Whitbread Mackeson Stout ABV 3% • Vol 275 ml • bottle • UK • Mid-price • Flavour 8 Other beers from Whitbread Other beers from UK

This beer is one of the few surviving examples of an old southern English style of sweet stout once known as milk stout, so-called because it contains lactose, a sugar derived from milk that, since it is unfermentable, lends its character and calories to the finished beer. Contemporary labelling standards prevent the use of the term today, but the beer still wears on its label the milk churn that has been its trademark on and off since it was first brewed at Hythe, Kent, in 1907. Whitbread acquired the brand in the 1920s and eventually turned it into the market leader of its style. When I first started drinking in the 1970s it was a pub staple alongside Gold Label barley wine and bottled Guinness; it's still readily obtainable today, from Whitbread's plant at Salmesbury in Lancashire at the last count (though the label only gives the company's London address). So why did it take me 25 years to get round to trying it, and why has it taken so long to appear here? Perhaps because it has long languished under the image, unchallenged by the brewery, of being a beverage for elderly ladies and invalids, an impression reinforced by its low gravity and its former reputation for supposed nutritional value. Another deterrent to the enthusiast is that most supermarkets only stock it in canned form: bottles have to be searched out at specialist retailers and some pubs. This situation is a sad one, because Mackeson really deserves to be treasured as a heritage beer: perhaps Interbrew, who now own Whitbread and have successfully marketed offbeat specialities elsewhere, can make something of it if they don't decide to drop it altogether. The beer is pasteurised but unfiltered, so contains some yeast debris. It pours a very dark brown, near black, with a little lacy, loose, cream-coloured head. The aroma is tarry, burnt-curranty and coffeeish, most closely resembling sweetened Turkish-style coffee, with some hints of vanilla and strawberry. The palate is very full, a little like dandelion and burdock soft drinks, and also has that Turkish coffee quality; there's some raspberryish fruit, and a definite milky texture and flavour with a sharp creaminess reminiscent of powdered milk or milk gums. The overall sweetness is well-lifted by a burst of bitter chocolate and hop bitterness on the swallow, and the beer finishes with tangy, fruity hints. Admittedly it will not be to everyone's taste, but if, like me, you have a fascination for dark sweetish beers, especially those that manage to pack a lot of complex flavour into a low gravity, but you've not yet been tempted to crack open a bottle of this one, you may be very pleasantly surprised. Review submitted by: Des de Moor ADD A COMMENT TO THIS BEER

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Why have we suggested these?

Review updated 30 July 2001

Comments

According to a feature on this beer in the November 2001 issue of CAMRA's What's Brewing/Beer, it's currently brewed under contract for Interbrew by Ridley's of Chelmsford.
Des de Moor

I love this beer. Nothing else like it. I happen to be drinking it now. Nothing like it in the U.S.
John

Disappear? Its been readily available on the shelves of any good liquor store that carries a good selection of imports in the US since at least 1994.
Carl Christensen - Minneapolis, Minnesota. USA

Getting very hard to find in the Midlands, only available at a few British Legion and Social Clubs. I have drunk it as a 50/50 mix with cider since the early seventies. Try it you might like it.
Alan Smith - Solihull

Love it - have looked everywhere to purchase it. I am on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. As far as I know, we can buy it in the Virgin Islands, but not here! Can you tell me how I can get it?
Nancy

Mackeson is a beautiful beer from a bygone age, with a wonderful taste of coffee and hops, it's the sort of thing my grandmother drank for her health!
John Carter

The beer pours with an off white head, and a bitter nose. On the toungue it is all burnt, bitter coffee around the edge of the tongue, with an underlying sweetness, and a milky, creamy quality. The creamy taste sours slightly in the aftertaste, which is mostly plain chocolate and espresso. For its ABV, a remarkably drinkable bottle, with lots of interest. Definitely recommended.
I'm off now to buy some tartan bootees and matching shopping trolley...
The Beast

I always put Mackeson stout in my Christmas pudding and have done for 40 years and my mother-i-law before me. I would buy it more often if I could buy single cans it seems it is only available in multi-packs in supermarkets.
Christine and Carole(carol.bell10@ntlworld.com)

Christine and Carole: Do what everybody else does, take a can out of a multipack, and if they ask at the checkout, act innocent and say it was like that on the shelf!
Des de Moor

i love it!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):)
mari

I used to drink this beer at Cornawall's, an English pub in Boston, a block from Fenway Park. It is as close to dessert as any beer can get, delicious.
Quinton Bemiller, Los Angeles

