Denmark

scrapes in   decent   good   excellent   sublime

Carlsberg, Carls Porter (Denmark) Also labelled 'Imperial Stout' in the small print, this strong beer from Carlsberg was purchased in Denmark. It pours inky black with a moderate tan-coloured head. There is something immediately vegetal and slightly off-putting on the nose, with a slightly dank, herbal note, but then a roasted barley and coffee bean richness comes through, as well as a sweet, plummy fruitiness. On the palate there is a terrific sweetness to this, with a medium bodied but rich texture, and then bittering espresso and liquorice notes coming through. Moderate carbonation leaves this quite clean and smooth, with a real tension between the intense, sweet flavours and all the dark roasted malts and a bite of hops too. A very good beer that for me is a touch too sweet to enjoy more than a few sips, but lots of drama and lots of interest. 7.8% ABV, 33cl.

Ceres, Stout (Denmark) At a heady 7.7% ABV, this stout pours an opaque black with a creamy, quite long-lasting tan head. The nose is fairly subdued, with little notes of treacle and and dark-roasted coffee beans, then a little sweet, cherry or floral edge emerges with coaxing. On the palate it is creamy and moderately thick and rich, with a big surge of sweet-edged, milky dark flavours, with some espresso and roasted, nutty notes, but a surprisingly sweet core. There is a nice bitterness in the finish that just does enough to add some grip. A nice beer, that doesn't quite hit the heights. 7.7% ABV, 33cl, ?29.99 X 24, 1516 Beer Co.

Royal Unibrew, Royal Stout (Denmark) This strong stout from Denmark pours a dark, chocolaty brown colour with a thick and persistent tan head. The nose offers aromas of dark roasted coffee and malt, and a suggestion of prunes and charcoal biscuits. On the palate it has considerable sweetness at first, with a sumptuous, thick texture. There's a chewy caramel quality to this beer, with all sorts of liquoricy, bitter flavours starting to emerge. It retains that sense of sweetness, but the balance is very good in a deep and layered beer. Purchased in Denmark. 7.7% ABV, 33cl, UK retailer not known.

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