Beer review: Blue Fin Stout
Brewed by:
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Maine, United States

C- / 2.65
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | drink: 2.5
rDev: -41.9%

I received a bottle of this at a conference I recently attended.
I love stouts, but this one was a bit too coffee for my taste.

A- Beautiful appearance. Deep, dark opaque black/brown with a roasted nut brown head. Not too thick, very nice. Didn’t last long and the lacing was slight.

S- An almost sweet scent. I barely got an aroma of coffee, but very light and not in the least strong enough to give me a clue as to what the taste would end up like. A simple aroma.

T- Awful, for me. I admit to hating coffee (which makes trying a new stout a crapshoot for me.) I love bitter, and hoppy, just can’t stand the coffee. And that’s what this tasted like to me, like drinking tepid coffee.

M- Watery and somewhat fizzy. Thin. Added to the tepid coffee experience.

D- I ended up doing something I never do: I poured it out after about half. Just couldn’t stand it.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-26-2008 03:59:53

Double Dragon
From: Felinfoel Brewery Company, Ltd. in United Kingdom (Wales)
Style: English Pale Ale
overall: 4.2
appearance: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 3.5

A- Deep rich amber. Clear, but rich! Beautiful thick tan head. Stays a good couple, few minutes. Leaves a nice lacing on the glass and layer on top.
Almost too pretty to drink.

S- A slightly sour, sweet scent. Some savory fruit, like peach or apricot. Something a little grassy, or woodsy, but not spicy or of any herb per se.

T- Also sweet/sour. Not very bitter, hoppy. A little malty, but mixes well with the sweet for a nice balance.

M- Very nice, medium-bodied. Creamy but doesn’t linger too long. Doesn’t sour the back of the palate.

D- Rich enough to fill you up. You know you’ve had a good, solid beer. But quite drinkable, almost refreshing.

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ read my review ]

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
From: North Coast Brewing Co. in California, United States
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
overall: 3.2
appearance: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 3

A- A nice, rich opaque black pour. Not too thick of a head, but a nice soft tan. Doesn’t last long, but keeps a lacing a decent time.

S- A toasted chocolate coffee smell. Rich, deep smell. Not complex, per se, but the notes change as you smell it and as it warms up.

T- Just like it smells, rich chocolate coffee–but a HEAVY toasted nut taste as well. Very bitter, almost burnt nut taste. Like a coffee brewed with ground burnt nuts with a touch of chocolate.

M- Very creamy, rich, thick. Chewable. Bitter on the back of the palate but doesn’t stay around longer than appreciated.

D- Can only handle one, being very thick, stout, filling. You want to drink it slow and savor it (I dare anyone to drink it fast,) which helps that the taste and aroma changes as the temperature changes. Unfortunately it gets TOO bitter toward room temperature.

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ read my online review ]

Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale
From: Heather Ale Ltd. / The Brewery Craigmill in United Kingdom (Scotland)
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
overall: 3.8
appearance: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

A- Deep amber. Clear. Medium to shallow head, but somewhat rich. Keeps a decent lacing.

S- Fruity, slightly citrusy, like an apple and white grape. But VERY faint! Almost undetectable.

T- Sweet, very slightly hoppy. Light to medium bodied. Slightly sour after-note, but not bad at all. Basically, a malty apple-berry. Very easy to drink, and light enough to easily be able to have more than one!

M- Light to medium. Crisp, moderate carbonation. Can almost be considered “refreshing” (just a tad too heavy, though.)

D- Very drinkable! Very enjoyable.

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ read my online review ]

Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout
From: Saint Louis Brewery / Schlafly Tap Room in Missouri, United States
Style: Irish Dry Stout
overall: 3.25
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 3.5

A- Dark, deep black with a slight red hue. Pleasant brown-tan head, sticks around a little while, but then goes away pretty completely with no lacing.

S- Almost undetectable scent. But what’s there is an open, warm hoppy smell that belies the rather harsh taste.

