I’ve taken my newly discovered south coast brewery, Dancing Man, up North with me as well this week. One of the two beers I bought to takeaway when I was down in Southampton, ‘Big Bad Stout’ is exactly what it says on the tin. Rocking up at a hefty 6.8% ABV it’s just a classic stout based on a recipe from 1890! No adjuncts, no lactose, nothing extra added except those four magic ingredients…

Visually the beer pours a squid ink-like black with a a quickly dissipating head. Quite a light nose with not much going on. A touch of coffee as expected and perhaps a little bit of leather too. The body however is bold and and classic. Bitter roasted coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of sweetness too. Smooth drinking and the booze is hidden fairly well.

A quick note on the can art: I love Dancing Man’s can wraps and the wallpaper style that goes with them. Gold and dark navy blue is also a colour match made in heaven if you ask me.

A straight up solid, strong stout with all the bells and whistles that come with the style these days. Don’t get me wrong I adore the big boozy stout and the insane combinations they can make with different adjuncts and flavourings. However, everyone in a while it’s nice to see a proper, classic stout with all that great roasty flavour coming straight from the malts. This is that stout and it is cracking. And with lactose being added so often now, stouts are becoming less vegan friendly. Not a problem in this one. I will certainly be doing a Dancing Man online order in the near future!

Score: 8/10

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Additional Information:

• Hops: Not Available
• Malt: Not Available
• IBU: Not Available
• ABV: 6.8%
• Gluten Free: No
• Vegan: Yes!
• Purchase Location: Dancing Man Taproom