Pearl Jet | Marston, Thompson & Evershed, Plc.

5/5  rDev +46.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolutely loved this stout. Was the best beer on my recent "Pub Crawl" of the English Heartland. A smooth, slightly sweet, deep-dark and velvety brew. Served in a thin, imperial pint glass from a traditional English Cask. The name of the bar escapes me but it was in Bath England.

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3.33/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

LCBO bottle. Mixed reviews on this one. Neutral malty aroma. Very good looks as 3/8" foamy head on black as night body. Above average mouthfeel that is initially engaging with thick rich malt, then tapers off to something with cocoa and something like club soda aggressive carbonation watering down. Just a tad astringent. Passable beer overall.

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3.73/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours athe classic ebony colour with a two fingered tanned head that retains well.

S - Nice roasted malt aromas and an earthyness too.

T - Really nice balance of flavours, mostly roasted malts and a little coffee,chocolate and caramel.

M - A tad watery and minimal carbonation.

D - A very solid sweet stout

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3.77/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I wish I tried this one sooner since it makes for a good all around go-to beer. A very drinkable stout that poured opague with a tan head. Not much lacing on the way down but the aroma is nice - light cocoa, buttery caramel, fruity and clean.

Tastes just like the aroma and has a nice refreshing mouthfeel and light bitter aftertaste with the hop flavour expected from typical British ales. Very drinkable.

A little later into the beer, the aftertaste is a little acidic and metallic. But I'm still enjoying it overall.

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3.01/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Drank this at Kith & Kin, looking for a new tick at dinner, should have tried one of the cocktails... A good looking beer with a dark brown body and a nice creamy dark tope head; great retention and lacing... The aroma is light and boring, some notes of dark fruits and bit of roast. blah... The taste is blah as well, didn't even drink half this at dinner. Very buttery which is weird, dark fruits, weird chemical finish... The mouthfeel is thin and watery, boring to drink.

I'd pass on this.

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3.45/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500 ml. bottle. Big brownish head that doesn't hold, but a leaving a ring around the cup and a good lace. Black colour, with a brown tone to the light.The usual mineral, limestone trademark of Marstons, with notes of caramel, coffee and some dark fruits.
Thin body for the style, but very drinkable. Taste is rough, mineral, roasted tones and some chocolate. Maybe not the best of Marston, but enjoyable. Oyster? Search for that in another place.

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3.67/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Valentines gift from my wife - poured cool into a Sam Smith's pint glass.

A: Bog standard bottled stout here. A two fingered head emerges from the black depths of the poured beer. Head lasts a little while, however the lacing leaves much to be desired.

S: Contrary to the name, there are no Oysters in this beer, despite seeing this as tasting notes in other reviews! Amazing what a little suggestive naming can do. What is present here and somewhat unique is the exceptional mineral content of the famous Burton-on-Trent water. Definitely gives the roasted malt an added dimension

T: Roasted malt of course dominates the taste of this beer. Chocolate and a little coffee is also featured here. Hazelnut and a suggestions of the sea are also present - is it the label playing tricks on me or is the Burton-on-Trent water to blame again?

M: A little thin, and I initially found this overly carbonated and artificial feeling. Quite dry for a "sweet stout" however.

D: Very drinkable and sessionable.

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3.69/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On Tap @ World of Beer Tampa Palms:

A- Pours pitch black with foamy head... looks like a guinness

S- No realy smell faint- malts

T- Like a sweet guinness. Malty dark fruits molasses.. sweet

M- slick and a little watery for my liking

D- all day long. this is pretty dam good on tap

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2.39/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On-tap at Pizza Port Ocean Beach

A: The beer pours dark brown in color with a khaki head.

S: Starts off with a lot of butter, unfortunately. Decently roasty with some random/inexplicable dark fruit notes. Perhaps a bit of licorice in there. To top it off, it's pretty watery.

T: The flavor has almost as much butter, which isn't winning me over at all. Again, dark fruit notes, particularly blackberries. It's mildly sweet and a touch metallic, but it's not as watery as the nose.

M: The body is thin and a bit watery with a moderate level of carbonation.

D: Most of the oyster stouts I have had have been pretty good, but this was certainly an exception.

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3.62/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pitch black but weak head formation.

