“We’ve partnered with Five Senses Coffee to create the perfect brew for both beer and coffee lovers alike.  Brewed with their Crompton Road Blend, this smooth drop showcases the deep, roasted flavours of dark and chocolate malts with the invigorating kick of freshly brewed espresso.  Enjoy the drink-ability of a lager with the characteristic flavours of an espresso martini!”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Almost totally black except for some light punching through at the base of the glass. It forms a thumb of loosely packed tan head which forms a collar. Scarce lacing as we go.

Aroma: Robust notes of coffee and roasted malt emanating. Bad Shepherd are well known for mastering the mid-darks (i.e brown ale, dark ale etc) so it’s no surprise that this is smelling the goods early on. The coffee almost has a chilli-like quality to it *quick check to see if any chilli was added – nope*. We’re liking it either way.

Flavour: Kind of like a much softer and watered down version of a coffee stout. That’s in no way a criticism it’s just how it drinks. It’s light on the palate but the coffee, vanilla, chocolate and delicate charred components are nice and direct. A good roasty bitterness underlines it all from start to finish as well.

Mouthfeel: As stated previously, it’s quite light on and crisp with mild-moderate body and carb. The 4.5% ABV is in line with the vibe of the beer.

Overall: Not bad for a black lager. It has really solid bones. Probably wouldn’t return to it but it was tasty enough to enjoy as a one-off.