Hawkshead Dry Stone Stout

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

Dulwich Beer Festival 2026, East Dulwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		22 May 2026	3rd beer of this visit: Presented with head and lacing and almost lasting on this black stout from a 2006 purpose-built brewhouse in Staveley, near Kendal, Cumbria, having first been set up in 2002 in a 17th-century barn at Town End Farm near Esthwaite Water in the village of Hawkshead. A dry bitter first hit on this oatmeal stout, whose name comes from the enduring dry-stone walls across the Cumbrian landscape. A malty sweetness rising from its Maris Otter pale malt, crystal malt, chocolate malt, wheat malt, oats, and roast barley and so for me arriving on my palate with an oasty flavouring mixed with ground black coffee, bitter dark chocolate, and subtle hints of dates and figs. A dry hoppy bitterness sailing out aided by its bittering hops, Cascade and First Gold, and Hersbrucker and Bramling Cross lending it a pleasurable aroma. Served in good form.

Old Gate Bar & Restaurant, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

Tap East, Stratford, Greater London

Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico, Central London

The Old Harkers Arms, Chester, Cheshire

Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel	Not Tried	06 Feb 2018
ChrisE		06 Feb 2018
ChrisE		05 Feb 2018

The Dodo Micropub, Hanwell, Greater London

Star & Garter, Bromley, Greater London

The Beer Hall, Staveley, Cumbria

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ray		12 May 2017	A good roasty stout.
Ray		07 Oct 2015	But lacking some depth.
ChrisE	Not Tried	16 Jul 2015
ChrisE	Not Tried	17 Jul 2014	Available in cask and keg versions today.
ChrisE	Not Tried	18 Jul 2013
ChrisE	Not Tried	19 Jul 2012
Ray		15 Jan 2012	Unheard of to find 2 5* beers in one pub in one evening but here it was. Black in the glass with a long lasting deep beige head it looked great. An initial burst of hops was balanced by dark, roasty malts and a very solid body. Unremittingly dry in the finish this was top class brewing.

The Harp, Charing Cross, Central London

The Knott, Manchester, Greater Manchester

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		05 May 2016

North Bar, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Who	Score	When	Notes
Mick		25 Mar 2014	Very nice stout. Full depth of flavour, no harshness, really very nice

Seven Stars, Bristol, Avon

Travellers Inn, Hipperholme, West Yorkshire

The Market Porter, Southwark, Central London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Martin the Mildman		17 Jan 2012	Black stout with a bitter roast malt character. The finish is dry and roasty. My score 16/20.