I tried this alongside a Dragon Stout. The Dragon Stout, a Jamaican beer, is 7.5%, but does have a lot in common with Mackeson's. The Dragon comes in a bottle with a funky red dragon on the label; Mackeson comes in a can with a boring black milk churn. Dragon wins on presentation. Both are deep dark red, however the head on the Mackeson is a beautiful, but short lived white, while the Dragon has a bubbly dirty white head that settles down slowly. The Mackeson initially has a pencil rubber and melon aroma which eventually becomes quite coffee like - a sort of sweet milky coffee; while the Dragon is initially mostly alcohol, but also has rubber - a sort of industrial rubber, and some bread yeast notes. The Dragon tastes soft, almost muted, with an initial raisin and plum sweetness followed by some roasty bitterness. It is slightly tannic, with elements of iron and some cardboard, but this is balanced by some very juicy fruits. The Mack has a light carbonation and some faint soapy licorice before the coffee comes through followed by chocolate and a little strawberry jam. There is also a hint of tinned milk, which may be the result of lactose being used in the brew. The mouthfeel is thin and refreshing compared to the Dragon's firmer, soft and warm mouthfeel. Difficult to say which is the better beer. Dragon has a firmer, softer mouthfeel, but the thin, refreshing mouthfeel of the Mack is also pleasant, but in a different way. On the whole, I think the greater depth and range of flavours of the Mack just tips it ahead of the Jamaican stout.
Silk Tork

It was available in my area (Michigan), in cartons of four American-style 12 oz. bottles, from at least the late seventies until the early nineties. It has, to my dismay, since disappeared from our shelves. It was a good way to get people started on stout (not tasting as "strong" as Guinness to the unsophisticated American palate), if they'd ask about it.
Hopalong

Well, the day after I filed my last report what did I see on the supermarket shelf but shiny brand new, 12oz. bottle, six packs of "Mackeson's Triple Stout!" There is a God!
Hopalong

This beer is truly wonderful I used to get it at Safeway, of all places, in the early 1980's but in the Seattle area it seems to have disappeared completely. Can anyone out there tell me where one can find this beer nowadays? I'd love to know if someone in the Pacific Northwest is marketing it. Thanks. krdammand@yahoo.com
[You could try looking through our online list of beer shops - Ed]
Ken Dammand

I buy this beer at a store in Asheville, NC. Truly a great stout!
Seth

One of the most underrated British beers there is, along with Mann's Brown Ale.
Oliver

Isn't there aniseed in this beer? Tha is aniseed as in the basic component for black licorice? The beer is very much a licorice tasting drink. Frankly it is the most delicious beer I have ever had, and it's too bad it is so unavailable. A much better beer than the more famous Guinness stout.
Ferocious Imbecile

To Ken Diamond; you might want to make a short trip up to Fairhaven near Bellingham. There's this restaurant there called Bully's that has something like 50 beers on tap, and 275 different bottled beers in the cooler. They've got great raw oysters and you'll want their loaded potato skins too. If you want to buy a case of triple stout, try the grocery store just around the corner.
Ferocious Imbecile

I used to get it in the early 80's in Seattle. Safeway sold it, as did a piano bar in the Alexis Hotel which has since closed. Haven't seen it since. I drink Guinness now.
Tricia

A few things you might not know. You can stand a straw up in the middle of a glass of this beer and it will remain standing. If you pour the beer into a clear glass and hold it up to view the sun, it is so thick, you can't see through it. I used to get this in CT. Exit 79 and exit 82 areas on the 395. A most excellent beer, I highly recommend it.
Rick.

Does anyone know where you can buy Mackeson in Cheltenham? Desperate to get some.
Nick

Readily available in Supermarkets in Bournemouth and Poole, as are many other datk beers and stout. Still remember the TV adverts from the 70s
Jim Firth

Beautiful stuff, ideal for dark evenings listening to the clock tick as the rain beats against the window. Mann's brown ale is also ideal on such occassions. If all 32 year olds were like me the world would be a better place!
Flo

A nightcap for an evening of relative restraint. If you have to get up fresh the next morning and don't want to crack open another half litre of 5%, the low-gravity taste combo is ideal - and this is not just Methodist propaganda! Viva Mackeson!
Rev Geoff Reid

I live in Calif. and have been unable to find it (Mackesons Triple Stout) for years. Where might I find some in SoCal?
Michael Osinski

I love this stuff. My favorite beer by far. I'm from Louisiana and we have a similar beer: Abita Turbodog. It's a local brewery with a wide selection of beers. Luckily, Mackeson is easy to get for me: There's a little specialty shop that carries 200 plus beers five minutes from my house. Yay for me! None of my friends drink this either. I'm 21 so it's a little harsh for them. I love it though. Just got a six pack today!
Justin