T- Very bitter, on the tongue and back of the palate. Tastes burnt; harsh. A little nutty, with a very slight floral note.

M- With most overly bitter stouts I’ve had, there’s an oiliness which sticks around and clings to your mouth–but at least this one doesn’t have that. Good mouthfeel.

D- Starts bitter and harsh, but you get used to it. In fact, it actually becomes more palatable and nearly enjoyable half-way through. It might be because of it warming up a little, and more flavor comes out countering the sharp bitter.

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ my online review ]

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
From: Heather Ale Ltd. / The Brewery Craigmill in United Kingdom (Scotland)
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
overall: 4.2
appearance: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

A- Deep, opaque brown/black. Beautiful, rich, thick, DEEP dark tan head that lasts forever. Even with an appropriate pour, the head was deeper than I’d ever seen. Nice lacing.

S- A very very slight berry taste. Roasted malt. Chocolatey. Reflected in the taste below.

T- I don’t know what elderberries taste like, but this does have a distinct fruity, berry taste–but not much! Just a slight, crisp, note. That slight fruity (NOT citrusy) taste is not what this beer’s about. It mainly has a toasty taste. A slight chocolatey taste as well, but light. Three notes that really work well together, and none are over-powering.

M- Very nice, slightly carbonated, stays on the tongue and palate long enough to enjoy, but doesn’t cling. Chewable, but not too rich at all.

FAR superior to the Fraoch Heather Ale. Well worth the $3.25 for 11.2 oz. bottle. (Would still prefer a pint size bottle.)

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ my online review ]

Fraoch Heather Ale
From: Heather Ale Ltd. / The Brewery Craigmill in United Kingdom (Scotland)
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
overall: 3.1
appearance: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 3

A- Pours a bright, clear golden. Thin, white-tan head that disappears in seconds and leave virtually nothing behind.

S- Some musky fruit I can’t place. Like, old old apple and, grasses I believe. Not terribly great. A little sour smelling. Not appealing at all, to be honest.

T- A slightly sour taste. About as light as it looks. Not heavy, and not as interesting as the aroma (which is fine by me since the aroma is a slightly turned sour.) Simple.

M- Carbonated, but not too bad. Clings slightly to the mouth, and then goes away without an oily or sour back-of-the-mouth feeling. Pleasant. Doesn’t overstay its welcome.

D- I’d willingly drink it if offered. I would avoid smelling it over-much and not chew it any, and it’s not bad.

Oh yeah, at $3.50 for 11.2 oz., not too impressed on value for the penny at all.

[ serving type: bottle ]
[ view my review ]

Samuel Smith’s India Ale

From:Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) in United Kingdom (England)
Style: English India Pale Ale (IPA)
overall: 3.7
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

A – Beautiful clear, dark amber. Thick, creamy head that stays a reasonable amount of time and leaves a good amount of soft, thick lacing.

S – No discernible specific notes in the smell. Light, a little hoppy. Maybe a touch of fruity scent.

T – Kind of generic tasting. Good, but nothing unusual or unique. A little sour, but a fruity sour, not a spoiled sour.

M – Very clean, light feel. No oiliness, no real bitter aftertaste (just a nice hop.)

Wish I could offer a more interesting perspective or review, but all I can say it it’s just a pleasant, easy drinking ale that’s not spectacular, but nothing to complain about either.
I’d willingly have another, and that’s good for me.

[ serving type: bottle ]

Read my beer review.

SAM ADAMS’ CREAM STOUT

overall: 3.95
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 4

A – Beautiful deep, opaque brown to almost black. Slight amber tint; I don’t see any ruby as other mention.
Pours a reasonably thick head. Soft looking, nice tan brown. Dissipates somewhat quickly, but leaves a nice lacing that sticks to the glass as it dissolves and every time you tilt the glass.
S – Interesting chocolaty leather.
T – Only slightly not quite as good as I was expecting, but still quite good. More of a mouthfeel thing, but the bite of carbonation kind of took away from the potential richness of the taste. A little coffee, some sweet that lingers but doesn’t leave a sour aftertaste.
M – As I mentioned, it’s a little bright on the tongue from more carbonation than expected, but otherwise very nice. Just the right balance of creaminess without being cloistering or leaving an odd oily feel like some other stouts.
D – Very drinkable. Rich and full, so probably can’t drink more than one, or two at the most without feeling full, but would otherwise love to just sip on one of these all evening.

