Lion Stout | Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited
Brewed by:
Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited
Sri Lanka
lionbeer.com
Style: Foreign / Export Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.80%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
The dark caramel, large dense headed brew, with its 8.8% alcoholic content, is unique due to its sweet notes of chocolate and coffee interspersed into a foundation of dark roasted barley. Symbolic black to denote leadership, power, focus and strength, is dominant in the labeling as the lion journeys in the twilight unafraid, unbowed and unchallenged.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 07-28-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 1,639 | Reviews: 910
3.98/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I see this one around, in stores and bars, all the time and finally got around to giving it a shot.
Pours a deep and dark brown that appears nearly black in the glass. Thumbnail size mocha foam head retains well.
The aroma has roasty, coffee and chocolate qualities. Later on, there is a mild scent of alcohol, lightly charred malt and burnt grass.
What I'm struck by, as soon as it hits the mouth, is the relative lightness of the body and ultra soft carbonation. These qualities make it very drinkable for a stout, albeit perhaps a bit thin at times. A sweet and creamy sweetness coats the mouth; it is noticeable yet subtle, as in not too sweet. It is balanced by the roasted, even slightly charred, malts and mild dark fruit zest. Although the alcohol flavor is well masked, its warmth is felt about halfway through.
I'm glad I got to try it. Overall, it is balanced, smooth and quite pleasant.
900 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I see this one around, in stores and bars, all the time and finally got around to giving it a shot.
Pours a deep and dark brown that appears nearly black in the glass. Thumbnail size mocha foam head retains well.
The aroma has roasty, coffee and chocolate qualities. Later on, there is a mild scent of alcohol, lightly charred malt and burnt grass.
What I'm struck by, as soon as it hits the mouth, is the relative lightness of the body and ultra soft carbonation. These qualities make it very drinkable for a stout, albeit perhaps a bit thin at times. A sweet and creamy sweetness coats the mouth; it is noticeable yet subtle, as in not too sweet. It is balanced by the roasted, even slightly charred, malts and mild dark fruit zest. Although the alcohol flavor is well masked, its warmth is felt about halfway through.
I'm glad I got to try it. Overall, it is balanced, smooth and quite pleasant.
900 characters
4.37/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.
Fizzy sounding pour out of the bottle, but makes a deep rich cascading head. Dark and tall at an easy three fingers of height with a slow dissolve. Light milk chocolate head, and a creamy flat top settling down to an opaque dark walnut colored body.
Large banana ester on this, with good amounts of chocolate quality. Milky and slightly sweet, but hints more dark rich than caramel. Light roast but has more milky tones. Pretty solid, almost reminds me of a doppelbock without the caramel character.
Woah what a great delivering brew on the palate. Soft and velvet feeling texture and more surprising since the beer on the nose hints at wetness. Creamy touches of dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Creamy texture gives way to wonderful sweet vanilla tones, almost milk stout but without lactose sugars. Rich finish that really lasts like a blast of cocoa and minimal char.
The roast and char qualities are minimal, but everything feels and tastes rich and lush. Great stout.
1,037 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.
Fizzy sounding pour out of the bottle, but makes a deep rich cascading head. Dark and tall at an easy three fingers of height with a slow dissolve. Light milk chocolate head, and a creamy flat top settling down to an opaque dark walnut colored body.
Large banana ester on this, with good amounts of chocolate quality. Milky and slightly sweet, but hints more dark rich than caramel. Light roast but has more milky tones. Pretty solid, almost reminds me of a doppelbock without the caramel character.
Woah what a great delivering brew on the palate. Soft and velvet feeling texture and more surprising since the beer on the nose hints at wetness. Creamy touches of dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Creamy texture gives way to wonderful sweet vanilla tones, almost milk stout but without lactose sugars. Rich finish that really lasts like a blast of cocoa and minimal char.
The roast and char qualities are minimal, but everything feels and tastes rich and lush. Great stout.
1,037 characters
4.35/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
**
12/14/2012
Bottle to Glass. Perilla Restaurant, NYC.
AROMA: Toast. Coffee.
LOOK: Large Tan Head, Dark Black pour
TASTE: Yummy. Creamy Coffee - kind of like a cappuccino.
FEEL: Creamy. Full.
**
208 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
**
12/14/2012
Bottle to Glass. Perilla Restaurant, NYC.
AROMA: Toast. Coffee.
LOOK: Large Tan Head, Dark Black pour
TASTE: Yummy. Creamy Coffee - kind of like a cappuccino.
FEEL: Creamy. Full.
**
208 characters
3.67/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.99/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.37/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Honestly if I didn't know it was a stout the body and taste would make me think it was a barley wine. Nothing against them I absolutely love barley wines. I just prefer my stouts to be less sweet and more thick/rich. This has a very sweet raisin/date smell and taste and is fairly thin for an 8.8%. Not bad, would be good for a barley wine but very middle of the road for stouts.
