Castle Milk Stout
South African Breweries plc

Castle Milk StoutCastle Milk Stout
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
South African Breweries plc
 
South Africa
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
ABV:
6%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.28 | pDev: 16.46%
Reviews:
33
Ratings:
52
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 11, 2020
Added:
Apr 13, 2003
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  4
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sd123:
Photo of sd123
Rated by sd123 from Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%

Apr 25, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Mrcloc
Reviewed by Mrcloc from South Africa

3.98/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
The beer is a dark brown, pours about 1 finger beige head which doesn't dissipate quickly.
Smell is of roasted barley and coffee.
Taste follows the smell. It reminds me of black coffee, the taste has no initial sweetness, but a slight toffee sweetness develops. Nice maltiness. There is no real bitterness, especially no lingering bitterness.
Mouth feel is wonderfully creamy. It's not fizzy, just smooth.
It's just delicious down to the last drop.
Jun 11, 2020
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.42/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A: The beer is very close to being jet black in color and only has traces of dark red near the edges of the glass. It poured with a short beige colored head that died down and left a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of dark malts are present in the nose along with hints of lactose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has lots of flavors of dark malts with hints of lactose. There is a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a bit more than medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This milk lager has less lactose compared to other beers in the style but lots more in the way of dark malts.

Serving type: bottle
Oct 27, 2019
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L- No surprise that it appears black in the glass, but held to a halogen light it's ultra-deep ruby red as with most other stouts. Pours with 3mm fine-bubble tan head, receding to lacing.
S- Somewhat toasty as typical with stout, quite restrained.
T- Quite dry and light on the front, smokey malty middle with roasty coffee notes, into a hoppy dry finish with a lingering refreshing zing on the palate into the end.
F- I've had this bottle in the fridge and it's well chilled. If I let it warm more I expect the taste/feel would open up more, but it's a hot day and I'm enjoying this as is right now.
O- I'm not a born stout drinker but this is very pleasant, heck compared to the ubiquitous 'factory-like Guinness' I'd happily buy this again.
340ml bottle. BB: 26/10/19 £1.85 from 'The Savanna' (southern African speciality F+B) shop in Liverpool Street station in London UK. An unexpected find while passing through the station, really nice to get to sample.
Aug 13, 2019
 
Rated: 2.9 by NodakEric from Minnesota

Nov 03, 2016
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.89/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I tried the Castle milk stout at The Beerhouse in Sandton. I think BA contributors are being a bit harsh on the stout as I rather liked it. It poured anopaque dark with ecru head that did not leave a lace. The scent carries chocolate. The taste is silky milk chocolate. The Mouthfeel is lighter in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's not a bad milk stout....very sessionable.
Jul 06, 2016
Photo of kweenb-08
Reviewed by kweenb-08 from Connecticut

4.16/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I really like this beer and wish they had it in the USA. A dark, smooth full bodied flavour that I could drink endlessly! I enjoyed this with roasted red meat as well as smoked fish.
Mar 22, 2016
Photo of captaincoffee
Reviewed by captaincoffee from Virginia

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The stout to drink when you really don't want a stout. Pours near black with very little head (medium-agressive pour from bottle) that leaves just a trace around the edges. Nose has mild roasted barley notes and a scent that seems to be clearly from the lactose sweetness. Taste is halfway between alager and a stout. Mild roasty notes, but the focus is on drinkability. Overall, not a bad choice if you are throwing down a few and the alternates are BMC, but certainly not a great beer.
Feb 23, 2016
 
Rated: 2.61 by shivtim from Georgia

Sep 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.21 by DeanBB from South Africa

Jan 02, 2015
 
Rated: 2.75 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by BierBliss from New Hampshire

Nov 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by elkinbrown from Tennessee

Aug 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Amirabutwo from Hong Kong

May 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by chogm54 from Australia

Apr 07, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Zuidman from Illinois

Feb 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

Feb 14, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Duff27 from Illinois

Feb 14, 2014
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.32/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Castle Milk Stout is brewed in the style of a Milk/Sweet Stout. No label information. This was a Grand Gold Quality Award Winner in 2011 (I'm not familiar with the award system and whether that is even noteworthy), and my first South African Beer. I'm eager to see how stouts brewed in South Africa fare with the American standard.

Poured from a 750 ml. bottle to a pint glass. Served north of 56º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a sudsy light brown head over a dark brown body with deep brown highlights. Lacing is thin and spotty, retention is above average. It's a solid appearance, although the rugged texture of the head is indicative of a far from ambitious malt build. 3.75

(Smell) I can pick up some lactose sweetness here, a pinch of roasted malt and a slick caramel sweetness, a mellow earthy bitterness and a mild acidity. The aroma is considerably clean and led mostly by the lactose sweetness, the remaining factors are pale by comparison. Overall I enjoy the aroma, but am wary that this beer may come off perceived as much sweeter and denser than it actually is. 3.5

(Taste) The flavor falls very thin, coming off much more like a black lager in it's cleanliness, lightness and malt composition, although there are some notable flavor similarities to dry stout selections. Malt selection is a simple, moderately toasted dry caramel malt. Malt sweetness is very low, and lactose sweetness is mild enough to give this beer some boost to the residual sweetness without going overboard and sacrificing drinkability. Most toast and chocolate notes are not notable by the flavor. The biggest consolation is that this is a highly drinkable beer with a light, accessible flavor, perhaps a touch more flavorful than Guinness Draught yet equally quaffable and nearly as lightly flavored. On the whole, it's relatively uninteresting and far too bland and light to the seasoned stout drinker to deem it necessary to revisit. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick and medium-thick with a flat creaminess to it, carbonation is rather tame. Body is light+ for a milk stout, light/medium overall. Alcohol presence is well concealed. Some chalky acidity should be noted as a side product of lactose sweetness. The body is incredibly light for a Milk stout, reminiscent of a drinkable Schwarzbier without the husky bitterness of black patent malt, substituting lactose and caramel syrup for the illusion of body. 3

(Overall) I had some complications with my milk stout expectations and this beer coming to a mutual agreement. Granted, one can notice some lactose sweetness and a halfway-there clean but promising malt build coming on, but it just isn't enough to keep the drink memorable. I'm not overly upset that this beer seems misrepresented as a milk stout to my much-higher stout standards when it clearly comes off as much lighter than that. I appreciate the gift, however (Thanks, Hendricks) and assume that for a South African brewery, perhaps lightly bodied stouts like these are the golden standard, perhaps even... the Budweiser of dark stouts in South Africa? Give it a try if you're ever in Johannesburg! 3.25

South African Breweries plc's
Castle Milk Stout
3.3/5.00
Sep 20, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by ScubaSteve00 from Texas

Aug 13, 2013
Castle Milk Stout from South African Breweries plc
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 52 ratings