-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Half Moon Stout
Penobscot Bay Brewery
- From:
- Penobscot Bay Brewery
- Maine, United States
- Style:
- English Stout
Ranked #65 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 79
Ranked #26,519 - Avg:
- 3.37 | pDev: 11.57%
- Reviews:
- 16
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 08, 2024
- Added:
- Jan 21, 2010
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 2
In 1609 Henry Hudson entered Penobscot Bay in the vessel the "Half Moon". Four hundred years later the Half Moon is back in Penobscot Bay! Based on an old porter recipe described as brave, proud, or "Stout". A one hour mash of pale, crystal, chocolate and wheat malts, and a large portion of roasted barley yield this dark, full-bodied stout with a heavy aroma of fresh roasted coffee. The mild Fuggles hops balances the bitterness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by plaid75:
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York
3.88/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a deep black hue with a three finger foamy tan head. There was good retention and lacing.
The smell featured roasted malts, charcoal and burnt sugar.
The taste consisted of a clean, sharp roasted malt with a lingering charcoal smokiness. Some caramel detected as well.
The mouthfeel was typical of the style.
Overall a tasty stout. Not to sweet and not to dry.
Feb 05, 2011The smell featured roasted malts, charcoal and burnt sugar.
The taste consisted of a clean, sharp roasted malt with a lingering charcoal smokiness. Some caramel detected as well.
The mouthfeel was typical of the style.
Overall a tasty stout. Not to sweet and not to dry.
More User Ratings:
Rated by jbolger from Connecticut
3.14/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.14/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
11/5/21 1st impression - thin. 2nd impression - coffee. Lacks depth, complexity. No sweetness. Somewhat unpleasant.
Nov 05, 2021Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.59/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep brown color. Lasting head with streaky lace.
Cocoa to mocha (e.g. mild coffee) blend to the nose. There are some freshly ground coffee bean notes.
Thinner body but with a typical carbonation level. The stout flavors are all here but with less umph. Baker's chocolate finish with a shorter aftertaste.
Aug 19, 2020Cocoa to mocha (e.g. mild coffee) blend to the nose. There are some freshly ground coffee bean notes.
Thinner body but with a typical carbonation level. The stout flavors are all here but with less umph. Baker's chocolate finish with a shorter aftertaste.
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.3/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.3/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
From the 650 ml. bottle. Sampled on March 16, 2014.
It pours a very dark brown to just about black color with a lingering tan head. It looks like a stout should.
The aroma is overly sweet and sugary with less in the way of dark malts. Some milk chocolate,. But there is something off putting about it.
The body is light to medium but reasonably smooth.
The taste has this same sort of buttery, oily, dark malt and chocolate mix that I cannot describe in any other way. It really doesn't propel itself into anything special and tends to be too sweet.
Mar 16, 2014It pours a very dark brown to just about black color with a lingering tan head. It looks like a stout should.
The aroma is overly sweet and sugary with less in the way of dark malts. Some milk chocolate,. But there is something off putting about it.
The body is light to medium but reasonably smooth.
The taste has this same sort of buttery, oily, dark malt and chocolate mix that I cannot describe in any other way. It really doesn't propel itself into anything special and tends to be too sweet.
Reviewed by BirdsandHops from Oregon
3.23/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.23/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A: Pours black with three fingers of light tan head that fades into a thin cap with decent lacing.
S: Roasted malts with sweet cocoa at first with notes of tart and sour fruits toward the finish.
T: Roasted malts here as well with tart cherry flavors coming through more than in the nose. There are subtler notes of char and chocolate.
M: Medium-thick body with mid-high carbonation, this beer has more carbonation than normal for the style, but not too much.
O: An alright stout overall, though I suspect an infection based on the high carbonation and tart fruit presence.
Nov 18, 2012S: Roasted malts with sweet cocoa at first with notes of tart and sour fruits toward the finish.
T: Roasted malts here as well with tart cherry flavors coming through more than in the nose. There are subtler notes of char and chocolate.
M: Medium-thick body with mid-high carbonation, this beer has more carbonation than normal for the style, but not too much.
O: An alright stout overall, though I suspect an infection based on the high carbonation and tart fruit presence.
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.7/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.7/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Competent stout, brought back from very recent Maine trip. Pours black and is lacey. A good roast nose. Above average mouthfeel. Dry Irish style finish. Grows on me to make it nicely drinkable.Chocolate, coffee. A tad acidic. Some decent hop bitterness.
Aug 30, 2012Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia
3.27/5 rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.27/5 rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark ruby-red coloring leading into black, with no head. Slick and wet looking on the pour. The nose is sweet, with chocolate and toffee notes, as well as some cookie tones. Flavors are light and dry, with rich hazelnut and chocolate notes on a roasty backbone. The aftertaste is rich and roasted, with a darkly sweet, smooth, and dry finish. The body was lacking throughout in order to support the flavor profile this stout brings to the table. Just seemed unbalanced throughout.
Jun 03, 2012Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland
3.38/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #58 (November 2011):
LOOK: Lights out
SMELL: Roasty, slightly acrid, yeast, charcoal, woody
TASTE: Roasty grain, burnt sugar, woody hops, coffee, charcoal, ripe fruit, dried grass, earthy, overly roasty
Old school or to style, whatever your take is. Sipping it for what it is, the roasted twang gets the better of this brew. Lively and rustic, but the roasted flavors seem to take over the palate. If the roasted flavors were tamed a bit more, we'd have a clear winner. Worth a try at the very least.
May 02, 2012LOOK: Lights out
SMELL: Roasty, slightly acrid, yeast, charcoal, woody
TASTE: Roasty grain, burnt sugar, woody hops, coffee, charcoal, ripe fruit, dried grass, earthy, overly roasty
Old school or to style, whatever your take is. Sipping it for what it is, the roasted twang gets the better of this brew. Lively and rustic, but the roasted flavors seem to take over the palate. If the roasted flavors were tamed a bit more, we'd have a clear winner. Worth a try at the very least.
Half Moon Stout from Penobscot Bay Brewery
Beer rating:
79 out of
100 with
34 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!