, wet ash and black currant on the nose.
Black strap molasses, a hint of char, a brown sugar hit and some sarsaparilla bark hops to end.
Cola finish and lingering bitterness. Medium only hinting at full, chewy, oily, round, no burn.

All about the roast. Malt sweetness does get through, and there is a hop presence, but the roasted barley takes the lead. Not as full as I expected, but good deep flavor at 1.5% lower than Guinness FES.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 17:46:48 | More by StJamesGate

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle purchased by my dad on a recent trip to Ireland. Thanks pop! Best before date of late October 2012, which suggests to me that this beer is pasteurized.

Pours an opaque jet black with a sliver of mocha froth and a few spots of lacing on the tulip. Head retains well.

Smell is black licorice, molasses, dark chocolate, roasted malt, floral hops, table cream, slight earthy/mineral note, black currant, mild vinous aroma, leather, and smoke. Very good.

Taste mimics the nose with roasted malt, a vinous and tart wine-like flavour, subtle coffee and chocolate undertones, a balanced English hop bitterness (earthy, floral, grassy), and some ashtray on the cough. An assertive, tasty brew.

Mouthfeel is silky, medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, chalky parched finish.

Overall, Leann Folláin is one of the better Irish Dry Stouts that I've tried. Its bold flavours and layered aromas make it an unusually intricate example of the style. A great brew that I would recommend to any beer geek.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 05:08:32 | More by cratez

UCLABrewN84

California

3.94/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Best by 3/28/14.

Pours an almost opaque super dark crimson-brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. A foamy latticework of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa powder, and coffee beans. Taste is much the same with cookie dough and cocoa powder flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and super easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 06:09:08 | More by UCLABrewN84

JohnfromDublin

Ireland

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a new brew (Feb/March 2009) from Carlow Brewery. I picked up a couple of bottles from Superquinn, Dublin at €2.39 for a 35.5cl bottle. Very nice presentation; brown glass with cream label with celtic design. At the top of the label, it reads "full-bodied extra Irish Stout". I reckon this is brewed mainly for export.

It pours a very dark brown brew with a dark tan head that subsides, smelled of some bitter coffee grinds with spiciness.
The taste was not what I was expecting; mainly chocolate in the flavour with maybe just a touch of coffee coming through. It came across as a sweet stout/milk stout, but without the sweetness. There would be very little similarity here with, say Youngs double chocolate stout.
Mouthfeel was very very smooth!

This is a very interesting brew and certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 10:31:51 | More by JohnfromDublin

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a dimpled mug

Procured by Jebus3513 on a recent trip to Ireland. Thanks buddy!

One of the darkest brown bodies known to beer. Once settled, it's nearly an ink black through its core. A tight, creamy khaki head rises a couple fingers and falls slowly.

Aroma is of deep roast, coffee, bitter chocolate and a touch of a metallic aroma, but not off-putting.

The flavor profile follows the nose. Bitter chocolate, coffee grounds, dark roast, caramel and cream. There is an underlying sweetness that I can only equate to cream. It tries to undercut the roasty goodness, but it gets beaten up pretty good.

Medium body with a dryness that isn't as hearty as others in the style.

Overall, this is a fine example of the style and one that I am pleased to have tried. Will have again.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 20:53:04 | More by ColForbinBC

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a half-litre bottle into a pint glass.

A: Big, brown creamy head atop an entirely impenetrable body of the darkest brown. I look forward to this one.

S: Creamy, hoppy, bitter-dry. Not overwhelming, but very nice.

T: Like the smell, creamy-sweet malts and dry hops. This combine for a well-balanced brew. A bit too sweet for me; it's very milk chocolatey. The aftertaste is more dry (but not much more so). A spiciness lingers at the edges of my perception, and I can't quite pin down what or where it is. Nice stout.

M: Smooth thickness and pleasant carbonation.

D: All told, I prefer O'Hara's standard Irish stout. This is more akin to chocolate milk than I care for. Nice enough, but not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 12:11:37 | More by AgentMunky

MillRat

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rich black supporting a thin but persistent fine cocoa-colored head. Roasted barley aroma immediately apparent, some grassy malt in the background, hops not putting in an appearance. Flavor takes a step back from the roast barley and delivers more chocolatey notes, with a slight treacley sweetness offset by bitterness of both the roasted grain and the hops which finally show up.

