Is Monty’s Dark Secret A Decent Stout

Monty’s Dark Secret is a full bodied stout from the Welsh Brewer Monty’s Brewery. It has been a while since I have had one of their beers, but I love the brewery and I love stout. So is Dark Secret a decent stout?

Dark Secret is a decent stout with its well balanced bitter sweet body. It pours a velvet black with a two finger off white head. On the nose there are definite notes of coffee and chocolate, albeit quite subtle. The taste has a coffee bitterness smoothed out by chocolate notes, but the coffee wins in the end leaving a satisfying bitter aftertaste. It’s good and gets a rate my beer score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

A nice drinkable stout with a smooth mouthfeel and plenty of flavour.

Table Of Contents

Monty’s Dark Secret Review

I picked this little beauty up from the Bottle & Barrel a small craft pub and bottle shop in Aberystwyth, Wales. The Monty’s logo was instantly familiar when I clocked the bottle sitting on the shelf, having previously reviewed their Mischief IPA. I also love a stout, so it had to come home with me.

Dark Secret sits in a 500ml brown bottle with rich red hops on the front and luxurious gold writing. I do wonder what secret it holds inside.

It says it is a full bodied stout that is bottle conditioned and Gluten Free, which all sounds good to me.

Dark Secret has won numerous awards over the years and is said to be Monty’s best selling gluten free beer.

Although the breweries website says this beer is 5.6% ABV, on my bottle is says 5.5% ABV. Either way it is not a session beer, but one to savour and enjoy.

Time to crack it open and get it in the glass.

Drinking Monty’s Dark Secret Stout

A slightly aggressive pour sees it settle to black as you might expect, with a two finger off white foamy top. This does fade down to less than one finger, but stays the duration forming a nice decorative lacing around the glass.

On the nose it isn’t in your face, quite subtle, but definite notes of coffee and chocolate gently waft from the glass.

This does set you up for the taste experience with coffee being first to show its face carrying a gentle bitterness. This gets smoothed out with a little sweet chocolate that balances things up. It is smooth in the mouth like velvet with a slight carbonation swirling the flavours around the palate.

The finish brings back that gentle bitterness leaving a slight bitter coffee aftertaste.

I would say it feels like a medium body rather than a full body. Nevertheless it is a decent stout, smooth, creamy with a nice coffee bean bitterness. I like it and it gets a rate my beer score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

M’Lady is not keen on any stout, and with Dark Secret she did not get the initial bitterness I got. Lou got sweet up front with a bitter end.

Lou says “Stout is not my thing, however this isn’t a bad one, a slight sweetness with a bitter coffee aftertaste. It’s just not my thing.”I think she likes it more than she lets on because Lou scores it 4.2 out of 5.0.

To sum up, I like a decent stout, and Dark Secret is just that, a decent stout. Still not sure what the secret is though.

Monty’s Brewery

Monty’s Brewery started life in 2008, founded by husband and wife Russ and Pam Honeyman. Pam the brewer of the two, got the beers underway, and to be honest they have never looked back.

Producing beers of many styles with a focus on gluten free beer. Monty’s brewery has one many awards and is recognised as one of the great breweries in Wales.

The brewery also focus on sustainability with four things in mind, reduce, reuse, recycle and recover.

They reduce energy usage and the use of plastics. Reuse cardboard boxes and of course casks. Recycle all glass, plastic and cardboard that cannot be reused. Also recycle grain and waste beer by way of Cows at a local farm. Recover excess products which go on to make gin, chutney and beef jerky.

Monty’s is also SALSA accredited too, so all in all producing be the right way with an eye on the environment.

Monty’s Beer Range

The brewery has a good range of beers from goldens ale, pale ales, IPA’s, as well as barley wine and of course stout. They also brew some seasonal beers too, including a mild which is available from March to May in cask only. Ding Dong the festive season beer which is an easy drinking golden ale.

A new seasonal keg range that change throughout the year, including a Hazy Pale, an American Pale and a Semi Nude Bitter.

It is definitely a range of beers that I want to work my way through, so here are a few that have hit my beer radar.

ESB

ESB is Monty’s Extra Special Bitter, a traditional amber bitter using Chocolate, Crystal, Munich and Spring Malts for a rich maltiness. Flavours of toffee malts blend with a nutty edge producing a good finish.

Made with three varieties of hops, Fuggles, Goldings and Pioneers could give it a nice bittering finish. At 4.6% ABV it is a solid session beer that sounds like a traditional style bitter good for a few pints.

There is nothing like a nice pint of bitter, so this one is definitely on my beer hit list.

Red IPA

Monty’s Red IPA is a relatively new beer being released in January, a fresh new beer on the block. Brewed with Jester hops it promises to have that tropical fruit edge with notes of grapefruit, blackcurrant and lychee.

Described as being sweet and smooth on the palate with a dry bitter finish this sounds right up my street. At just 4.2% ABV it could be a go to session beer fit for any barbecue or summer get together.

However I would be up for drinking this anytime of the year.

MPA

Monty’s Pale Ale is a lightly hopped dry pale ale with a fruity edge. An in house collaboration between Pam the head brewer and her assistant to create that first pint magic.

Expect a citrusy tropical fruit pale ale with grapefruit and lychee aromas and flavours. At just 4.0% ABV it is a light easy drinking pale ale with a dry edge. It makes for an anytime refreshing beer.

Definitely a pale ale that is on my beer hit list.

Final Thoughts

Although I am only two beers into the Monty’s range, I know quality beer when I taste it. And that is exactly what Monty’s produce, good quality beer fit for any beer lover.

I am impressed with what I have tried so far, and pledge to continue my Monty’s journey. In fact I can’t wait for my next Monty’s brew.

Mischief IPA is good, but Dark Secret is even better, it will be interesting to see how their other beers fair in comparison.

If you have tried Dark Secret, then do share your thoughts below. Let me know your Dark Secret experience. And if you know what the secret is, then share that too.

Beer Reviews By Brewery