S - Very fruity with a hint of toastiness and some honey.

T - Lots of fruit and dark, caramalized sugar and molasses. A bit of leafy hop but not a lot burnt flavour.

M - Solid balanced body with a sharp carbonation.

D - Easy drinker. On the happy side of average, but not a go-to.

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3.21/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass at Novare Res as part of the 12 days of stouts

Served up with a beautiful creamy head. The lace forms well on the glass and covers the glass with each drink.

The aroma is a typical English sweet stout malty with a sweet almost metallic chocolate nose. No roasted notes.

The taste is very smooth on the mouth. Much like a cask frothy and sweet. A slight chocolate taste enters but mostly very sweet smooth malt. The finish is slightly roasted.

Almost like a sweet version of a Guinness

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3.22/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this at the Independent in St. Pete after the Cake show Saturday. Poured into a pint glass. Little head retention and dark in color. There wasn't much in the aroma. the taste is that of a dry, smooth stout. Slight flavors of roasted malt, but nothing overpowering. The body is light and smooth to drink. Little carbonation; definately a session ale.

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2.67/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

500 ml bottle.
best before date of 23 oct 11.
nice looking brown bottle with embossed detail.
Dark Rich Smooth Oyster stout.

poured in a chimay glass. black opaque with no head and very little sign of carbonation.

aroma:yeast malt chocolate coffee brandy.

was not expecting so much carbonation. and with a chalky coffee grounds aftertaste.

not winning me over so far.no sign of alcohol because there isnt much of it.leaves me feeling like i am sucking on a rag soaked in coffee-water.

interesting enough with some bitterness to get me through the glass, but kind of fails overall.

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3.74/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

The best part is the smell, which is faintly of "Glosettes" (milk chocolate covered raisins) as it warms up. A little disappointing afterwards--thin, acidic and metallic. But the malting is raisiny-pleasant, and not a bad dry beer overall. Likeable, but don't drink it too cold.

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4.01/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours black as night with a thin brown head into my glass. Very nice.

A hint of lactose and chocolate greet the nose. Perhaps a whiff of oyster (it is an oyster stout after all)?

Sweet, milky with a slight hint of roasted coffee and chocolate. Chewy and slightly acidic.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering sweetness and chewiness from the malt.

Enjoyable and deceptively quaffable. Good even if you don't know how oysters actually taste.

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3.01/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Received a dark brown pint with a minimal creamy white head. No lacing.

Some light coffee and dark roasted grain aromas. Some boiled grain elements as well. Not impressed.

Guinness-like, with a bit more cream to it. Low end of the spectrum on milk stout scale. Feels like a Dry Irish stout. Light coffee and dark roasted grains, some bland boiled edges to this. Light bitter and creamy finish. The light sweet cream element prevent this from being a disaster.

Well carbonated and lighter in body than expected. Helps in the drinkability dept. Another St. James Gate knock-off, but with improvements.

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3.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque brown colour with fairly thin tan head. The head dissipates fairly quickly with some minimal lacing. Smells of faint chocolate with some sweet roasted malt. Sweet flavour, small bitterness of the roast. Fairly smooth mouthfeel, but a little bit thinner than some stouts. I actually expected oyster in this from the name, but I didn't taste any. I looked it up and they don't use any oyster, which is disappointing!

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3.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle. Wow, "Official Beer of England", three lions and all - lemme check on that, aw, whatever.

This beer pours a solid black, with the slightest of cherry cola basal edges, and two chubby fingers of puffy, densely foamy, and somewhat creamy mocha head, which settles rather lazily, leaving a few broad swaths of splotchy lace around the glass.

It smells of semi-sweet, lightly toasted bready malt, a hint of caramel pudding, medium baker's chocolate, mildly astringent coffee grounds, and a softly sour milkiness. The taste is dry coffee, milky, bittersweet chocolate, a subtle roasted grainy caramel maltiness, dark fruit, ethereal leafy, earthy hops, and an underlying mineral character - Burton 'terroir', as it were.

The carbonation is quite average, just a meek frothiness throughout, the body on the far lee side of middleweight, and kind of thin, bordering on watery at times, which unnecessarily elevates the perceived zing from the bubbles, 86-ing any ideas of smoothness. It finishes fairly off-dry, the lingering milky sweetness competing with bits and pieces of the cocoa and caramel malt.

