Brown Bull Stout
Harvey's Brewery

Purchased at Harvey's Brewery Shop. The staff said this beer was first brewed to celebrate the 40th year of the South of England Agricultural Society. The cask version was so successful that the brewery decided to issue the bottled version. BB June 2008, served cool in a gold-rimmed Harvey's pint glass.

A: pitch black in colour, topped with a dark khaki creamy spongy head that retains its texture throughout the drink; very low in carbonation. Looking marvellous!
S: rich and creamy black malts, treacles, roast nuts, burned toast, plenty of semi-sweet dark chocolates, added with hints of date-walnut cake, sweet filtered coffee, and some muddy leaves. Deep, thick, and aromatic-malty, the nose is well-balanced b/w malt sweetness and roast barley's sourness. For a medium-weight English stout this is quite complex and utterly pleasant; somehow reminiscent of the discontinued Harvey's Bicentenary Stout plus Young's Oatmeal Stout...
T: the surprisingly bitter and burned flavour catches my tongue off-guard!... closely followed by sour-bitter coffee-ness and the aromatic, bitter-sweet roasted walnuts that gradually take over, while a quiet but gigantic wave of dryish hops and bitter roast barleys manifest themselves at the back of the tongue... the moderate bitterness turns almost (Chinese-medicine-soup like) herbal in the end, while the rounded roast-malt aroma and a subtle touch of espresso-sourness linger just too well, without showing any sharp mouthfeel or sticky sweetness apart from the sheer chewy bitter undertone.
M&D: the silky smooth texture leads me to believe this can be an unfiltered and unpasteurised ale, as the carbonation remains extremely low and smooth, almost as natural as a cask ale. A healthy balance is retained b/w different compartments on the palate, while the bitter-sour kick in the end renders an almost more-ish feel. This is a medium-bodied, true English stout designed to quaff; yet, with Harvey's craftsmanship over esp. dark ales, this easy-drinking stout also demonstrates a healthy depth and complexity... I can't wait to try the "real thing" on cask!