Lump Of Coal
Ridgeway Brewing

Lump Of CoalLump Of Coal
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Ridgeway Brewing
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
Foreign / Export Stout
Ranked #68
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
79
Ranked #26,692
Avg:
3.46 | pDev: 15.03%
Reviews:
387
Ratings:
676
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 22, 2024
Added:
Nov 25, 2004
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  73
Yet another bummed-out holiday? Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout is liquid consolation. It's a deep, rich, sweetly rewarding stout to take the edge off of that grim family gathering, that cheerless annual festival of alienation. This brew is as dark as it gets, as black as the lump of coal you'll be getting for Christmas. Because, let's face it, you've been pretty bad this year.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Beerandraiderfan:
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Despite the claim on the label, it does not pour out black as can be, its actually more brown and ruby. Aroma was lacking anything but slight roast.

A good dallop of nuttiness and toffee out of this one. Easy drinking enough. Slight plum and raisin feel to it. Keeps the bitterness in check. Good price on it, under $4, might go back to this one once a year around the holidays, a little changeup for that time of year.
Apr 09, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.38 by vickersspitfire from Texas

Jan 22, 2024
 
Rated: 3.21 by bendukes86 from South Carolina

Dec 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by doctorgary from New York

Dec 25, 2023
Photo of AdmiralOzone
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

3.42/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours dark chocolate brown with a tan head that leaves minimal lacing. Aroma is dark roasted malt, anise, and burnt chocolate. Flavor follows the nose. Feel is medium bodied with adequate carbonation. Overall, a passable beer, not special.
Dec 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.77 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Dec 04, 2023
Photo of detgfrsh
Reviewed by detgfrsh from Texas

3.71/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a bottle. Dark brown color with a half inch of foamy brown head. Roasted malt aroma. Medium body. Nutty roasted malt with an earthy bitterness on the finish. Quite nice, but mislabeled by the brewer. This is not a stout at all, more like a brown ale.
Dec 03, 2023
Photo of AlCaponeJunior
Reviewed by AlCaponeJunior from Texas

3.97/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I find this one to be an underrated and forgotten gem of a brew. Dark and thick, medium sweet with nicely roasted notes and tinge of burnt. And since it's been cold and rainy, it's a perfect day for it.
Nov 13, 2023
 
Rated: 3.73 by bpkrippner from Missouri

Sep 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.43 by ahommell from Mississippi

Jun 20, 2023
 
Rated: 3.63 by Abe_Froman from Massachusetts

Dec 11, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Oct 28, 2022
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Unknown bottling date; drank 1/20/22 @ the Roadrunner Lodge.

Opaque dark brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice tan head; decent lace.

Black licorice, oatmeal & dark chocolate notes in the nose.

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Black licorice, candle wax & dark chocolate flavors up front; creamy oatmeal notes on the finish.

Russian Imperial Stout mixed with oatmeal? Interesting, and ultimately worth quaffing.
Jan 25, 2022
Photo of JayQue
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A fairly decent stout. Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, this beer features a medium sized tan head with good retention (on a hard pour) and some spotty tan lacing. The color is a very dark brown but some reddish light gets through when you hold it to a light. Smell is mostly bready malt and toasted malt, fairly subdued. Taste is more of the same but there is a little vinuous aspect too which I find more often in stronger, richer stouts. Mouthfeel is a bit thin but it goes down smooth for 8% .abv. I had it with dinner and found it to be pleasant but not all that memorable. I wouldn't turn another one down but probably wouldn't seek it out either.
Dec 29, 2021
 
Rated: 3.66 by zotzot from Vermont

Dec 23, 2021
 
Rated: 3.77 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Nov 09, 2021
Photo of SevenBeersDaily
Reviewed by SevenBeersDaily from Finland

3.59/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
First of all, this is NOT black. It is dark reddish brown. Second, it is not the stout that it claims. It is a British brown ale, so the makers have arranged for some bad publicity by misleading consumers with false descriptions on the label.
Having said that, it is quite a drinkable ale. Very little head or carbonation, but a lot of lacing.
The taste has a lot of burnt charcoal notes and a bit too much sweetness. This is not an expensive beer, and it shows.
Oct 29, 2021
 
Rated: 3.48 by QuintusHorace from California

May 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.68 by sbuck from New Mexico

Mar 07, 2021
 
Rated: 2.17 by Argail from Louisiana

Jan 08, 2021
Lump Of Coal from Ridgeway Brewing
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 676 ratings