Manchester Star Ale
J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd

Manchester Star AleManchester Star Ale
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From:
J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English Strong Ale
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 9.52%
Reviews:
115
Ratings:
179
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 08, 2021
Added:
Mar 17, 2005
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  7
No description / notes.
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Ratings by tillmac62:
Photo of tillmac62
Reviewed by tillmac62 from South Carolina

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 2 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Pours an opaque dark brown similar to a stout, but not black. Well below average head, lacing and retention. Outstanding nose of dark fruit (plum, fig), sweet chocolate, slightly burnt molasses and just a hint of alcohol. The nose is similar to that of an Olde or Scott Ale, but lighter - as is the flavor profile. Light medium body with a hint of slickness. Normal carbonation with a bit of effervescence in the finish. The outstanding flavor profile is reasonably intense, very complex and masterfully balanced. The beginning to middle is a blend of flavors that slowly fade allowing subsequent identification. All flavors of the nose are present and basically cascade from burnt molasses to dark fruit and then into a light bitterness followed by a chocolate note and associated sweetness. The finish is a slow fade of malty sweetness with a hint of alcohol and a bit of hop and alcohol bite.
Dec 17, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of NCSapiens
Reviewed by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.06/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Exactly as expected after reading the reviews. Really well made and solid offering, easy drinking and quintessentially English. Dark fruit strong ale meets lightly roasted malts, with minimal hops. Upon reflection, the aspect that really stands out is the quality water that they use, which lends a characteristic crispness. Worth trying, but not worth the exorbitant import price to have more than one. But if I were in Manchester I could easily pass the night away putting these back.
Jan 08, 2021
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500mL bottle stamped L10305 11:53 (9 years old, I'm guessing) poured into a snifter at fridge temp 7.3% ABV. The beer pours dense very dark brown with light brown head and nearly no light penetration. The head is modest on a hard pour and recedes to a fat ring around the glass. No residual head or lacing. The aroma is molasses, raisin, plum and caramel. The taste is semisweet molasses, pipe tobacco, leather, prune and cherry (all rather oxidized) that finishes with little bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with very low carbonation and a wet finish. Not cloying, but rather balanced by the deeply toasted caramel more than any hop bitterness. Overall, good. I guess I didn’t think this was 9 years old when I picked it up room temperature a couple months ago. I would love to try it fresh or properly stored.
Nov 07, 2019
Photo of BeerAndGasMasks
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the bottle, it pours a nice brown color with a light tan head. It leaves lacing as you enjoy it. I primarily get malt in the nose. The same for the mouth. Yum!
Jan 19, 2018
Photo of SLeffler27
Reviewed by SLeffler27 from New York

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours very dark brown with dark copper highlights. A thin, creamy dark chestnut head quickly recedes leaving spotty lace on a Harp nonic. Each sip presents a thin film.

Sweet malt opens the aroma, followed by melted brown sugar and faint molasses. Also noted dates, cashews and faint alcohol.

Rich malt yields to slightly toasted malt. This is quite sweet with light bitterness. Flavor attributes included a strong dose of raisins, whole wheat bread and charcoal. The finish lingers and progresses from sweet raisins to toasted malt. This beer warms well.

The body starts out full but thins late in each sip. A slick texture accentuates the alcohol slightly as it warms. Carbonation is fine and ample and residual sugar is left on the lips.

Manchester Star is a meal in a glass and will pair well with a hearty cheese. It would go equally well as an early evening relaxer.
Jul 09, 2017
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: deep dark brown with ruby highlights lightly covered by a thin layer of foam.

S: nuts, bananas and fruit seasoned with toffee, fruit, malts and grain.

T: The flavorful palate begins with nuts, fruit, banana, spice, a hint of toffee, traces of chocolate and a suggestion of cola. It starts slightly sweet but dries on the finish to medium dry with a medium low hop bitterness and a trace of horehound. The malt flavors are medium to medium high, the fermentation flavors are medium to medium high and the hop flavors are low. The beer is about 14 months old and it shows a slight hint of sherry oxidation but it works very well.

F: It has a medium body and medium low carbonation. The alcohol is barely noticeable.
Mar 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by Euroglot from Belgium

Nov 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Beginner2 from Illinois

Apr 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by risenz from England

Apr 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by skaboom420 from Pennsylvania

Feb 21, 2016
Photo of Cthulhusquid
Reviewed by Cthulhusquid from Washington

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Solid black body, minimal to no head.

Smell: Booze soaked dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, and a note of coffee.

Taste: Caramel, Brown sugar, earthy/nutty which might be hops, and a note of coffee. The dark fruits are much less pronounced.

Feel: Low carbonation, medium body. Creamy with a balanced finish.
Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.92 by KAF from Iowa

Dec 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by Cymro15 from Wales

Nov 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.22 by Spike from England

Nov 06, 2015
Photo of manfromanotherplace
Reviewed by manfromanotherplace from New York

4.43/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Picked this up as im a manchester native....this is a great beer.looks very dark, stout like but smells of christmas pudding, sherry and dark fruits....tastes just like it smells with great mouthfeel. excellent. "Oh Manchester! Is Wonderful! Its full of tits, fanny and United,oh Manchester is wonderful!"
Nov 06, 2015
Photo of fx20736
Reviewed by fx20736 from New York

4.45/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
I don't remember when I bought this, probably late 2014/ early 2015. Served at cellar temp in a Duvel tulip.

Look: very dark,, almost black, thick mocha head.

Smell: very prune like with licorice also,

Taste: prunes and a light charred roast.

Feel: soft, supple, smooth

overall: a delicious, tasty sipper. So easy to drink
Nov 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by shelby415 from Oregon

Sep 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.02 by sporklift87 from Colorado

Aug 12, 2015
Photo of DypsoBubble
Reviewed by DypsoBubble from England

3.97/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Looks like a stout in the glass. Starts off with a good light brown head which breaks down into a lumpy head and then just a slender layer of bubbles leaving sparse lacing on the glass.

Aroma of burnt sugar, dandelion and burdock pop (British soft drink), pipe tobacco, Marmite and a hint of bacon(!).

Hits the mouth with a burst of sweetness decaying to a lingering caramel taste. A hint of hops combined with the burnt sugar with dandelion and burdock. A touch of fresh grass and some port like smoothness counteracted by a sharpness on swallowing.

A very balanced and pleasant ale which is all too easy to drink for what is a strong ale. More suited to winter. I can almost feel the Christmas spirit percolating through.
Aug 04, 2015
Photo of barczar
Reviewed by barczar from Kentucky

4.06/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2011 vintage.

Deeply caramelized malt, a hint of sherry, and dark fruit notes of dates and fig are accented by light chocolate notes in the aroma.

Flavor is similar, with more toffee presence and deeply toasted breadcrust. There's a touch of sourness and bitterness at the finish that prevent the sweetness from overwhelming. This would've aged well for several more years. Becomes much more complex as it warms, with notes of roast malt, leather, and tobacco adding depth.
Jul 12, 2015
Manchester Star Ale from J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 179 ratings