379 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Honestly if I didn't know it was a stout the body and taste would make me think it was a barley wine. Nothing against them I absolutely love barley wines. I just prefer my stouts to be less sweet and more thick/rich. This has a very sweet raisin/date smell and taste and is fairly thin for an 8.8%. Not bad, would be good for a barley wine but very middle of the road for stouts.
379 characters
2.85/5 rDev -27.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
5/5 rDev +27.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I suppose unlike other reviews, I'm unable to taste all the different flavors in beers. I do, however, taste a bit of mocha in this brew. The alcohol isn't as well hidden as others in the same category. But it's still very easy drinking. As far as I know, stouts aren't known for their bitterness and this one is no exception. I've only had the pleasure of trying around 8-9 stouts, but this one is definitely the best, thus far. Not only one of my stouts, but one of my all-around favorite brews. Delectable.
509 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I suppose unlike other reviews, I'm unable to taste all the different flavors in beers. I do, however, taste a bit of mocha in this brew. The alcohol isn't as well hidden as others in the same category. But it's still very easy drinking. As far as I know, stouts aren't known for their bitterness and this one is no exception. I've only had the pleasure of trying around 8-9 stouts, but this one is definitely the best, thus far. Not only one of my stouts, but one of my all-around favorite brews. Delectable.
509 characters
3.5/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.85/5 rDev +24%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
3.75/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
330ml bottle poured into pint glass.
A: pours a pitch black body, my aggressive pour yields a 2 finger chocolate milk frothy foam head
S: chocolate, roasted malt, molasses syrup gives a slight sweet aroma
M: medium body with slight dry puckering finish in the tongue.
T: chocolate, coffee, slightly burnt malt, molasses, hint of hops, slightly earthy taste in the finish, also dry in the finish
O: solid brew with great taste
427 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
330ml bottle poured into pint glass.
A: pours a pitch black body, my aggressive pour yields a 2 finger chocolate milk frothy foam head
S: chocolate, roasted malt, molasses syrup gives a slight sweet aroma
M: medium body with slight dry puckering finish in the tongue.
T: chocolate, coffee, slightly burnt malt, molasses, hint of hops, slightly earthy taste in the finish, also dry in the finish
O: solid brew with great taste
427 characters
3.41/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
Pours dark brown almost black. Thin tan head dissipates down to a thin ring of foam along the outside of the beer.
Smell has aromas of chocolate, malts, a hint of hops and nail polish remover ...
Taste has a strong flavor of cocoa powder. Strong malt presence with some caramel and molasses. Bit of spice on the finish, like cinnamon. Hint of hops on the finish as well as that spice. Its pretty sweet leaving it somewhere between a foreign export stout and a milk/sweet stout.
Feel is very dry with medium carbonation. Has some depth to the body.
Overall a perfectly average stout. Nothing super special, but its solid. The biggest
640 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
Pours dark brown almost black. Thin tan head dissipates down to a thin ring of foam along the outside of the beer.
Smell has aromas of chocolate, malts, a hint of hops and nail polish remover ...
Taste has a strong flavor of cocoa powder. Strong malt presence with some caramel and molasses. Bit of spice on the finish, like cinnamon. Hint of hops on the finish as well as that spice. Its pretty sweet leaving it somewhere between a foreign export stout and a milk/sweet stout.
Feel is very dry with medium carbonation. Has some depth to the body.
Overall a perfectly average stout. Nothing super special, but its solid. The biggest
640 characters
4.49/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.87/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a snifter glass from the bottle.
Appearance: Thin brownish black body with a light tan head rising maybe a notch over a finger's length. Head drops quick after one sip, lacing is a bit uneven.
Smell: Light warm sugar, and descent hit of malts.
Taste: Sweet cream and sugar. Molasses and
Touch of malts. A part of me likes it part of me wants to leave it alone, a little spicy but light...like touch of cinnamon in the stout.
Mouth: Sticky but dry brew, after taste is complex. Almost like raisins at the end.
Overall: Good brew, hybrid brew between and American stout and imperial stout. The lightly spicy note is what attracts me to the brew. Definitely a must grab if you see it. Salud!
709 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a snifter glass from the bottle.
Appearance: Thin brownish black body with a light tan head rising maybe a notch over a finger's length. Head drops quick after one sip, lacing is a bit uneven.
Smell: Light warm sugar, and descent hit of malts.
Taste: Sweet cream and sugar. Molasses and
Touch of malts. A part of me likes it part of me wants to leave it alone, a little spicy but light...like touch of cinnamon in the stout.
Mouth: Sticky but dry brew, after taste is complex. Almost like raisins at the end.
Overall: Good brew, hybrid brew between and American stout and imperial stout. The lightly spicy note is what attracts me to the brew. Definitely a must grab if you see it. Salud!
709 characters
Lion Stout from Ceylon / Lion Brewery Limited
Beer rating:
3.91 out of
5 with
1,639 ratings
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