Mystery Beer A
Nickel Brook Brewing Co. - Burlington
- From:
- Nickel Brook Brewing Co. - Burlington
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- American Stout
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 6.7%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 3
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 14, 2018
- Added:
- Dec 10, 2017
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark brown with an amber tinge, and topped with 3 fingers of deep, almost greyish beige head.
Smells of chocolate, coffee, and hints of vanilla and coconut.
Chocolate, cocoa, a bit of coffee, and chocolate milk.
Feels like a light textured, foamy, frothy chocolate milk.
Not bad for such a low ABV. Drinking in Muskoka, Jan 10th, 2018.
Jan 11, 2018Smells of chocolate, coffee, and hints of vanilla and coconut.
Chocolate, cocoa, a bit of coffee, and chocolate milk.
Feels like a light textured, foamy, frothy chocolate milk.
Not bad for such a low ABV. Drinking in Muskoka, Jan 10th, 2018.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.82/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.82/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
473 mL can from the LCBO; the last of four included in their Experimental Mystery Pack. Dated Nov 30 2017 and served slightly chilled.
Pours a deep cola brown colour that blocks out virtually all incoming light, with roughly one inch of frothy, khaki-tinted foam placed atop. It fades off at a steady pace, requiring no more than five minutes to recede down to a smooth, creamy-looking quarter-inch cap framed by a messy band of lacing. Roasted malts dominate the aroma, with notes of black coffee, chocolate and cocoa powder coming through, accented by suggestions of dark fruit, treacle, and just a touch of earthiness.
A nice little stout. Roasted malt prominence carries over into the flavour profile, with a mixture of coffee, rich dark chocolate and cocoa powder tantalizing the taste buds with each sip. Indeterminate hints of dark fruit (fig?) are barely above the threshold of detectability, easily missed once the bitter, earthy, somewhat ashy back end takes command. Roasted malts and coffee grounds fade into a mildly malty aftertaste. Light in body, with soft carbonation and a very smooth texture; it does feel a bit thin/watery to me, but I suppose that's the risk you run with sub-5% beers. It's still eminently quaffable, and tasty enough to pour down the hatch with little resistance.
Final Grade: 3.82, a worthwhile B+. Nickel Brook's Mystery Beer A is fine for what it is, but in all honesty I'd say it's still the weakest of the four beers in this pack by a fairly significant margin. Reminds me of their Half Bastard - something which has already been mentioned by other reviewers - and that's also a big reason as to why I don't really think it deserves to win the vote. Sure, it's a good stout, but any of the other three choices would make for a more novel addition to Nickel Brook's lineup. Also, I don't remember Half Bastard being quite so thin (though to be fair, it has been nearly 1.5 years since I last tried HB, so my memory may be off). Oh, and Happy New Year, BAs!
Jan 01, 2018Pours a deep cola brown colour that blocks out virtually all incoming light, with roughly one inch of frothy, khaki-tinted foam placed atop. It fades off at a steady pace, requiring no more than five minutes to recede down to a smooth, creamy-looking quarter-inch cap framed by a messy band of lacing. Roasted malts dominate the aroma, with notes of black coffee, chocolate and cocoa powder coming through, accented by suggestions of dark fruit, treacle, and just a touch of earthiness.
A nice little stout. Roasted malt prominence carries over into the flavour profile, with a mixture of coffee, rich dark chocolate and cocoa powder tantalizing the taste buds with each sip. Indeterminate hints of dark fruit (fig?) are barely above the threshold of detectability, easily missed once the bitter, earthy, somewhat ashy back end takes command. Roasted malts and coffee grounds fade into a mildly malty aftertaste. Light in body, with soft carbonation and a very smooth texture; it does feel a bit thin/watery to me, but I suppose that's the risk you run with sub-5% beers. It's still eminently quaffable, and tasty enough to pour down the hatch with little resistance.
Final Grade: 3.82, a worthwhile B+. Nickel Brook's Mystery Beer A is fine for what it is, but in all honesty I'd say it's still the weakest of the four beers in this pack by a fairly significant margin. Reminds me of their Half Bastard - something which has already been mentioned by other reviewers - and that's also a big reason as to why I don't really think it deserves to win the vote. Sure, it's a good stout, but any of the other three choices would make for a more novel addition to Nickel Brook's lineup. Also, I don't remember Half Bastard being quite so thin (though to be fair, it has been nearly 1.5 years since I last tried HB, so my memory may be off). Oh, and Happy New Year, BAs!
Rated by spinrsx from Canada (ON)
3.5/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Can from the LCBO for around $3
Dec 18, 2017
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.6/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.6/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. Purchase price came out to $3.25 CDN. Wondering off the top of my head if this is Half Bastard a limited production stout that had the flavor of Bolshevik bastard, but much easier to drink in larger quantities.
Appearance - Pours a near black colored beer, a small half finger of off-white head sits on top and dissipates quickly. Not much lacing either.
Smell - Subtle coffee notes and some vanilla mixed in. Not much aroma when quite cold. Roastiness is fairly prominent as well.
Taste - Middling bitterness with coffee and some leather throughout. Pretty flavorful. Does remind me of NB's Half Bastard, but not as flavorful.
Mouthfeel - Light body, carbonation is modest and quite drinkable. Finish is moderately dry.
Overall - A nice offering to this mixed pack. Doubtful if it makes it through since there is a NE style IPA in Can "C". Calling it here that that gets selected to be the next beer in NB's rotation.
Dec 15, 2017Appearance - Pours a near black colored beer, a small half finger of off-white head sits on top and dissipates quickly. Not much lacing either.
Smell - Subtle coffee notes and some vanilla mixed in. Not much aroma when quite cold. Roastiness is fairly prominent as well.
Taste - Middling bitterness with coffee and some leather throughout. Pretty flavorful. Does remind me of NB's Half Bastard, but not as flavorful.
Mouthfeel - Light body, carbonation is modest and quite drinkable. Finish is moderately dry.
Overall - A nice offering to this mixed pack. Doubtful if it makes it through since there is a NE style IPA in Can "C". Calling it here that that gets selected to be the next beer in NB's rotation.
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