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I plucked this bottle of Cropton’s Blackout Porter (5%) from the lower shelves of an Off-License recently, whilst simply on the hunt for some post-work beers. That day I was in a darker mood, and this beer – resplendent with imagery of searchlights and bombers on the label certainly struck a chord. Dark, rich and with a strong, muscle-easing undertow. That was what I wanted.
When pouring, however, something else emerged from the bottle. Waves upon waves of Vanilla. Creamy, rich Vanilla. A quick flick of the label revealed the presence of Lactose; I’d been sold a Milk Stout. Of course, this wasn’t really an issue. As it happens, the beer was really, really good. That 5% abv was certainly hidden well.
Black – but when held to the light, the beer revealed a lush red-grape purple hue. Pour into a balloon glass and you’ve got a whirlpool of aroma, led by that creamy Vanilla and an ever-so-slight note of Bramble. The beer itself is smoothly malty, pleasantly nutty and finishes, as you’d expect, sweet.
So, if your after a decent Yorkshire Milk Stout – get your hands on one of these. I’m a fan of Cropton – their beers rarely miss, and there’s a lot to be said about this solid Yorkshire brewer – both the richly rewarding Yorkshire Moors and the reliably strong Monkman’s Slaughter are both worth picking up.



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