Jule Stout
Midtfyns Bryghus

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.6%. Black colour, huge tan head. Moderate but nice aroma of mild coffee with just a hint of aniseed. Nice and full mouthfeel, medium sweet, roasty notes of coffee and dark chocolate, also moderate notes of aniseed and fennel seeds. Okay.

Bought at Systembolaget, Sweden in November 2013. This bottle has been resting in my beercellar for 2 year an 6 months.
Best before: September 17, 2014.

The stout pours clear, dark brown with a two finger high beige, head. Lacing stays on the glass.

Nose: Roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla and coffee ground.
Taste: Chocolate, cacao beans, oak, roasted malt, coffee, molasses, anise and fennel.
Mouth: Complex structure. Medium to light carbonation. Smooth taste.

This beer has definitely grown better with aging. Not as aggressive as when it was new. Very mature and smooth. The star anise and fennel seeds is there in the background just lifting the taste a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle: Poured a black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with OK retention and some good carbonation. Aroma of dry roasted coffee notes with light spices is enjoyable enough. Taste is also dominated by dry roasted coffee which is well balanced and avoids the astringency side of things. Fennel notes are present but not as pronounced as I would have hoped for. Body is about average for style with good carbonation. Enjoyable but added complexity would have been welcomed.

A: Almost all head at first; brown and thick. The liquid that appears after a while is pitch black. Decent lacings, considering the style.

S: Roasted sweet dark malts, with a hint of vanilla. Strong black coffee alongside with dark chocolate. BUT there's a corny (off-?)smell. The Danes usually put corn in their beers and I suspect that there is at least some corn in this one.

T: The corn is gone, thank God! Otherwise the taste follows the nose. Quite complex acutally.

M: Aftertaste holds a roasted sweetness. Body is full while carbonation is held back without beeing flat.

O: Not bad; quite complex actually considering the style. A little smoke and hard roast makes this more complex than most in this style.

 

 

50cl brown bottle with a freshness date.

Nearly pitch black, a shine of ruby on the edges when put to the light. Incredible looking stout head with the stick lace afterwords. Smells of dark milk chocolate, sweetened black coffee and over-caramelized currants. Smooth and fluffy body, not too big and stands semi-sweet. Roasty flavor never goes acrid or overly burnt, dark chocolate kicks in with a faint charcoal note. Light on hops but the sweetness does not runaway with the beer and the roasty flavor does balance. Slight warmth from the alcohol. Hint of fruit and yeast in the end.

Impressive, a bit too drinkable for a 7.6% ale as it seems hidden. A win for the stout lovers on the hunt.