Darwin Brewery

Cauldron Snout

ABV 5.6% • Vol 500 ml • bottle • UK • Mid-price • Flavour 7.5
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Named after a famous waterfall on the Tees, this ale is now brewed on behalf of the High Force Hotel (named after a different famous waterfall on the Tees), although it used to be produced at the hotel's own microbrewery. It is not bottle conditioned and pours a very dark brown colour with a thin, bubbly head. Nose is of treacly malt, brown sugar and a touch of butter. On the tongue the rich, dark malt is very prominent, giving the impression of black treacle, caramel and molasses, developing into black coffee, treacle toffee and dark fruit. It is rich, bitter-sweet, smooth and slightly cloying. A phenolic, medicinal quality is apparent in the finish, along with an estery, banana-like flavour that mingles with the dark malt character in the aftertaste. A rich, warming brew ideal for the colder months - even in its non-live bottled form it's easy to see why the cask verison has won winter ale awards.

For comparison, here are some tasting notes written in the High Force Hotel on the hotel-brewed cask version a few years ago:
It is a very dark brown colour with mahogany highlights. Aroma consists of caramel and figs. Rich malt, caramel, treacle toffee and a touch of chocolate make up the dominant malt character in the mouth, with a background hint of roast barley. Spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) and a hint of banana are also present. It is very smooth and richly mouthcoating, with the complex, rich malt character bringing to mind a creme caramel. Finish is of dark, bittersweet malt and light caramelly toffee. A completely gorgeous strong ale (probably best described as a winter ale or an old ale in style), richly deserving the numerous beer festival certificates that adorn the walls of the hotel bar.

OBBD reviewer: Sparks

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