A decently flavoured milk stout, married, for better or worse, to the regional endemic characteristics of its source - it's just lacking the soft, enveloping silky smoothness that one expects from the better examples of the style. And I don't like oysters, so I guess I'll never know what that's all about.

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2.85/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Bottle picked up as part of the LCBO's winter release. Mostly picked it up for the name.
Handsome bottle design I have to say.

Poured into a nonic. Dark chestnut/black in colour, left a half-inch of frothy mocha head. Receded fairly quickly, leaving only a razor thin ring and a few flakes of lacing.

Nose is nice and roasty with notes of chocolate, and mocha. A touch of mineral and something very strange I can't quite name - almost cheesy. Mild.

A decent-tasting stout, but certainly on the thin side. The typical milk stout tasting notes of chocolate, mocha, and light cream are certainly present, but are far too muted to really make a lasting impact, especially when challenged by a tinny, mineral character and the tea-like hop flavor. An interesting leeky flavor as well. As I work my way through the pint, I'm finding I'm not really digging the flavor - far too mild to be calling itself a stout.

Body is too thin, almost watery, with unnecessarily harsh carbonation. Really killing it for me.

Because the flavors are a bit washed out, this beer could have been great as an easy quaffer - something one could down with a plateful of oysters or scallops. But with such a thin body, harsh carbonation and mixed bag of flavors, this one didn't really do it for me. Felt more like an English mild brown ale than a stout. I could certainly down a pint or two of this, but there are better stouts and browns to be had instead, ones that blast the flavors rather than muffle them.

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4.15/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This one is black as midnight with a toffee colored creamy head. This one smells slightly sweet with hints of the typical coffee and chocolate that accompany the stout style. This one tastes just as it smells. Very good. Everyone at the table agreed too.The heaviness however makes this hard to drink all night. When my second round came, I almost didn't want to drink it. Almost.

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3.13/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

An oyster stout in name but not design. This is about as text book as they come. Probably a good introduction into the wide world of stouts. Not over the top in any of it's traits; the nose and palate are of soft roasted notes with a hint of cocoa. Dry, light with moderate bitterness. I'm sure it would go well with oysters but alas, I have none.

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3.73/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

totally dark in color, completely opaque, creamy foam with mixed bubbles and a dark beige hue, continuous small bubble carbonation. With good retention in his head.

Excellent toasted aroma with a slight sweetness

Nice flavor, which distinguishes the toast, a bitterness in his final extended and slightly chewing.

Medium bodied.

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3.39/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pitch black with a thick creamy brown head. Some lacings.

S: Dry and roasted malts. Bitter hops and coffee.

T: Coffee and bitter dark chocoalte. Slightly smoked.

M: Surprisingly light body and moderate carbonation. Medium-long aftertaste, bitter.

D: Way to thin for me.

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3.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

BB - 15NOV10

Pours a lovely dark black color with decent creamy head.

Initially aroma was rich roast but seemed to sweeten during the glass.

Taste was black coffee with a nice malty background. Sweetness definately prominent balanced by a nice mild bitterness. Found the mouthfeel a bit thin for my taste.

Overall a nice beer that with its mild alcohol more than one could be enjoyed.

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3.3/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: black, foamy, good head/lacing initially. Not that persistent though. 3

S: Fairly typical stout smell but a bit weaker than usual. The malt really comes through. As it warms I get more pleasant yeasty notes. I will say this is more like cola than other stouts I've had. Then it almost gets a bit medicinal. 3

T: A bit sweet, a bit bitter, a bit watery. 3

M: The mouthfeel is good on this beer. Really allows it to slip down. 4

D: Very high to be honest. It's quite cheap for an import and low ABV compared to other stouts. I appreciate this, especially when it's not the dead of winter. The ABV makes it more refreshing but also takes away from the flavour. It definitely doesn't have the depth of flavour of Cooper's BES, one of my benchmarks. For a closer ABV comparison it also lacks the refinement and complexity of Sam Smith's oatmeal stout, which IIRC is 5% but has way more flavour packed into it. I'm not sure if I'd buy this one again, particularly as I'm a fan of depth of flavour. 4

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