Exmoor Stag
Exmoor Ales Limited

Bottled in brown glass and brought to me as part of a Morrison's grocery delivery
pours a lovely rich light brown tinted amber body with handsome head
Aroma is soapy grain and caramel hints
Flavour is sweet malt moving through barley sugar and red laces to molasses slight bitterness
I did pour this purposely into an oversized dimpled handled pot glass to both knock out the gas and also give good head
this delivered a robust mouthfeel

Nicely malty and very tasty bitter.

Pours tawny and headless with moderate carbonation. Strong smell with lots of aromatic wood - cypress, pine, and oak all present. The attack bites satisfyingly savoury – think unfruited malt loaf accompanied by immediately resinous hops. Light sweetness of prunes is present in the finish. Whisky develops in the malt, with spruce contributing to the broad woody palate. Strangely, the aromas seem to soften in the glass by half pint, but there is a development of cherry which also transfers to the mouth, with the sweetness producing a little caramel. Finsh sours slightly in the final drops, with a little more citricity, but it's not more than an undercurrent. Mouthfeel is excellent – dry, a smidgen of creaminess, light carbonation, very supple, and light in body. This mercurial ale is sometimes delicious, sometimes middling, but most often somewhere in between. This was a good bottle though.

Copenhagen 30/12 2020. 50 cl bottle from Meny, Borups Allé, Frb. F. Painting of an observant Stag in the sunset on the label. Looks like something that my grandmother would have adored.

Pours clear amber with a small white head. A bit bubbly. Settles as thin patches of foam unable of covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.

Aroma is moderately intense with a sweet, malty odor mingling with sharp grainy sourness. Caramel and toffee. Saline scent. Light toasted malts.

Light carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, soft, almost flat texture.

Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a moderate sourish bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet. Lingers for a bit. Finish is sweet caramel with a sour touch.

Decent ESB without being outstanding.