Dark Star (The Original)
Dark Star Brewing Company Limited

 

 

Pour is dark brown, almost black, with a creamy tan head. Nose has a light note of smoke with a McD grilled chicken aroma dominating. Light dark grapes in back but faint. Taste is thin and stale, light smoke with notes of dark malt, cardboard and moderate sweetness. Body is thin and light with low carbonation.

 

I had a pint of Dark Star Original at The Harp in London, 14 Sept. 2011
A: dark brown with a small lasting head
S: somewhat nutty carmel malt and floral
T: clean, smooth, yet rich in various flavors to the smell. All of the tastes were not overpowering and it was very satisfying. It was chewy and slighy floral in hops, very well bodied, clean and refreshing.
O: I was so impressed I had to come back for another, on another day.

Another half-pint sample at Rattle N Hum's English cask ale festival last week -- this one was my last of five. It's dark brown in appearance, with a few bubbles on top. The smell is bready, with some notes of sweet malt. The taste is malt, biscuit, and dark plum -- quite complex but not at all fussy. It's a little thin to the mouth but somehow robust as well. Like all these Dark Star cask ales, it's damned easy to drink. Too bad these aren't around town more often.

Guest cask at Magnolia in San Francisco back in August. Poured a nice dark brown, almost black with the typical grainy cask head. Smelled lightly toasty and creamy with some grainy tasting chocolate- like cocoa puffs sprinkled with malt. Tastes a little washed out. Could be slightly maltier. Its a little thin as well with some slight sour graininess. It finishes with some light crackery maltiness. Mouthfeel is a little thin and sour. I enjoyed this- but not as much as I thought I might. It's always possible that this had been on a bit too long and lost a bit of its special something, but it certainly wasn't off yet. In any case I'd try it again.

Tasted by a pint at the Evening Star, Brighton, on 23/04/2007. The handpump specifies that this is Dark Star "Original", which won numerous awards back in late 1980s as I remember it.

A: very dark caramel brown hue, a thin off-white beer head, and low carbonation.
S: a very refreshing aroma mixed of semi-sharp woody & herbal scent, dark malts, a touch of treacle, roasted nuts, and floral hops. Slightly in need of a better/clearer structure, though.
T: very deep & clean palate of roasted tea-leaves, caramelised sugar, and woodiness with a lightly spicy hint at the back; quickly surrounded by an aromatic taste like treacle plus bitter walnut-skins... an intensifying, even chewy, flow of bitterness lingers beautifully at the back, added with a touch of sweet floral hoppy hint.
M&D: suitable fizziness, very refreshing and clean, but full-bodied as well! This is a very decent old ale, a truly deserved winner of many awards.

On-cask at the David Copperfield cask fest in NYC.
Reddish brown color body. Barely a head produced.
Very nice fruity aroma.
Taste is very malty and roasty with fruit overtones. Some raisin. Light caramel. Big bready finish. Very enjoyable aftertaste.
A little thin mouthfeel - not bad but not very good either.
The flavor and aroma is what really pulls this brews weight.

Was able to try this last evening on cask at Mahar’s. Beer had a very dark amber color to it with hardly any head or carbonation. Had a nice earthy aroma with hints of dark fruits. The taste was not to bad, a little mellow but had a heavy malt and earth taste with highlights of dark fruit. Had a slight hint of alcohol with a balanced hop flavor. Over all this is a good beer, not outstanding but a very nice brew! I would get this again.