Hockley Stout
Hockley Valley Brewing Co.

Hockley StoutHockley Stout
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From:
Hockley Valley Brewing Co.
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
Irish Dry Stout
ABV:
4.2%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.54 | pDev: 11.02%
Reviews:
59
Ratings:
71
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 30, 2016
Added:
Mar 15, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
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Ratings by Mindsquall:
Photo of Mindsquall
Reviewed by Mindsquall from Canada (ON)

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This poured a nice dark impenetrable black with a slight tan head, nice. Smell is rather coffee-like, not bad at all. This stuff tastes pretty good, coffee aromas and a slight bitterness, no astringency at all. Mouthfeel was pretty smooth and easy going, and for a stout this is one of those that people typically offended by "dark beers" could actually enjoy.

As far as Irish style stouts go this is not a bad one. Certainly worth a try.
Apr 27, 2008
More User Ratings:
Photo of Max8787
Rated by Max8787 from Canada (QC)

3.09/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
High carbonation. Lack of flavour. Easy to drink.
Mar 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by JasonThaler from Canada (ON)

Aug 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by RevCraig from Canada (ON)

Jan 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by TheBeeraholic from Canada (ON)

Jun 15, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by timiskin from Canada (ON)

Apr 11, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Feb 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by sbarre from Canada (ON)

Nov 24, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by cfalovo97 from Canada (ON)

Nov 06, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by BigGruntyThirst from Canada (ON)

Jul 08, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by Wordslinger from Canada (ON)

May 06, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by ThinkAgain from Canada (ON)

Jan 06, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by MattPS from Canada (ON)

Dec 26, 2011
Photo of spinrsx
Reviewed by spinrsx from Canada (ON)

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
473ml Can

Appearance - The beer pours a black/brown colour with an average size fizzy light brown coloured head. I can't see much carbonation due the darkness of the beer and there is some faint lacing on the sides of the glass. The head lasted for 3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Chocolate, malts, smoke, roasted nuts

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation and it feels slightly thin on the tongue. I can taste chocolate mixed with malts and a bit of a roasted/smoke taste. It ends with a chocolatey aftertaste with a tiny bit of a lingering burnt/bitter aftertaste.

Overall – Very drinkable but in no way exciting or memorable. It could use a touch more sweetness but I guess that might take away from it's sessionability. Worth a try, but i wouldn't revisit this one again.
Nov 16, 2011
Photo of TheHammer
Reviewed by TheHammer from Canada (ON)

3.37/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Appearance: Poured with two fingers of head that managed to retain decently but didn't lace very much. The body is black as night as expected with a brown tinge to it.

Smell: A surprising dry, smokey roast with touches of coffee and a light dust of walnuts. Seems to also have a very light, black currant note, which actually caused me to wikipedia the fruit and apparently some put black currant juice into Stout. Who knew?

Taste: Lighter then most stouts, although I'd say I'm enjoying it. A mild mannered smokey roasted malt starts us off as a mild coffee taste builds up and regrettably only the barest notes of that earlier currant presence on the nose which would have rounded out the beer nicely. Instead it falls a bit flat at the end as only a very light touch of bitterness ends it. I'd give it 3.25 if I could.

Mouthfeel: It started out nice but the carbonation fell flat at the 3/4 finished mark. It doesn't really drink like a stout, it's more like a lighter Porter. It doesn't leave much of an aftertaste, although it leaves you a little bit too dry.

Drinkability: The lack of aftertaste and lighter flavour makes the beer easy to drink. However, this is supposed to be a stout, more bitterness and a heavier aspect should be present. Really time does this beer no favours.

Final Thoughts: Well I'm glad this beer taught me about Black Currants in beer, but I dunno. I was impressed at the start of the beer, but it gradually became more and more tame as the carbonation panned out. It's good, but the problem I have is if I wanted a Stout, this wouldn't be what I was looking for. This is more like a milder Porter, so keep that in mind if you pick it up.
Nov 06, 2011
Photo of Stocean1
Reviewed by Stocean1 from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - poured a big two finger head which quickly subsided to a thin line of a creamy coffee head - thin fine lacing - deep brown/ black

S - molasses, bready malt, caramel

T - malt, sweet molasses, coffee,hint of bitter hops

M - lighter than I would like with plenty of carbonation (soda?), not overly bitter

O - a very drinkable stout which is in line with all of the brews I have had from Hockley - good but not great - definitely worth another taste some time soon.
Aug 02, 2011
Photo of paxkey
Reviewed by paxkey from Canada (ON)

4.03/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
picked up the taster pack. stout, dark, black and tan.

'pours like liquid midnight' on can.
traditional irish stout.
abv on my can says 4.2

looks great in the glass. tar black. nice one finger tan head. lots of rocky bubbles.

smells like a stout. coffee grounds, butterscotch.
if they could tone donwn the carbonation a half point this would be divine.

smooth and slightly sweet finish. leaves a sticky taste in the mouth. a very drinkable offering.
i love it.
Apr 05, 2011
Photo of eat
Reviewed by eat from Canada (QC)

3.67/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Black and opaque with a finger of beige head which fades to nothing in a couple minutes. No lacing, retention could be better.

Smells of molasses, grain, a hint of chocolate, light earthy hops

Very light in flavour without necessarily coming off as being watery. Molasses, dark malt, light minerals and drying, little roast, earthy bitterness on the finish. Not too interesting but it is quite well balanced.

Very light body for a stout but it works okay here, matching the light flavour. Lightly carbonated.

Drinkability here is definitely high, especially at this ABV (4.2% on this can). I could easily drink a bunch of these in a short period of time. Not sure that I would buy it again but it would be a good choice if you're looking for an incredibly sessionable stout in Ontario.
Feb 28, 2011
Photo of Mit
Reviewed by Mit from Canada (ON)

3.48/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
a-pours a very dark cola colour with very little light penetrating. Very slight head.

s-some dark fruit but mostly chocolate and coffee malts dominate the bouquet.

t-Def not as strong as one would expect. The coffee and chocolate notes are there...no dark fruits on tongue. Interesting aftertaste that reminded me of dairy(to go with coffee?)

m-Thin but it's only a 4.6% beer...

d-not bad...I will drink the other one I have.
Feb 11, 2011
Photo of ludachris
Reviewed by ludachris from Canada (ON)

3.05/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
"Pours like liquid midnight" is the phrase stated boldly on the can, and it's pretty damn close with only a sprinkle of light seeping through its black body at the top and bottom edges of the beer. Two fingers of rich and creamy mocha coloured head seem fitting for the style. Quite an inticing looking stout.

A dry and roasty nose emits suggestions of cocoa powder, light coffee, and a blackberry twang that loosely reminds me of the sour aspect of Guinness, but a bit more interesting.

Far more watery than expected with the sweet/sour blackberry out of the picture. Biting carbonation detracts from the roasted and nutty character that hurridely sweeps across the back of the palate before an odd metallic and buttery character leads in the finish.

Its filmy and light body has a carbonated feel that reminds me of mineral water, and that's not all that pleasant in a beer. A quaffer on tap? Maybe. But not a joy to drink.

It seems like Hockley Valley sacrificed the taste and feel of this stout that nailed the appearance and smell to make it incredibly easy to put down. I look at Hockley Valley as a mediocre brewery, and this is far from their best offering. I'll take a Guinness over this.
Jan 28, 2011
Hockley Stout from Hockley Valley Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 71 ratings