Northern Rising Unity Stout; Collab w/ Timothy Taylor's
Northern Monk Brew Co.

On cask at Northern Monk Refectory MCR.

Pours jet black with soft tan head.

Smell is roasted and slightly fruity with notes of coffee, chocolate and hazelnuts.

Taste is rich and roasted with notes of chocolate, coffee and hazelnuts. Soft bitterness with a slight sweetness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is rich, smooth and well carbonated.

Overall, a great stout with loads of flavor for the ABV.

 

This is an interesting collaboration between a 12 year old micro with some 750+ brews on BA and an old-school brewer who pretty much stuck to its flagship recipe, Landlord. Both are from the same area, West Yorkshire. But they are quite different in character. Good to such cross-fertilisation. And they brewed a pretty good brew, too.

I'll start my review by explaining the excellent Overall Hugs I give Northern Monk. They are very, very accomplished for a 12 year old. Ambitious to prove their point, they've opened five bars and built one of the most detailed websites I've seen (and I've looked at over two thousand for brewers.) And they did everything I can see with a pretty good sense of humour also. This is only my second brew from them and I was in Leeds once about seven years ago. But with all their energy, I feel like I know Northern.

Unity Stout, once the nitro settles, still Looks appetising. It Smells like most English stouts, mostly malt carefully roasted. I'm always amazed at how this style of sweet malts can still Taste balanced using so few hops, and Northern did some good roasting here. Medium-mouthed. And so ever soft.

Paired pretty well with a Blue Stilton. (I know Stilton's provenance is the Midlands.) But all the same, that's cross-fertilisation also. Cheers !