Allagash Black
7.50% ABV 750ml bottle with cork $9.99
"Allagash Black, our new Belgian style stout, is brewed with German 2 row barley, Torrified wheat and oats, balanced by a large addition of Belgian dark candi to give the Black a full and silky mouthfeel. Roasted malts give this stout its classic chocolate, toast and malty taste, and contribute to chocolate notes and a hint of roasted coffee in the aroma. The Black is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and refermented in the bottle with the methode champenoise to make this beer truly unique."
Served at 50F which is on the high end of the 40F-50F range Allagash recommends. The cage is easy to remove and the cork not so stubborn as some I have experienced in the last few months. A moderately aggressive pour leads to a two finger, tan colored, dense head that sticks around for a little while. The brew is a deep, deep brown, almost black, in color with minimal light getting through.
The nose has some Belgian yeast aromas but coffee, roasted grains and cocoa powder are are more prominent. In the mouth, the chocolate, cocoa powder like, flavor is more evident, mingled with espresso, spice, roasted smokiness and hints of dark, dried fruit. The deeply roasted flavor is somewhat offset by a slightly sweet counterpart.
Not quite full bodied but more than medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Nice lacing on the glass. Slightly creamy mouthfeel. The finish shows more pronounced Belgian yeast and the coffee comes back as being stronger than the cocoa powder.
I liked this. Not as heavy as I thought it would be, but a solid 'off-style' stout. I'd buy it again.
Allagash Black
7.50% ABV 750ml bottle with cork $9.99
"Allagash Black, our new Belgian style stout, is brewed with German 2 row barley, Torrified wheat and oats, balanced by a large addition of Belgian dark candi to give the Black a full and silky mouthfeel. Roasted malts give this stout its classic chocolate, toast and malty taste, and contribute to chocolate notes and a hint of roasted coffee in the aroma. The Black is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and refermented in the bottle with the methode champenoise to make this beer truly unique."
Served at 50F which is on the high end of the 40F-50F range Allagash recommends. The cage is easy to remove and the cork not so stubborn as some I have experienced in the last few months. A moderately aggressive pour leads to a two finger, tan colored, dense head that sticks around for a little while. The brew is a deep, deep brown, almost black, in color with minimal light getting through.
The nose has some Belgian yeast aromas but coffee, roasted grains and cocoa powder are are more prominent. In the mouth, the chocolate, cocoa powder like, flavor is more evident, mingled with espresso, spice, roasted smokiness and hints of dark, dried fruit. The deeply roasted flavor is somewhat offset by a slightly sweet counterpart.
Not quite full bodied but more than medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Nice lacing on the glass. Slightly creamy mouthfeel. The finish shows more pronounced Belgian yeast and the coffee comes back as being stronger than the cocoa powder.
I liked this. Not as heavy as I thought it would be, but a solid 'off-style' stout. I'd buy it again.
It is Friday and I was chilling this one waiting for today to give it a taste...someone's gotta get this started!
I started early with my stout tasting! Headed to Redhook Brewery here in Portsmouth, NH after work last night. It's a nice place to go on a Friday after a long week of toil, but their beers are pretty typically underwhelming.