DarkNESS
Loch Ness Brewery

DarkNESSDarkNESS
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From:
Loch Ness Brewery
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
English Stout
Ranked #20
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,164
Avg:
4.03 | pDev: 6.7%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
21
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 21, 2022
Added:
Aug 14, 2013
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  6
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Kiro:
Photo of Kiro
Rated by Kiro from Russian Federation

4/5  rDev -0.7%

Jul 22, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by Stengelfoot from California

Jun 21, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Jan 21, 2022
 
Rated: 4.46 by Mustela_Man from California

Jun 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by ajdemma from New York

Oct 20, 2018
Photo of TheDoctor
Reviewed by TheDoctor from Canada (QC)

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Reviewed blind (thanks, Bob!)

Serving: Bottle
Best before: Feb-28-2019

A:
It pours a fairly opaque dark, dark brown that almost has some ruby at the edges. Two fingers of foamy head. Good retention; some lacing. (4)

S:
The aroma is lightly nutty with toasty malt notes, caramel and some sweet woody-smoky smell in the background. (4)

T:
Taking a drink, it is about what I expected from the smell and the look. Some very light roast, dark bread, a mineral bite and a sweetish woody smoky finish that is as much an aroma as a flavor.  (4.25)

M:
It is fairly light and drinkable and balanced. Nothing really stands in the way and the smoke component (assuming I'm not imagining it*) is just about right for the rest of it. (4.25)

O:
To me it seems like it is probably a smoked porter or brown ale of some sort. It wasn't....
Very enjoyable, well-balanced and tasty.  Sweet-roast balance, looks lovely, drinkable and rich despite ours ABV. Really nice! (4.25)

*- I was, but it did either way.
Oct 14, 2018
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
£ 1.85/500 mL bottle at The Bottle Shop, Inverness, Scotland. Reviewed 6/26/18.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Brown/black and opaque.
Head – Large (Maximum 7.3 cm, controlled center pour), tan, medium density, average retention, diminishing to an irregular four to ten mm ring and complete layer. A few clots of lacing remain after head retraction.
Lacing – Poor. A few clots of bubbles.
First pour – Brown, clear.
Aroma – 4 – Chocolate and roasted malt.
Flavor – 3.75 - Roasted malt without the chocolate from the nose. No alcohol, no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, creamy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 3.75 – A decent brew at a decent price. The flavor could have been better if some of the chocolate from the nose came through to the taste and the lacing was poor for a stout. Otherwise, a very passable drink.
Jul 01, 2018
Photo of Hanglow
Reviewed by Hanglow from Scotland

3.76/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours black, small tight tan head, ruby brown highlights and bright. Looks as it should.


aroma - coffee, hot chocolate, vanilla and ginger creams on the nose

flavour brings more of the same, with added bitterness and some acidity. dryness comes in on the end.

so many great sub 5% stouts in Scotland at the moment, this exemplifies the type. Good to see Cairngorm are keeping this brand alive.
Oct 21, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by 123321123321 from Alabama

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.48 by igl from Russian Federation

Dec 18, 2015
 
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

4.11/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
From BeerAdvocate Magazine #89 (June 2014):

Smooth, Roasty, Balanced, Quaff

This Stout is a thing of beauty, inviting darkness has a perfect level of roastiness throughout. A bit of woodiness from the Admiral hops and a kiss of citrus from the Cascade. Long lingering finish with a seemingly never ending depth. A thing of beauty.

STYLE: Scottish Stout | ABV: 4.5% | AVAILABILITY: Year-round
Jul 07, 2015
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
From the cask, in an imperial pint glass. black in color, the aroma is a touch roasty, nice cocoa notes too. Great flavor and balance. Nice smooth full bodied mouthfeel
May 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.7 by Iaido from Russian Federation

Apr 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by AlexAfonin from Russian Federation

Nov 11, 2014
Photo of Dentist666
Reviewed by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours opaque black stout with excellent monolith of tan head. Nice retention. Smell - milk, coffee, chocolate, roasted malts. Taste is a bit sour (owing to milk acid?) that causes loss of balance and sweetness, the rest is typical for good stout - coffee, cream, chocolate. Pleasant mouthfeel with notes of tobacco. Moderate carbonation and reasonable drinkability.
Jul 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by PEIhop from Massachusetts

Mar 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by smithj4 from New York

Jan 01, 2014
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.97/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin light tan colored head that died down, leaving some lacing on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of chocolate and roasted malts are present in the nose. These seem to become a bit stronger as the beer warms up.
T: The taste has flavors of dark chocolate along with notes of roasted malts, a light amount of bitterness and slight hints of licorice.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has a nice amount of flavors in the taste for such a light-bodied beer.
Jan 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by M1A2 from Ohio

Aug 25, 2013
DarkNESS from Loch Ness Brewery
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 21 ratings