Virtual Craft Beer Tasting Club » Discussions

Stout Beer Tasting April 8th-10th 2011

• HEISCHMAN

  

  Member
   

  April 9, 2011

  Mark said:
  (Slightly off topic) I do not know why but I always walk right by the New Belgium beers. A friend has been trying to get me to try 1554 for months but I keep not buying it. Not sure why other than perhaps the few brews I have had from them were just not my type. Ranger IPA was pretty good though. (Back on topic) The Ryan Sullivan's from Moylan's sounds like my kind of beer. Packed with flavor, yet not out of whack.

  
  
  Try the 1554!! A great beer

  [blockquote][b][url=/profile/Mark]Mark[/url] said:[/b] (Slightly off topic) I do not know why but I always walk right by the New Belgium beers. A friend has been trying to get me to try 1554 for months but I keep not buying it. Not sure why other than perhaps the few brews I have had from them were just not my type. Ranger IPA was pretty good though. (Back on topic) The Ryan Sullivan's from Moylan's sounds like my kind of beer. Packed with flavor, yet not out of whack.[/blockquote] Try the 1554!! A great beer
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  April 9, 2011

  I keep seeing it there and not pulling the trigger. I guess now I will have to.

  I keep seeing it there and not pulling the trigger. I guess now I will have to.
• beerfusion

  

  Member
   

  April 9, 2011

  Elysian Dragonstooth Stout
  
  ABV: 7.45%
  
  IBUs: 36
  
  The Dragontooth poured a somewhat thick coffee colored head that dissipated relatively quickly - especially compared to other oatmeal stouts. The color was pitch black, not much else to look at, and that’s how I like my stouts (blacker than night). Head - 7.5, Look - 15. The smell hit with a coffee and cocoa bitterness, and had strong notes of dark roasted sweet malt behind the bitterness. The dark roast is obviously a dominating aroma for this beer, but there are some citrus hints that can be attributed to the hops. All in all, the aroma is primarily of dark malt with coffee and dark chocolate characteristics. Smell - 21.
  
  My initial taste was somewhat smooth with the bittersweet roast of coffee and chocolate dominating my palate. There was a light presence of creaminess, but only hints came through. The aftertaste was a bitter burnt malt flavor that had really no complexity. Palate - 7.5, Aftertaste - 7.5. My biggest issue with the flavor of this beer was the texture and feel of the flavors on my palate. Dragontooth comes across very syrupy, and not the normal complex thickness - especially for an oatmeal stout. I expected for this beer to hit my tongue and expand in my mouth like an Irish Death or Shakespeare Stout, but I felt like I had some sort of extract in there. The flavors, however, work well for the style, but this is not a beer I want to drink by itself. Dragontooth seems best paired with a desert, where it can be amplified by the texture and flavors of something else. The coffee and chocolate stay consistent, but the texture and the fullness of this beer just doesn’t stand out to me. It’s a decent stout, but not one that exemplifies the style. Flavor - 20.
  
  Overall Flavor - 35/50
  
  Rating: 78.5/100
  

  Elysian Dragonstooth Stout ABV: 7.45% IBUs: 36 The Dragontooth poured a somewhat thick coffee colored head that dissipated relatively quickly - especially compared to other oatmeal stouts. The color was pitch black, not much else to look at, and that’s how I like my stouts (blacker than night). Head - 7.5, Look - 15. The smell hit with a coffee and cocoa bitterness, and had strong notes of dark roasted sweet malt behind the bitterness. The dark roast is obviously a dominating aroma for this beer, but there are some citrus hints that can be attributed to the hops. All in all, the aroma is primarily of dark malt with coffee and dark chocolate characteristics. Smell - 21. My initial taste was somewhat smooth with the bittersweet roast of coffee and chocolate dominating my palate. There was a light presence of creaminess, but only hints came through. The aftertaste was a bitter burnt malt flavor that had really no complexity. Palate - 7.5, Aftertaste - 7.5. My biggest issue with the flavor of this beer was the texture and feel of the flavors on my palate. Dragontooth comes across very syrupy, and not the normal complex thickness - especially for an oatmeal stout. I expected for this beer to hit my tongue and expand in my mouth like an Irish Death or Shakespeare Stout, but I felt like I had some sort of extract in there. The flavors, however, work well for the style, but this is not a beer I want to drink by itself. Dragontooth seems best paired with a desert, where it can be amplified by the texture and flavors of something else. The coffee and chocolate stay consistent, but the texture and the fullness of this beer just doesn’t stand out to me. It’s a decent stout, but not one that exemplifies the style. Flavor - 20. Overall Flavor - 35/50 Rating: 78.5/100
• HEISCHMAN

