Hook Norton Double Stout

Hook Norton is one of the many UK breweries that get me excited. Not only does Hook Norton have a stunning Victorian tower brewery but it also brews some stunning beers. There is also a family connection, in the seventies while on their O.E. my Mother, Aunty and her then boyfriend (now husband) celebrated Christmas in an empty swimming pool in the Oxfordshire town of Hook Norton in the shadow (almost) of the brewery. Up until Sunday Old Hooky was the only Hook Norton beer I had tried

Hook Norton Double Stout 4.8%ABV

Pours a pitch black with a sustained beige head. Aroma displays a striking level of complex fruit, ripe plum, raisin, and spicy anis, also tangy spicy English hop character. On the pallet there is an initial malt sweetness which gives way to significant levels of ripe stone fruit flavour , towards the end comes a hint of roast malt and finally a hint of hop bitterness. Very individualistic fruity stout.