(275 ml bottle.) Very dark/black, good tan head. Aroma is malts and coffee, flavour is sweet and malty with coffee and chocolate notes, hardly any bitterness. This beer proves that a low ABV beer can be flavourful, but it's just too sweet to be a favourite of mine.
Sigmund

what else can be said? very good bottle of brew.
lonnie

Mackeson Triple Stout disappeared from Southern California two or three years ago, and I was told it wasn't being made any more. Lucky us, it's now back on the shelves at Trader Joe's markets, as of May 2004.
Chris

DO THEY STILL SELL PINT BOTTLES OF MACKESON
ERIC

DID THEY USE TO SELL DRAUGHT MACKESON IN PUBLIC HOUSES? IF YES IS IT STILL SOLD AND WHERE CAN YOU GET IT
ERI JEFCOATE

Having been suggested by my doctor that a small alcoholic drink in the evening would be of benefit to my blood pressure, I tried having a glass of wine, but find that I don't always fancy opening a bottle just for one, a day, as it does not keep well. Last summer fell in love with draught Guinness, sweet and creamier than Original but find that the can is a bit too large. Discovered a 4 pack of 330ml Mackeson this week in Tesco's and have been very pleasantly surprised at what a delicious drink it is!Just the right size. One a day, will keep my doctor at bay!!!
suzanne

Whenever I go into a new pub I always ask for a Mackeson. Unfortunately the reply now seems to be "What is a Mackeson?" Such a pity.
John

I have a great affection for Mackeson stout. As a child in the 1970's my grandad used to let me have Mackeson shandy with dinner as a treat and I still drink it now. It makes an excellent refreshing shandy, as well as being delicious on it's own.
Paula

DOES ANYONE KNOW IT`S NUTRITIONAL VALUE? EVERYONE SAYS IT`S GOOD FOR MY POST-OP MUM BUT THEY DONT KNOW WHY!!!! ( SHE LOVES IT THO`!!)
LOIS IN SUNNY PORTSMOUTH

This stout is the sweet nectar of the "gawds." MMMMMMMMM!!! ...puts Guniness to shame! My new favorite stout, hands down!
Terry

...btw, I'm an insomniac, and three of these beers, EASILY put me to bed like a baby. Heh! ...and I'm a big guy!
Terry

I like this beer, far better than the run of the mill flavoured water type of beers you usually find in pubs.....
Ade

Was introduced to this stout at the New Inn, Cononley (Nr. Skipton) and found it to be one of my favorites(after Old Peculier). Much better than Guinness. Wish I could find it here in the U.S.
Brad

Beautiful stuff,just introduced it to my better half,she loves it.
Allan H (Liverpool UK)

Instantly became my favorite beer in 1978 while eating long sausages and onion sauce at the Royal Court Tavern (at Sloane Square) in London. Problem is, I cannot locate Mackeson's here in Hawaii where I am now living!
Matthew Gray

i still miss it : it used to be available in belgium, but no longer nowadays.... (and i haven't been to the uk since 2001, last time i brought loads over)
de p uit w

We've got Mackeson here in NW Indiana (W. Lafayette). It's $1.99 for a 22oz bottle (which is really cheap), they don't sell cans or anything else. Definitely an excellent stout.
rick

Thanks for the history and description at the top of this page. I've been drinking this beer for a while and never known much about its origins or composition! At this moment enjoying a glass on a relaxing Saturday night in Berkshire... thinking of beloved Yorkshire. Cheers.
Ed

I found it fresh on the shelf at HEB grocery in san antonio in March 2005 for $5.99 a six pack for 12 oz bottles. Does anyone know the actual ABV? This stout could never be confused with any other drink than an english style stout. Other descriptions posted above are well stated and accurate
richard

I've been buying Mackeson's at Trader Joe's supermarket chain in LA, CA. I see it is brewed in Cincinnati, Ohio by Royal Imports LLC, under supervision of Whitbread/Interbrew of the UK. anyone know about this. Does it taste different now. Seems thin to me, but maybe it always was. My Jamaican friends here love it though. Reminds them of home. They call it "3 man" from the 3 men on the label.
JF

My son is now 16, almost 17 and wants to have a drink at home on Saturday night's. So, I bought some Mackeson and Mann's Brown as an introduction to responsible drinking since they're both only 3%. I'm glad he asked! I hadn't tasted either for twenty years. Do yourselves a favour and buy some. "It looks good, it tastes good, and by golly it does you good!"
Ronnie.

