Argonaut Collection: Flying Cloud San Francisco Stout
Anchor Brewing Company

Argonaut Collection: Flying Cloud San Francisco StoutArgonaut Collection: Flying Cloud San Francisco Stout
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Anchor Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Foreign / Export Stout
ABV:
7.4%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 10.66%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
233
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 08, 2023
Added:
Jan 24, 2013
Wants:
  17
Gots:
  38
A Dublin-style brew made with English Maris Otter pale malt, two black malts, and flaked barley. Nugget and Golding hops provide a spicy, floral complement to the deep, dark-chocolaty maltiness and dry finish.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tdm168:
Photo of tdm168
Reviewed by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

3.66/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap at World of Beer Raleigh

A - black with a big thick brown head that has great retention

S - very faint nose; roasted malts, some chocolate

T - chocolate, roasted malts, creamy, faintly grainy, a bit sweet

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This was a nice beer. It was rich and had good drinkability. My only complaint was the sweet graininess that came through. Otherwise, this was a nice stout that is worth a try.
Feb 17, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.66/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle at share. This one sneaks up on you, quite strong for a stout, subtle flavors, lots of aftertaste, and a bit of warmth. Mild chocolate and a dry finish.
Nov 08, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.86/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
355 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Madla. ABV is 7.4%. Black colour, moderate but lasting tan head. Pleasant aroma of moderately roasted malts, hints of caramel, dark bread, wort and woodwork. Dry and roasty flavour, roast malts and coffee, hints of liquorice and dark bitter chocolate, moderate bittering hops in the finish. Nice beer.
Jul 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.81 by Griffith from Connecticut

Apr 04, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Unknown vintage; drank 10/9/15 @ the Yarchives.

Black appearance.

A rough pour yielded a HUGE dark tan head (careful pouring! ); frothy lace.

Red wine, black licorice & fresh earth notes in the nose.

Medium thick mouthfeel.

Red wine, fresh bread & black licorice flavors up front; fresh earth notes on the finish.

An interesting, enjoyable stout. I'd have another.
Mar 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by TheRock7755 from Georgia

Oct 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.52 by Duff27 from Illinois

Feb 18, 2017
Photo of Libeertarian
Reviewed by Libeertarian from Montana

4.18/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From notes taken 02/02/17:

Pitch black in glass, though clearly dark brown when tipping it back for a sip thins it out. Head is probably the darkest I have seen, so in head terms you might call it a “dark brown,” although it is more of a medium brown on an actual color spectrum. Quite lacey. I can tell it is thick and viscous from looking at it as it pours. To nose, roastiness and char, some toffee or cocoa sweetness. Even more chocolate to taste, dark. But even roastier than that, with some dark fruit tartness in the background. A little toffee and smoke in finish. Tobacco and burnt meat and booze in retro-olfaction. Full body, no question. Velvety and sloshy, with tingles on tip and edges of tongue, and cheeks. Very astringent but balanced out with sweeter, acidic flavors.
Feb 09, 2017
Photo of DovGibor
Reviewed by DovGibor from New York

3.97/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Picked up a four pack at a brewery tour in late Aug & noticed the bottle date was 1/14/16 (6JN); this tasting is on 1/9/17, roughly 1 year from bottling. If Anchor is selling this at the brewery 7 months old, I don't think they can take issue with my rating it at 12 months. It was enjoyable when I got it so thought it'd be worth an experiment.

Poured into a snifter. It's almost pitch black with the slightest blush of dark brown when held up to the light. Thin layer of brown head dissipates quickly to rim of bubbles. Aroma is lightly roasted malt with light caramel/toffee and a hint of chocolate. I detect no hops at 1yr.

Mouthfeel is rich for a moderate Abv stout. There is good body and light carbonation on the tongue. Taste is a decent balance of roast with a light malt sweetness to balance it out. There is spiciness that makes me think of rye, though probably comes from the other specialty malts used. The full, roasted flavor may have been accentuated by the age, and while that's not off-putting, it is more present than I expected.

Overall it's a good export stout. It probably didn't' improve with age but was still enjoyable. If I find it fresher I will revisit my review.
Jan 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.27 by NeoClassicist from New York

Nov 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.51 by npendres from Wisconsin

Oct 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.19 by IMZep from Maryland

Aug 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by Birdlegs from Washington

Aug 15, 2016
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.06/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours an absolute black with a thick (2 1/2 cm) caramel colored head. Wonderful head retention. Lacing is dull and barely present. Aroma is spicy with notes of roasted and toasted malts, bread, and spicy floral hops. A sip brings in a dull pale, roasted malt quality, which never bolsters up or gets too loud. Additional flavor notes include chocolate, bread, and spicy, floral hops. Mouth feel is filling and velvety, with a bit of a fizzy, dry finish. Overall, it's a really fun dark beer. It finishes dry, which may be off putting for some, but otherwise it's a fun little brew with plenty going on.

Served in a 12oz snifter.
Jul 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by NickyDee21 from Pennsylvania

Jul 23, 2016
Photo of LMO1190
Reviewed by LMO1190 from Florida

3.86/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pitch Black with a tan head. Smells like cherries and roasted malts. Taste of cherries, vanilla, dark malts, sweetness. Smooth mouth feel, very taste clean.

Overall, This is a good clean beer.
Jul 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.79 by ChipMurray from Pennsylvania

Jul 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.63 by swierczt from Connecticut

Jul 15, 2016
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours near black where no light shines through. Beige head with many streaks from each sip.

Sweet with a barley wine aroma. No hop, but lots of cherry sweetness.

The taste is an extention of the smell. Deep sweet cherry with an unsweetened chocolate flavor. Thinnish body with a high carbonation level. Yet, this is a chewy beer. This is a bit of a cross between a sweet stout and a dry barley wine, or a dry stout and a sweet barley wine.
Jul 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Jul 06, 2016
Argonaut Collection: Flying Cloud San Francisco Stout from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 233 ratings