  

  Member
   

  April 10, 2011

  I vote for porter next month. Might as well have the good dark beers before it gets too hat for them. That and I am sitting on a great limited release local brew. I have 2 so I can hold one with no problem.
  

  I vote for porter next month. Might as well have the good dark beers before it gets too hat for them. That and I am sitting on a great limited release local brew. I have 2 so I can hold one with no problem.
• stoutgirl

  

  Member
   

  April 10, 2011

  the temperature in Michigan this afternoon is in the 70's, so I poured out my Short's Brewing Co. Uncle Steve's Irish Style Stout and headed out the back door. Beer on the deck (patio, porch, anywhere outside) is something Michiganders look forward to all winter long, and today was the day!
  Short's Brewing is known for playing around with their stouts. S'More stout had Scott on the phone with people trying to convince them that yes, he did need tons of marshmallow fluff. Uncle Steve's is a little more traditional than their usual. Nice dry baker's chocolate taste, brown head I so enjoy seeing on a stout, and roasty notes going down. It paired wonderfully with a bit of Jello Dark Chocolate Mousse.
  It's still really nice out there, so I'm grabbing a Great Lakes Blackout Stout and heading back out. Have to enjoy it now, as it's supposed to be back in the 40's by tomorrow.
  Sorry the Brooklyn Black Chocolate tasting didn't work out. I would say go ahead and drink it fresh, but it may have just been a bad day to taste beer yesterday. There's more in the cellar, so that may happen at another time!

  the temperature in Michigan this afternoon is in the 70's, so I poured out my Short's Brewing Co. Uncle Steve's Irish Style Stout and headed out the back door. Beer on the deck (patio, porch, anywhere outside) is something Michiganders look forward to all winter long, and today was the day! Short's Brewing is known for playing around with their stouts. S'More stout had Scott on the phone with people trying to convince them that yes, he did need tons of marshmallow fluff. Uncle Steve's is a little more traditional than their usual. Nice dry baker's chocolate taste, brown head I so enjoy seeing on a stout, and roasty notes going down. It paired wonderfully with a bit of Jello Dark Chocolate Mousse. It's still really nice out there, so I'm grabbing a Great Lakes Blackout Stout and heading back out. Have to enjoy it now, as it's supposed to be back in the 40's by tomorrow. Sorry the Brooklyn Black Chocolate tasting didn't work out. I would say go ahead and drink it fresh, but it may have just been a bad day to taste beer yesterday. There's more in the cellar, so that may happen at another time!
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  April 10, 2011

  That Short's Stout sounds like it would go well with the Big Jim on their menu.

  That Short's Stout sounds like it would go well with the Big Jim on their menu.
• Deleted Member

  
   

  April 11, 2011

  Sorry for the late post! But had a late night with friends during the tasting. :) On with my first review!
  
  Founders, Grand Rapid, MI
  Imperial Stout
  ABV 10.5%
  IBU’s 90
  Pours thick and black, like motor oil, with a dark brown head…possibly some orange tint in there?
  Little lacing as the head disappeared quickly. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and even a bit earthy.
  Bitterness up front detracts a bit from the overall taste and mouthfeel, but at 90 IBU’s, they do warn you up front! Some nice dark chocolate, coffee (espresso), and some alcohol come thru rather nicely on the back end, with the alcohol becoming even more dominant as the beer warmed up. Definitely a sipper but overall a very good stout.
  
