Stout AF
BrewDog

 

12oz can, date stamp of 04/07/20 200194 14:56. Served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Very dark - black with a bit of dark brown at the edges. Thin tan head upon pouring died back pretty quickly to form a thin ring. Little to no lacing.

Smell: Fresh ground dark roast coffee, leafy/herbal notes (tobacco maybe?).

Taste: Cold brew dark roast coffee, roasted malt, with plenty of leafy/herbal bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel: A bit thin, which is surprising given the ingredients. Not watery, but not as thick as a normal stout. Some stickiness on the teeth. Light carbonation.

Overall / Drinkability: From the people who brought us Nanny State we get Stout AF....another great case of Brewdog giving you one name and delivering something else unexpectedly. This is a stout, and if you needed a non-alcoholic beer and didn't want a lager, this is a great replacement. Full of flavor - definitely an American stout, and quite bitter. I never would have thought that one could make a non-alcoholic stout, but they have. Not something I can drink a lot of because it is so bitter, but a neat and surprising beer. I think I need to find a food to pair it with. It didn't go great with dessert (pecan pie) like I thought it might - probably needs something with deeper flavor to compliment the coffee and herbal bitterness.

Decanted from 12 oz (355 ml) can into a Tree House snifter glass; canned 02/17/2020.
A: Pours dark brown color with walnut highlights, a one to two finger, fluffy, light brown head, rim retention, and moderately foamy and organized lacing.
S: Aromas of tobacco/ash and cola (initially), then caramel/molasses, black coffee, chocolate, and walnut.
T: More semisweet than semidry. I picked up dark chocolate, espresso, cola, and star anise. Bitterness is solid and very much offsets any sweetness and overly exuberant flavors. Slight tobacco aftertaste.
M: No more than medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Actually a low alcohol Schwarzbier identified as a stout. That said, remarkably flavorful and enjoyable within that context.

It's a difficult proposition to rate this (near) beer because it's a great option for a low/no alcohol choice amidst the na lagers. But it's classified as American Stout, so that's a tall order compared to traditional American stouts. Look is dark and a smidge of lacing, and the smell is faintly grain and roast. Taste is sweet and clean dark malts, but definitely feels thin. A good-to-very-good option when you can't have the alcohol.