Shandon Century Extra Stout
Franciscan Well Brewery

Very impressed with the one litre swing top bottle presentation. It is unique and really elevates the image of beer. Bottle reads best before Oct. 2012. Bottle #974/1000

Here is a beer with a massive appearance all around. Black as tar and supports a sizeable mocha colored head that does a fantastic job of lacing all over the glass. A slight brown hue is shown around the edges when held up to light.

The aroma is a dark mix of smokiness, dates, and a tinge of metallic. The aroma is robust and promises a complex flavor.

The taste is matched to the aroma, with deep flavors of molasses, tobacco, roasted grains and dark, dried fruits. Traditional English hops (Fuggles and East Kent Goldings) are apparent up front, and the dry acrid flavors continue that bitterness in the finish.

Slightly oily mouthfeel, with soft carbonation and a rich full body. Perfect and on point for this Foreign Export Stout.

Overall, I have never had a better beer. So perfectly fits into its style category while showing a wonderfully unique yet masterful approach that showcases the malts and the hops and hides the alcohol perfectly. I would strongly recommend grabbing this bottle if you ever see it!

Opaque black with a purple beige creamy cap that leaves intricate webby lace. Oily coffee, melted brown sugar and charcoal on the nose.
Camp coffee, liquorice candy, a big sour roasty bite and wood and citronella hops.
Blackberry juice finish and tight, tart linger. Medium, chewy, clingy, not especially dry.

Bottle #402 of 1000.

All the classic dry stout flavors in big strokes. Not a lot of subtlety and still a bit sweet, almost cloying; I wonder would letting this sit for 6 months have smoothed that out. As it is, as big an Irish stout as you'll get without it becoming an RIS or some other style.