Nice beer. I started to buy it when I recalled the ad campaign in the 60's, an elderly in a rather contemplative mood pondering over the qualities of said beer - "it looks good, it tastes good and by golly it does you good". That ad campaign resonated when I saw it on sale in a supermarket in 2000, I have since been buying fours packs of the beer. This is a crucial lesson for producers and ad agencies - the campaign and your product have got to be memorable and remarkable, you never know when people will start buying your product and plugging it here.
Jake

This is a brew much enjoyed by my wife and me but is not, my local beer emporium owner tells me, available in Masschusetts in the past year ('04-05). Alas. Any insights or leads?
Doc

There are at least two versions of Mackeson Stout: the 3% version sold in the UK and a 4.9% export version (sold in the States as Mackeson XXX Stout). Having tried the stronger version, I was very disappointed by the weak UK version. It lacks the roastiness that balances the lactose sweetness so well.
Ron Pattinson

This beer is outstanding, quite hardy, very slight bitterness. A few notches above Guniness. Even my wife enjoys it, it's rare she likes any beer. Hard to find it here, Northern Connecticut, haven't given up, there's always tomorrow. Great "English Stout", best beer I've found in a long time.
Johnny Falk

My favorite beer. So glad to see it has so many other loyal fans.
Erica

Hello all, I was fortunate enough to experience this beer 1977. Nuff said. I have just tried to reach out over the Internet to try and locate the access availability of this superb beer/stout. To my surprise I was spelling it wrong, but the great thing is (FYI) for anyone that is having a problem purchasing it, you can order it at almost any well stocked liquor store. That is exactly what I am going to do for the holidays. It's great to know that there are folks in this wide world that also have the distinguished taste of liking or loving "Mackeson Beer".
OLGA

I wish I could get my hands on some Mackeson. It has been several years since I have had some. Does any one know where in North Carolina I have find some? I will follow Olga's advice and see if my liquor store can get it for me. Wish me luck in my quest for a drink of the gods
Ron

I was at Trader Joes today and decided to try some new beer. I picked Mackeson, and I'm loving it! I'm glad I still have 5 bottles left to go.
David Kim

It looks good, it tastes good and, by golly, it does you good!
GJO

I like it better than Guinness; plenty of robust flavor and I love the sweet chocolatey taste; great if you've missed supper. Readily available in Rhode Island, though not every store carries it. Well worth the price.
Bill Baillie

I used to buy pint bottles in cases from Threshsers in the early 70's. Is there anywhere that sells them anymore.I live in North London and find it near impossible to buy it other than in multi packs of 330ml tins. Any information is appreciated. Leo. leostone5000@yahoo.com
Leon Stone

Every year, my parents bring me some cans of Mackeson, when returning from Wales, UK. Thanks mom, thanks dad..!
Freek te Water, Amsterdam

Freek, maybe try dropping by De Bierkoning (Peleisstraat) in Amsterdam. They usually have bottled or canned Mackeson.
Ron Pattinson

Well.Yes, my mother used to drink it. Then I found it on draught at the Students Union in Liverpool in the mid sixties - caused a lot of headeaches then. Now I've just stumbled across it in Australia and have put a bulk order in with the shop. It's back on the menu and doesn't seem to have changed. My wife loves it also so bulk buying should not cause a problem. I wonder if it is still produced as a draught? Anyone know? David Lowe Melbourne
David Lowe

Having just had a discussion about what the three old ladies who drank the the Rovers' Snug were called (Coronation Street in case you're confused), our next question was - "What is Milk Stout"? Thanks, for a really informative answer :)
Pete S

Apparently it's now brewed by Youngs. Fantastic stuff.
Andrew Bowden

I love it and would drink it far more often if it was more readily available in pubs .... which unfortunately it isn't. I occasionally find it hidden on a supermarket shelf. It should be far more readily available especially in drinking places. It does have an image of an old persons drink so perhaps they should do some advertising like some other alcoholic drinks I have seen advertised on TV recently, giving it more of a younger persons appeal. Advertising would also let people know that it is still brewed and available as unless I see a tin or bottle somewhere I tend to forget about it. Personally, I love it.
Marlene Szyszka

I used to drink it at the Brittania Inn in Brisbane when it was located upstairs at the Wintergarden, where they kept bottles in stock. The bartender used to grimace when I ordered it; how unprofessional is that?! Fantastic beer to follow a roast beef & yorkshire pudding with, a dessert treat. One only though, otherwise it's a bit cloying. Haven't found it anywhere since, nearly ten years now. :(
Mark, Australia