[ serving type: bottle ]

Read the online review. (Odd, the image of the bottle art isn’t available when you go to the single review, but it is when you go to the beer’s full page.)

Test FileSalvator Doppel Bock

From: Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG in Germany
Style: Doppelbock

overall: 2.15
appearance: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | mouthfeel: 2 | drinkability: 1.5

(A) – Deep, rich amber. nearly opaque. A dirty amber. The head was a nutty tan–very nice. A minimal amount of lacing, but it stayed awhile.

(S) – The smell is unappealing. Sour and citrusy. A little smoky as it warms up.

(T) – Tastes a lot like a very weak whisky. Even has that alcahol aftertaste and back of pallate clench. Also tastes a little sour, like an over-ripe fruit. Hmm, sort of like a bad whisky diluted by the last third of a Coors that’s been sitting out for a while.

(M) – I almost don’t want to drink any more of this in order to analyze the mouthfeel…. Eh, not bad. Would be just fine if not for that awful cringing feeling in the back of the mouth from the weird whisky taste.

(D) – No, not at all. Didn’t care for it one bit. I tried to drink it at all temperatures from cold to warm, and all it did was change ways in which it was sour and flat and not the good kind of bitter.

[ serving type: bottle ]

See the Beer Advocate review–click here!

Two Hearted Ale

From: Bell’s Brewery, Inc / Eccentric Café & Beergarden in Michigan, United States
Style: American IPA
overall: 3.3
appearance: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | mouthfeel: 3 | drinkability: 4

A: A bright golden color. See through, rich amber. The head was surprisingly thick and solid. Biteable even. Leaves a very nice lacing.

S: Slightly fruity smell, but just slightly. Nice.

T: When cold, it has that crisp bitterness that masks any subtlety.
It has an odd, fishy aftertaste that reminds me of lake water… but that’s probably because of the bottle label. Unfortunately as it warms up it gets noticeably sour. Like warm, old orange juice. (personal experience. Don’t ask.)

M: Crisp, significant carbonation. A slight greasy feel that goes away quickly.

Not bad. No danger of it becoming my favorite beer, but certainly wouldn’t turn one down if offered. I like it better cold, unlike most darker beers, and ales in general for that matter. Cold and out of the bottle instead of in a glass, it’s actually very good.
And for that I bump drinkability from 3.5 to 4.

[ serving type: bottle ]

[ see my review ]

Shakespeare Stout

My review.

From: Rogue Ales Brewery / Brewer’s on the Bay in Oregon, United States
Style: American Stout

overall: 3.75
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 3.5

I couldn’t really detect a scent. (But then, I may have allergies acting up.)
But the pour was great! Deep, rick, thick black. Opaque.
The head is a full finger thick, and is indeed thick. Dark, dark brown and rich. Slow to dissipate, but does dissipate completely.

I started it cold. It tasted both sweet and bitter at the same time. At first all I could get was a slight coffee taste. Hoppy. And, a little flat aftertaste like the end of a Bud. That part wasn’t pleasanr. But I don’t know if it was because I got used to it, or getting warmer improved it, but that flat, bitter, sour aftertaste didn’t last through the first glass, and not at all in the last two glasses.

Did I mention the bottle is large enough to fill too smallish pilsner glasses?

After it warmed up a bit, I started tasting a cocoa flavor. Not chocolate, but cocoa. Almost like a cafe mocha… but with hopps.

Creamy mouthfeel. And not a sticky creamy that causes that back of the pallate linger. But just a rich consistancy.

Kind of heavy–I felt full after the whole bottle. I don’t even want to think of how many calories this liquid bread has! *grin*

[ serving type: bottle ]