Hockley Valley Dark

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

When this came out, it was better than most craft beers available in Ontario, but then, it wasn’t the typical blonde or pale lager all the craft brewers were creating at the time. Hockley Valley Dark pours a clear mahogany colour with a decent sized head. The aroma consists of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and caramel notes. The flavour is well balanced between the sweet chocolate notes and the bitter chocolate and roasted notes.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

1L bottle with ceramic swivel top from LCBO. Pours a good size frothy beige head and has a dark amber brownish appearance. Pretty decent lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, hints of vanilla, mocha and coffee. Flavours are pretty sweet and chocolatey. Lots of roasted malt and coffee notes as well as cocoa. Nice sweetness lingers on the palate. Good retention.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Wow, great f-in beer. I honestly said that out loud! Pours a dark brown with reddish hues. Small vanilla colored head fades quickly not leaving much to remember it by. The aroma is excellent, I detect strong sweet roasted malt, raisins and chocolate. Complex aroma and the flavour is the same starting sweet and nutty with lots of roasted malt and some dark fruit aswell. There is an initial flavour I can't quite put my finger on, but it's just awesome. It has a bit of a bitter finish but it's not overpowering. The mouthfeel is smooth with a light to medium bodied feel and medium carbonation. As it warms it gets even smoother and more flavorful. Overall this is a very tasty, very complex, smooth delicious brew. This beer is brewed in the same province I call home and it makes me proud to see such a good beer coming out of Ontario.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Poured out a rocky decent sized light brown head with minimal lacing that sits on top of a very deep brown beer. The spotty lacing does continue to be produced throughout the entire time. The aroma is excellent and pretty much like they claim - very nutty, toffee, chocolate, light roast, weak molasses, and a mild cigar smell. The taste is no slouch either with a huge malt presence, toffee, roast, caramel and a well placed and properly portioned tart bitterness. Oh and when warmer near the bottom of my glass I found a mild candy licorice taste. Interesting to note is that the bitterness of the roast never once overpowers the tongue. Light medium bodied, very smooth with an immediate and perfect sweet uprising that fades into the nutty and roasted malt aftertaste. Minor bitter remnants. This is a superior beer looking down on any other I've had before in the style, including those with heavy flavours and usually over bittered like Rogue Nut Brown. In my book this beer makes a serious case for 10's in aroma, taste and overall ratings. In fact, I just changed the aroma to a 10 and seriously contemplating giving this beer a 4.5+ rating. I guess that will have to wait until I get another can, if I ever do. Ha! my review just pushed this into 4th place from 7th for the style on BP. Deservingly so.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

A very, very dark beer. The head is thin, and tan coloured. The aroma is caramel and coffee. The flavour is coffee based with a touch of citrusy hops.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

473ml can
5.0% ABV
Milton LCBO Outlet #1 (Milton, Ontario, Canada)
June 7, 2008
The beer poured a very dark translucent brown, with some reddish hints. The head was tan coloured, and lasted. The aroma was roasted malt, chocolate, and toffee. The mouthfeel was medium bodied, creamy, with a sour hint. The flavour was roasted malt, dry cocoa, and a little bit of sourness and bitterness covering the tongue.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Can, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Dark reddish brown colour. Aroma and flavour of moderately roasted malts. Quite nice. Maybe not a piece of genius, but certainly much better than your average swill in a can.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Pour is dark and cola coloured as one reviewer has said. Tan head of fair thickness and retention. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and carbonated. Aroma is very malty and some caramel. Toasty malt taste with hops balancing. Not a bad beer, but not the upper tier either.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Excellent english brown ale. By far the best i've had. Wonderful aroma and excellent mouthfeel. Very rich complex taste..much nicer than newcastle. When im looking for this style again i will pick it up. Well recommended.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

One of the Best English Ales i have had. Lots of flavour and a very strong bitter attack with tastes of caramel and brown sugar. A bit of carbination to add a bit of an extra kick. Nice aftertaste that stays with you. Very thick brew and its tough to finish a whole can before it gets overpowering but a great brew none the less.