“Metric Stout is the biggest, densest, richest beer we have released and required a requisite amount of effort to produce. Suffice to say, not many brewing days are 18 hours long! Metric stout it jet black and viscous, with a finely beaded brown head of foam. The aroma is earthy, inflected with campfire ash, malt and bitter chocolate. These characteristics are enhanced in the flavour as the textural components of the beer come into play; rich and syrupy, it coats the mouth. Metric Stout has been maturing in bottle since May 2016 and will respond well to careful cellaring for a year or more. It is presented in a 750ml wax dipped bottle with a vintage dated label. We will only ever brew this beast once per year.”
Served in a snifter. This monstrous beast pours like engine oil but it generates a healthy two finger head that holds together magnificently. A thick and soapy lace is left clinging to the glass as it ebbs.
The nose brings together all the classics like dark chocolate, coffee and molasses but with a few extras including vanilla, marzipan and caramel fudge. It definitely doesn’t hide its 9.5% ABV as that booze really stings the nostrils. Rich undertones of mocha, roasted nuts and licorice put a solid punctuation on this aroma.
The flavour is slow to get going but it initiates with tobacco, ash, dark chocolate, coffee, molasses and licorice. A formidable combination of flavours that’s for damn sure. They all carry forward and pick up a warmth from the booze midway. It moves in to an assertive bitterness before it finishes on a super rich, bitter and and roasty note with excellent length on the rear.
The mouth feel is dense, full bodied and ultra warming. Oily in texture and low in co2. Booze is firm and warming.
This is one hefty old stout. It’s dense, viscous and slightly bitter with minimal sweetness to balance. Man, just a hint of lactose or a bigger presence of vanilla could have taken this stout to unknown heights. Take nothing away from it though it’s a brilliant drop.