Despite a relatively tam ABV, this is definitely a sipping beer, with lots of malts and roasted flavors that work toward an effective balance. All that flavor make this brew a bit tiring on the palate, but the sort of satisfying tiredness that comes after a good workout, not from boredom.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 14:54:04 | More by MillRat

thierrynantes

France

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer bottle (50 cl.) purchased from Le Souffleur de bières, and tasted in 2012.

Appearance : dark brown color with tan foamy head.
Smell : roasted malt, chocolate and spicy aromas.
Taste & mouthfeel : roasted malt flavour with coffee and chocolate notes, moderate bitter with a average duration.
Drinkability : a good beer in the typical style Irish dry stout (but too expensive).

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 20:28:07 | More by thierrynantes

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

355ml bottle bought from McHughs, Dublin...

Poured pitch black with no hint of colour even when held up to the light. Rich mocha head poured big thick and foamy then faded to half finger covering with thick edging... some decent random lacing...

Aroma - Sweet treacle and toffee up front, burnt / brown sugar, lightly roasted malts, toasted malt loaf, some leatheriness, light soy sourness, chocolate, prunes and blackcurrents, hint of strawberry, quite peppery, grassy notes, faint creosote, anise, sea salt, metallic notes...

Taste - Quite a lot of roasted malts and tons of liquorice to the fore, definite sourness coming through, slight hint of oakiness, bitter coffee, dark chocolate, blackcurrent and slight black cherry fruitiness, vanilla, some sweetness comes through towards the end, earthy...

Feel - Sharp and dry... medium bodied... pretty drinkable but maybe a bit too much liquorice flavours to have me coming back for another...

Overall - A very good and slightly unusual example of a Irish Dry Stout... definitely worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 07:20:30 | More by mdagnew

oberon

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a deep dark chocolate brown with some mahogany highlights when held to the light,a frothy one finger tan colored head atop.Ton of coffee roast with some woody smokiness,pretty much like a mocha coffee.A little sharper than expected in the mouth,I would like more of a smooth creamy feel.Dry heavy roast on the palate with some bitter chocolate underneath,it has a little more "oomph" to it compared to others of the style.Not bad but the feel takes away from a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 22:40:05 | More by oberon

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.49/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours an ultra-dark brown color. Not perfectly opaque, mind you, but nearly. The head is a two finger heavy cream color with nice texturing, before it settles to one finger. Nice retention, too.

S: There are a ton of roasted malts and coffee. Some chocolate pops up, as well, perhaps even a hint of smoke. It also smells hoppy, even - maybe it IS generously hopped? I mean, that character of grapefruit peel prominent in Cascade hops is unmistakable here.

T: Again, there's a healthy flavor of grapefruity hops right there in the midtaste. It starts a bit chocolaty before the hops come in full (well, moderate) force. Finish is pure roasted barley. Generally, it's mild in flavor; while this keeps the competing flavors in check, it makes it a bit dull. Luckily it's not overly acidic as many well-hopped stouts/porters tend to be.

M: Hits the clean dryness typical of the style well, but the finish goes too far into being astringent. A bit insubstantial and undercarbonated in its feel; par for the course in many dry stouts. Great drinkability nonetheless.

O: And as I finish my glass, I notice the bottle cap somehow fell down in there. How the hell did that happen?! Oh well, this a fine offering. Not great, but fine.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 00:04:57 | More by ThisWangsChung

Vierenner

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up on a recent trip to Dublin. Had trouble liking this one. Has good appearance and mouthfeel but that's where the goodness ends. It has an unexpectedly sharp bite, but it doesn't seem to be hoppy so I'm kind of confused where that bite comes from. It also tastes quite roasted/smokey ... sort of overpowers any other subtle flavors that might be hiding underneath.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 00:06:56 | More by Vierenner

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served on cask in the Salthouse, Galway, into an O'hara's pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a one finger head, tan, of fair cream, decent thickness, and fairly respectable retention. Black colour.

Sm: Caramel, chocolate, roasted barley. Light-medium scent.

T: Caramel, chocolate, slight toffee, and slight coffee bottle. A bit of cream undertone is dominated by the coffee. A bit bitter after the climax. Not as balanced as I'd like. Guinness is far better done.

Mf: Dry but not overly so. A bit too coarse. Too wet for the style.

Dr: Drinkable but not fantastic. Ignore this beer, even if you're a huge fan of the style like me. It's far too expensive for how mediocre it is.

Serving type: cask

05-12-2011 18:18:18 | More by kojevergas