  

  Sorry for the late post! But had a late night with friends during the tasting. :) On with my first review! Founders, Grand Rapid, MI Imperial Stout ABV 10.5% IBU’s 90 Pours thick and black, like motor oil, with a dark brown head…possibly some orange tint in there? Little lacing as the head disappeared quickly. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and even a bit earthy. Bitterness up front detracts a bit from the overall taste and mouthfeel, but at 90 IBU’s, they do warn you up front! Some nice dark chocolate, coffee (espresso), and some alcohol come thru rather nicely on the back end, with the alcohol becoming even more dominant as the beer warmed up. Definitely a sipper but overall a very good stout.
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  April 11, 2011

  90IBUs sounds like a hop heads delight in a stout.

  90IBUs sounds like a hop heads delight in a stout.
• Lucklys

  

  Member
   

  April 11, 2011

  Ok, like MrNavy, sorry for the late review, I ended up working most of the weekend and didn't get a chance to sit down and write anything out, so here's my quick review...
  
  Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin
  Oatmeal Stout
  ABV 5.50%
  IBU's 30
  
  Pours a velvety dark chocolate brown with no visible carbonation, ruby highlights shine from the liquid near the bottom of the glass when situated in front of the light. Nice 3-finger thick head of fallow colored foam holds with great retention, melts slowly into a creamy softness and leaves minimal sheets of beige lace along the glass.
  
  In the nose, there's a good amount of chocolate, lightly roasted coffee, gently toasted malts, hints of a dark caramel toffee, and dusty oatmeal. The aroma is slightly bitter, but also quite sweet, and a very faint vanilla aroma rises as it warms and aids in keeping the overall scent on the smooth side.
  
  Unfortunately, the first few sips tasted primarily of a chalky burnt coffee, but after a few more swallows, the chalkiness smoothed into a bittersweet chocolate covered in dusty oats. Toasted malts and something charred come up a little later in the background and last throughout the drink, hints of a caramel toffee and wood notes also become present, but stay fairly well hidden. The aroma is definitely more promising than the taste, what with the body being a little on the thinner side with a moderate amount of carbonation, which keeps it creamy, but also slightly diluted in mouthfeel. There was virtually no aftertaste due to the thinness of the beer, and it left my mouth pretty dry and hoping for more. A little more acrid than I would have liked, especially after distinguishing the sweet smells, but I guess that comes with the territory. I also would have liked to see it with a little more body, but overall it was a fairly quaffable stout, just not one of my favorites.

  Ok, like MrNavy, sorry for the late review, I ended up working most of the weekend and didn't get a chance to sit down and write anything out, so here's my quick review... Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout ABV 5.50% IBU's 30 Pours a velvety dark chocolate brown with no visible carbonation, ruby highlights shine from the liquid near the bottom of the glass when situated in front of the light. Nice 3-finger thick head of fallow colored foam holds with great retention, melts slowly into a creamy softness and leaves minimal sheets of beige lace along the glass. In the nose, there's a good amount of chocolate, lightly roasted coffee, gently toasted malts, hints of a dark caramel toffee, and dusty oatmeal. The aroma is slightly bitter, but also quite sweet, and a very faint vanilla aroma rises as it warms and aids in keeping the overall scent on the smooth side. Unfortunately, the first few sips tasted primarily of a chalky burnt coffee, but after a few more swallows, the chalkiness smoothed into a bittersweet chocolate covered in dusty oats. Toasted malts and something charred come up a little later in the background and last throughout the drink, hints of a caramel toffee and wood notes also become present, but stay fairly well hidden. The aroma is definitely more promising than the taste, what with the body being a little on the thinner side with a moderate amount of carbonation, which keeps it creamy, but also slightly diluted in mouthfeel. There was virtually no aftertaste due to the thinness of the beer, and it left my mouth pretty dry and hoping for more. A little more acrid than I would have liked, especially after distinguishing the sweet smells, but I guess that comes with the territory. I also would have liked to see it with a little more body, but overall it was a fairly quaffable stout, just not one of my favorites.
• Mark

  

  Leader
   

  April 11, 2011

  I've heard a few other people comment That the FW Velvet Merlin was more aroma than taste.

  I've heard a few other people comment That the FW Velvet Merlin was more aroma than taste.