I have miniture pencil in the shape of a bottle of Mackeson, the bottle neck uncrews and it fits into the bottom of the bottle, stands about 2 inc high. with the orginal black and white label. Got it as a kid in Kent U.K. is it worth anything
valpal@rogers.com

love it! love it!
margaret

please can you tell me the nutritional value of this great drink
mrs s bowles

Where can I buy Mackeson Stout beer in Sheffield, S.Yorks
Mike Wilkinson

Yes, as I sit here supping on a can of Mackeson (it's all I have in the house tonight) I must agree that it's an enjoyable drink. What an excellent draught beer it might make?
NP Jones

i love mackeson stout i live in Heacham norfolk and can't find anywhere to buy it please can you help
christine Desroches

had to give up my one glass a day of red wine (gave me migranes) so tried Mackeson and am hooked. Relaxes me, helps me sleep and feel its doing me good. But does anyone know what is actually IN it? And how many cals it has? I like to know exactly what I'm drinking even if it is heaven!
Andrea from Dorset.

As a young serviceman I mixed it with cider for a "poormans" black velvet. Just a few will have you sleeping like a baby. Drink a little water the next morning and hey presto the "merryment" returns. Now to fight a bear!
Brian Bridle

I used to work at Mackeson's Brewery in Hythe Kent back in 1960. The brewery closed in the 1990s and Whitbreads who owned the brewery at that time no longer brew any beer at all.
Peter

I love mackeson although i only drink it occasionaly when i spot some in the supermarket it seems to be very expensive in those small cans, it is my mothers drink of choice and is available bottled in some pubs in west yorkshire feb 2007.
yorkshire terrier

Is this supposed to be Mackeson Stout (XXX Triple Stout), from Whitbread's Brewmasters? While the description of the beer is accurate, a lot of this review is false. Anyone with a bottle of Mackeson Stout infront of them can quote "In 1801, the brothers Henry and William Mackeson began brewing a beer that was to make their name world famous." The date in the review is 1907, more than 100 years after the date listed on the bottle. Also, the bottle has no piture of a churn, just a belt, three X's, and three red men stacked in an inverted triangle. As for Mackson Stout only being available in cans, I've never seen it in anything other than bottles in the U.S. As for the rating, this is a great stout, easily my favorite. The only stout coming close is Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout. Mackeson Stout tastes better, however, and costs less.
Leinad Regnireid

Still very much available in clubs in the North East - I drink it mixed 50/50 with draught bitter (usually Stones). A superb drink ,very much reminiscent of the London-style porters of old. Give it a try!
Cheddar George

After the birth of my daughter(thirty years ago!) I became very low and my midwife brought me a couple of bottles of Makeson and assured me that if I drank it regulary I would soon be full of energy again...how right she was! I've no idea what's in it but I've never looked back - wonderful stuff. Suzanne,Halesowen,U.K.
Suzanne LB

I cannot believe that nobody on this comments board has mentioned how brilliant Mackeson is for breast-feeding mothers! It REALLY DOES increase the flow of milk and help you feel better for it. Babies put on weight and their immune system is increased through being breast-fed anyway, and sitting down with a beer and a baby on your boob is - well - as close to natural as you can get. Believe me, two grown up healthy kids and three grandchildren later: they'll all endorse my praise for Mackeson. And I can't find it in pubs or shops these days, even though I might be 'an old dear'.
Bern

The absolute nectar of the gods. I was surprised to hear it is brewed in Chelmsford as I live there....talk about low profile.
Dave Rutland

I have recently discovered that my continual lack of energy is due to low iron levels. When shopping today I saw Mackensons on the shelf and remembered the ad on the telly when I was a kid, "looks good, tasts good and by golly it does you good". Just drank my first can today (age 51) and it won't be my last. I love my English beer. How did I miss this one? Will be looking for the bottled version. Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England.
Eugene

Can anyone tell me where it's still possible to buy Mackeson in bottles, this is far superior to Mackeson in the can. Here's hoping!
jan f

I used to hate beer! I've never had such a great tasting beer in my life until a buddy brought over some Mackeson's XXX stout from England. I'm hooked.
Dave Taylor

I love Mackeson, but, I can't find it anywhere nearby. Is there any retailer around Petersfield, Hants who stocks it ? Desparate for Christmas!
Terry Thraves

a very pleasent drink that (for me) does not cause acid indigestion as does lagers and bitters.
S.Grundy

This is far more than simply beer. It is a liquid art form that you can appreciate time and time again. I came across it in one of the more remote Spanish areas of Tenerife!
Martin Thorne

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