Stout:
First of all a well thoughtout name and a history to the beer. This is always a plus.
Popped off the cap with a reassuring pop. Followed the direction for a slow pour and obtained a massive foamy head.
I let this chill a bit too much so I gave it a rest for a few minutes.
Even after a longish warm up l detected little to no hop aroma and just a hint of semi-sweet chocolatey goodness. Head retention was outstanding.
Body and mouthfeel was good with a pleasant carbonation bite.
Color was much darker then the deep dark ruby of a Guinness.
This beer is in the advertised Guinness bottled style right down to the planned acidity. This beer is right in my wheelhouse as I am a Guinness connoisseur.
There are actually many varieties of Guinness and getting a "Clone" right sometimes can be difficult because of this variety. Most people are only familiar with the can draft or from the tap. I've actually had the pleasure of having a few of their brewhouse versions that accentuate different aspects of the Guinness trademake flavor. There are also several different version of the bottled version that is dependent on where it is being shipped. It's really better to think of them more as a family of flavor.
My impression is that you are taken with the bottled tang and have chosen to accentuate it. Kudos! I'm getting that sensation but the chocolate aspects are balancing it out nicely so that you ARE NOT left with a sourness that some stouts can give you. I really like that.
I am in the process of converting to all grain and so I think that I will be taking a hard look at this recipe for future.
BTW if you are interested, my understanding is that the bottled version for Africa is intentionally soured. You may want to look into that as well.
Very happy to have had this beer. Thanks.