Belhaven began brewing back in 1719, which started on a Sunday if you are into the Gregorian calendar like me; probably not. The location of the brewery was specifically set to avoid the damn Dunbar Council tax so it was impost-free; the best type of free. They had some stiff competition in Scotland but by 2005, they were the oldest game in town and older always means better. They only had about 4 regular beers to their arsenal but now have over a dozen in their lineup.
Rumor has it they they might have started brewing beer pre-12th century by presumably some old ass monks but that isn't documented anywhere. They sold the family business in 1972 (initially started by John Johnstone) and when that shit went down, they really started pumping out some beers.
So this is their Scottish Stout hitting the scales at 7% ABV and $6.00 a pint and, between you and me, this is a great substitution to eating. This thing is a meal in itself, a delicious meal. It has the flavor of toasted nuts and malts with a mix of coffee, chocolate and toffee. It's got a bitter aftertaste and is smoother than me after 12 Busch Lights.
It's darker than a Edgar Allan Poe short story read by Vincent Price in a coal mine in the Congo; dark.
It's got a good head on it, like your reviewer, and it's real thick, and a malty, frothy goodness. This has been labeled as "Guinness's Worst Nightmare" and is of a comparable style. It's way cooler than Guinness because it isn't Guinness.
Would I get it again? Heck yes I would. Would I drink it on a 10 mile bike ride, well, probably not. It's heavy, delicious and full flavored but not good for drinking when you are mowing the lawn. I wish I would have came across this in the winter. By stout standards this is a winner. You aren't going to be able to chug these but they aren't designed for chugging before you go to a varsity basketball game, you n00b.
Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 9/10
Value: 6/10
Curb Appeal: 8/10
Overall: 7.5/10
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