I am slightly spooked. Spooked by the calories of big beers, spooked by how much effort it takes to balance off a big beer and stuff like that. But I have a low freaking tolerence combined with a with a high resistence to change so it isn't the end of the world. Had I only taken up fencing when I had the chance.

Hunting for something lower in strength - sessionable even - the Marston's Oyster Stout was the best I could find at 4.5% at the LCBO. It taste a bit like beer I suppose. Fairly flat with a lazy mocha ring and foam over very dark brown ale. It has the muted scent of a cold chocolate bar. In the mouth, milk chocolate and a cream tone from the yeast, I suppose. It is not unlovely but it is like the top end of the next range down: like you wish a dark ale was like, especially the traditional...or is it habitual...watery Canadian ones. Some roastiness with the children's table tipple. I've had certainly worse but was it really worth an hour of ultimate frisbee?.

No great hurling of masonry from the ramparts but no intense BAer love either.