The Defender American Stout
Haymarket Beer Co. Pub & Brewery

The Defender American StoutThe Defender American Stout
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Haymarket Beer Co. Pub & Brewery
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
American Stout
Ranked #68
ABV:
7%
Score:
90
Ranked #10,297
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 11.19%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
72
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 24, 2024
Added:
May 06, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  4
This big, malty, pitch black ale was brewed with roasted barley, chocolate malt and dark crystal malt. Then we hopped with Cascade & Centennial & finished with a dry hopping of Chinook & Centennial.

2014 GABF Gold Medalist (American-Style Stout)
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.87 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Feb 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4.07 by jak from North Carolina

Oct 18, 2023
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 11/4/21; drank 3/3/22 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

A violent pour yielded a HUGE dark tan head; a thick curtain of lace.

Orange citrus & medium roast coffee bean notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Orange citrus & medium roast coffee bean flavors.

Straight up black IPA vibes here. Simple but effective.
Mar 05, 2022
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had on tap. Pitch black pour with a khaki head, classic. Big roasted malt, dark chocolate and dark pine notes in the smell. Taste adds some caramel malt underneath the roast, char and more pronounced hops enter in near the end of the sip. Feel has a full yet not overly heavy body, mostly dry and chewy, not overly rugged.
Feb 12, 2022
 
Rated: 3.86 by MacStinson from Michigan

Apr 06, 2020
 
Rated: 3.8 by BeerMe8 from Florida

Feb 13, 2020
Photo of Eyedoc27
Rated by Eyedoc27 from Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Smoky and bitter
Oct 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.56 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Sep 04, 2019
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.86/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
a really robustly roasty and hoppy stout, on the edge of that cascadian dark category for me, which is a good thing, i like them this flavorful, and this is a good one. its smooth and bigger feeling, not from any exposed alcohol or anything, but from the bitterness of the grain and the hop oils coming out at the same time, which is to say early, and lasting long on the palate after the swallow, it gives the beer a certain density even without oats being evident in the mash, as is common in these. i like the higher intensity grain on it, and i like the hop selection, woodsy and piney and obviously elevated alpha northwestern varietals that play well with the dark grain and have enough oomph to rise up through it, especially as it comes up to temperature. not overly complex here, just kind of a classic one two punch, but there are hints of dark chocolate and earthy burnt wood in this, as well as spruce or juniper or something in the nose. fuller body, nice carbonation for the style, lingering bitter finish, classic and flavorful, very well made.
Jun 08, 2019
Photo of Carmin_j_t
Reviewed by Carmin_j_t from Michigan

1.24/5  rDev -69.2%
look: 5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Real disappointment. Expected a stout, got an IPA. Nothing on the can says hops, IPA, it pale ale. Thought I was going to get a hearty beer, instead I got this hipster weak-ass mess.
Jun 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.19 by LXIXME from New Mexico

May 13, 2019
Photo of ChicagoJ
Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
1/10/19 (Chicago): $7.75 16 oz draft pour into pint glass at Haymarket Beer Pub & Brewery. Dark black pour, light tan head leaves tan lacing. Light malt and hops aroma. Nice malt hops blend, slighlty bitter. Light mouth feel, carbonation holds, slightly fizzy, easy drinking. Unique pour, well done.
May 05, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 2/12/2019. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 2 finger dense and rocky tan head with amazing retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Amazing appearance. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of red grapefruit, orange, lemon, peach, pineapple, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/roast//toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts and moderate citrus/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of red grapefruit, orange, lemon, peach, pineapple, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/roast//toasted earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, grassy, peppery hops; and roast/charcoal bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, red grapefruit, orange, lemon, peach, pineapple, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/roast//toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts and moderate citrus/earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and fairly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Light lingering resins/rinds through the glass. Minimal warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an outstanding American stout. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts and moderate citrus/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/drying finish; not overly bitter/charred. Perfectly balanced between clean/rich malt complexity and citrus/earthy American hops. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding spot on style example.
Apr 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.25 by jsmith313 from Texas

Feb 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.21 by MeIquiades from Illinois

Feb 13, 2019
Photo of barnzy78
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can, packaged DEC1118. Frothy khaki head caps a black stout. Aroma is roasted barley, dark chocolate, and piney citric hops. Quite hop forward in flavor with pine and citrus appearing through the dark roast and chocolate malt notes. Full body, resinous hops stick to the palate with the roast and char. Overall, a bit more hoppy than I like a stout to be, making this border on an American Black Ale in my opinion; but regardless of style this was good.
Feb 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by jgunther71 from Illinois

Dec 28, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by eawolff99 from Minnesota

Jun 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3.51 by Fubudu187 from Illinois

May 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.71 by SaisonRichBiere from Michigan

May 21, 2018
The Defender American Stout from Haymarket Beer Co. Pub & Brewery
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 72 ratings