Blog #49. UnBarred Bueno Shake.

Ben: This is a rich luxurious drink. It is a dark chocolate colour with minimal head (this is because I got a 2L bottle during the lock-down - normally, the head is MASSIVE!)

Smell: So much sweetness comes through here: chocolate, a smell similar to a white wine (no idea - is my nose inventing smells?) A rich smell similar to brandy, caramel, nuttiness.

Taste: so smooth. the flavour comes across your mouth slowly, the nuttiness and vanilla are rich and sweet, with cream holding it all together. it is so rich. Uneducated with stouts, and dark drinks, so Guinness is a benchmark for me - this is fizzier than Guinness, but far smoother, if that is possible! (I need to review a Guinness now).

This beer has a special place in my heart, as my friend Alex introduced to this 'weird' little bar up the back of Brighton, who make their own beers. Just like that, I my love of crafties started - no longer did I need to compare Amstel with 1664.

It is a warming beer that has it's place in the summer as stouts and heavy dark drinks are no longer confined to Christmas eve, but are welcome all year round. It is luxurious, so I couldn't have more than 2/3rds of a pint (I'd fall on the floor), but I'd feel like I'd satisfied my sweet tooth well and truly. It feels super indulgent and special, like you've had a special wine you've had stored up for a while and you've cracked it open. It's like a fineeee wineeee.

Plus, UnBarred is in such a great location that it must be included in a night out in Brighton - they make the beer right next to where you sit! 8/10.

This went down VERY well.

Chris:

Vanilla leads the way with strong milk chocolate and nutty flavours just behind a slight milky coffee undertone, this really is a dessert in a glass. A milky "shake" style stout it's almost jet black in a glass and as soon as you give it a whiff it's bang on Kinder Beuno, absolutely hit the nail on the head with that. It's very smooth tasting with the lactose in there and your hit with it's extremely rich taste and dense flavours.

Would I drink this beer again? Yes. Would I drink more than one? No. Obviously not being made as a session beer I'm not going to mark it down for that. With all its flavour and coming in at 6.4% ABV this is a one off treat, that I don't think I could carry myself over to the bar for another! 

I'm not normally a stout drinker, but this was delicious; perhaps I'll venture more into what stouts have to offer in the near future. 

Lovely beer, complex and very sweet flavours. 7/10.

Dan:

Like a sumptuous pudding after a large meal at a fancy restaurant, you only order one. You eat one and wish for me but know you can't because its not the done thing to order a 2nd pudding. Just like this drink, it's luxurious but you can only have 1.

Very complex in flavour, a joy for the tongue. The sweetness comes through and hangs around. An almost creaminess to the drink which is not what you expect. At least it wasn't what I expected, having never tried a stout before.

I imagine other stouts won't be anything like this. But it is a joy and I would recommend.

8 out of 10.

Our combined scores give it a 7.66/10.