Stoke - Dark product reviews

This was one of the best beers I have tasted in quite a while. It had the dark 'hops-heavy' taste I enjoy, but without the gluggy weight many other dark ales seem to have these days.
I loved the flavour on its own, when chilled, but found it a little less appealing when I tried it at room temperature. But it was really at it's best when sipped between mouthfuls of a nice juicy porterhouse steak.
All in all, this was a delightful beer, and I only wish I had been able to sample more than 2 bottles.

I have always been a lighter-beer drinker... the pale ales, lager, draughts... 'dark' ales never held much appeal, with their thick, heavy flavours and strong hops-soaked aromas. Sometimes it's really nice to be reminded that not all beers in a category are the same.

Here is a 'dark' ale that doesn't taste heavy, isn't thick, or heavily hopped... it's fairly light and smooth, but with a dark colour and medium-dark taste that is easy to drink even for those of us who light it a bit on the light side.

What really made this beer appealing for me was also how how well it went in cooking - as the flavour basis for a rich beef pie, it couldn't be beat... and it went wonderfully in the slow-cooker with some chuck steak and veges to make a hearty stew.

Overall, the taste of the beer will vary from person to person - no two people get the same taste from anything - so I leave it to you to decide for yourself... but to help you on your way I can say this: If you can appreciate a beer, then this is certainly worth a try. It may be 'dark' but it's not heavy. A medium-strength Hops taste is there for sure, which just adds extra character to an already-delightful drop.