Simply named Stout, this beer comes from the Felinfoel Brewery in the small village of Felinfoel on the edge of Llanelli, Wales. Apparently the first brewery to ever produce beer in cans, which they did way back in 1935. But back to the beer, what is Felinfoel Stout Like?
Felinfoel Stout is a cracker of a beer that is packed full of flavour. It pours a pure black with a generous off white head. On the nose it is roasted coffee and chocolate notes with some dark fruits lurking in the background. The taste is rich toffee malts with roasted coffee and chocolate, it packs a fruity edge. A satisfying dry bitterness kicks in to finish. A really good stout, it gets 4.7 out of 5.0.
What a stout, rich, creamy with a great balance of sweet and bitterness.
Table Of Contents
Felinfoel Stout Beer Review
This beer sits in a 500ml brown bottle with a black label and the famous red Welsh dragon. It just says Stout in big white letters, simple and to the point.
The link to this beer on the breweries website says chocolate stout, but there is no mention of this on the bottle.
Anyway I am happy with just stout and I am hoping for a good one. For reasons I can’t explain, I expect this beer to be a standard run of the mill stout.
Nothing out of the ordinary, just an average stout.
Boy am I wrong, this stout is anything but ordinary, this stout hits the taste buds running. It excites the palate with is deep rich flavours and bitter sweet balance.
I love it.
Drinking Felinfoel Stout
Lou pours this stout and it comes out a little more lively than we expected, so the result was a rather stacked head.
Once it settles it is pure black with a very generous off white foamy head. This does fade, which is just as well, however a one finger head sticks around for the duration.
The nose for me is very subtle, more so than I thought it would be. But there is roasted coffee and chocolate notes popping up with carrying a slight fruity aroma with them.
The taste is anything but subtle, it’s rich and full of flavour and body. Rich toffee malt lays down a solid foundation. Then a roasted coffee flavour smacks the palate topped with smooth velvet chocolate.
Hints of dark fruits play with the senses and a sweetness builds on the palate. However before things get too sweet, a satisfying bitterness piles in to balance things out.
What a Stout, interesting, well balanced and full of flavour , I love it.
At 4.1% ABV there is room for more than one, and yes I would. Felinfoel Stout gets a rate my beer score of 4.7 out of 5.0.
M’Lady is not so impressed saying “I am not a fan of stout, and this one has not changed my mind.” Lou scores it 3.0 out of 5.0.
A bit harsh, unlike Lou though I like stout and this one is a cracker.
Felinfoel Brewery
When I review a beer I normally write a little about the brewery. However I have reviewed two other Felinfoel beers, IPA and Double Dragon.
So there is information about the brewery on those posts. As well as my Felinfoel Brewery page.
One thing I haven’t mentioned in those reviews is that Felinfoel brewery do have many pubs too. In fact they have sixty pubs, some of which are also hotels too.
You can find all their pubs on their website along with details and location.
Felinfoel Beer Range
Felinfoel beer range is not a vast range, they only show seven beers on their website. These are Celtic Gold Lager, Dragon’s Heart Ale, Double Dragon Ale, IPA, Stout, ESB Ale and Nut Brown Ale.
So the brewery might not go in for brewing an endless amount of beers. However they have a solid range that speaks quality.
You know where you are with them, seven beers, pick one and enjoy. Plus they are all under 5.0% ABV which means they are all session beers.
When you just want a good pint of proper beer in a proper pub, these are the type of beers you want to see lining the bar.
Final Thoughts
Felinfoel Brewery are old hands at brewing beer, they have a great range of traditional style beers. Should they branch out into new style craft beers? No, I think they should continue to do exactly what they are doing.
Producing proper pub beers that hit the right spot for those that just like a real traditional beer.
As for their Stout, well for me it is an absolute triumph and a beer I will visit often. I am looking forward to finding it on draught to see if it can get any better.
Give me a Felinfoel Stout anytime and it will put a smile on my face.
If you have tried the Felifoel Stout, then do share your thoughts below and let me know what you think.
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Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.