North Star
Guinness Ltd.
- From:
- Guinness Ltd.
- Ireland
- Style:
- Irish Dry Stout
- ABV:
- 4%
- Score:
- 81
- Avg:
- 3.38 | pDev: 13.31%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 18, 2014
- Added:
- Nov 24, 2006
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
81
Good
81
Good
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by CanuckRover from Canada (ON)
2.99/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5
2.99/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5
Pulling out my journal and getting to my forgotten tasting notes. North Star was the third release in the rather ill-conceived (IMHO) brewhouse series.
Appearance depends on the pour like any draught Guinness. You've all seen it, almost black red, with a beautiful cascade effect. Perfect flat head seperated from the beer by a razor sharp line. It's alot funner to look at than drink.
Aroma? Not really. Some roastiness I guess.
It tastes like Guinness draught, but it has been dumbed down. "Smooth" in taste is the only word to describe it. What little bitterness was to be found in nitro-Guinness has been rounded out by some creative blending. I supposed it's good to drink if you're more focused on conversation than what you're drinking.
Same mouthfeel as regular Guinness draught, achieving that impossible mixture of thinness and creaminess.
Hilarious thing happened when this first appeared on tap at my local in Ireland. The bartender offered me a sample and I gave it a shot. There was an older boy sitting next to me, maybe 70, and the bartender asked him if he'd like a try too. I have never seen such a look of utter discuss and he refused! Don't mess with an Irishman's Guinness, even if you're giving it to him for free.
Jan 05, 2008Appearance depends on the pour like any draught Guinness. You've all seen it, almost black red, with a beautiful cascade effect. Perfect flat head seperated from the beer by a razor sharp line. It's alot funner to look at than drink.
Aroma? Not really. Some roastiness I guess.
It tastes like Guinness draught, but it has been dumbed down. "Smooth" in taste is the only word to describe it. What little bitterness was to be found in nitro-Guinness has been rounded out by some creative blending. I supposed it's good to drink if you're more focused on conversation than what you're drinking.
Same mouthfeel as regular Guinness draught, achieving that impossible mixture of thinness and creaminess.
Hilarious thing happened when this first appeared on tap at my local in Ireland. The bartender offered me a sample and I gave it a shot. There was an older boy sitting next to me, maybe 70, and the bartender asked him if he'd like a try too. I have never seen such a look of utter discuss and he refused! Don't mess with an Irishman's Guinness, even if you're giving it to him for free.
Reviewed by drperm from Virginia
3.34/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.34/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Draught - McGanns Pub, Doolin, Co. Clare A black, black stout, with a darker head than the standard Draught. From the moment the barkeep ("Are you ok, then?") drew the draught, I knew I was in for a treat. Its strong -- definitely stronger than regular Guinness, despite what other reviewers may say here; slightly sweet, and all-around more like an American brewers Irish stout offering -- and, in all likelihood, I imagine it to be more like the original 18th century Guinness recipe, if still not nearly as strong.
Dec 17, 2007
Reviewed by Patg72 from Massachusetts
3.46/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours very similar to a regular Guinness. Very dark with a nice foamy head. You have to drink half the beer before you can really stick your nose into to smell it. At that point its warmed up enough to get a decent whiff. Roast malt and barley notes abound. The taste to me was bitterness from the roast barley and more so than your regular Guinness. This is interesting as the Guinness website says "Guinness North Star Brew uses the same infusion of ingredients as Guinness®, water, barley, hops and yeast - but it uses lightly blended malts to produce a silky, well-rounded finish." I didn't get that silky well-rounded finish. Oh well. I say try it if you see it.
Oct 11, 2007
Reviewed by dirtyoldtown53 from Canada (ON)
4.03/5 rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.03/5 rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I found this to be a slightly lighter version of Guinness Draught, It was less heavy with a milder colder taste. A nice stout but if standard Guinness draught is on tap don't go to the next pub and search for a limited edition North Star, regular Guinness will make you feel the same way.
Jul 18, 2007Reviewed by MillRat from Illinois
3.2/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
3.2/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Had two samples at the "tasting lab" part of the tour of the St. James Gate brewery. This apple certainly fell close to the Guinness tree, with a good nitro head and roasted barley aroma. My overall impression was "Guinness Light." I suppose with European light lagers like Carlsberg and Heineken, not to mention the St. Loius Budweiser, appearing far more frequently, Diagio wants to make a product that's less, um, well, flavorful. They've done it, but you won't see me drinking any more of it if Guinness draught or any other more flavorful beer is available.
Jul 14, 2007
Reviewed by 7ate9 from Virginia
2.94/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.94/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Had this while I was at the oldest pub in Dublin. I was extrememly thrilled to be in an Irish pub and even more thrilled to see a Northstar Brewhouse(? I think) series. It sounded like it was a limitied time special beer. In my excitement I accidentally ordered two. It's like guinness but not as tasty...just get a regular guinness.
May 07, 2007
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York
3.5/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured the classic Guinness set up, however with not as good retention.
The smell featured a good burnt grain tempered by a sweet caramel malt.
The taste was too sweet for my taste. The mix of bitter burnt grain and sweet malt was a bit awkward.
The mouthfeel was full and creamy with a slightly sweet finish.
Overall a decent stout with good drinkability. I would stick with the classic however.
Mar 13, 2007The smell featured a good burnt grain tempered by a sweet caramel malt.
The taste was too sweet for my taste. The mix of bitter burnt grain and sweet malt was a bit awkward.
The mouthfeel was full and creamy with a slightly sweet finish.
Overall a decent stout with good drinkability. I would stick with the classic however.
Reviewed by cypressbob from Northern Ireland
2.64/5 rDev -21.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
2.64/5 rDev -21.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Dublin Airport
Pours with a dark burgandy body, nowhere near as dark as standard guinness nitro, when held up to the light you can clearly see through it, similar to coke in colour. Usual tight half inch thick creamy head, good retention and lots of lacing
Smell, served so cold very little comes off. Little bit of faint malt, some roasted, a few subtle esters
Taste, smooth mouthfeel, very slight bitterness from the roasted malt, some residual sweetness, very lacking in overall flavour, almost no aftertaste to speak of, this is a very short lived beer on the palette
A poor offering, I expected this 'brewhouse' series to showcase a more interesting side from guinness but apparently not
Nov 24, 2006Pours with a dark burgandy body, nowhere near as dark as standard guinness nitro, when held up to the light you can clearly see through it, similar to coke in colour. Usual tight half inch thick creamy head, good retention and lots of lacing
Smell, served so cold very little comes off. Little bit of faint malt, some roasted, a few subtle esters
Taste, smooth mouthfeel, very slight bitterness from the roasted malt, some residual sweetness, very lacking in overall flavour, almost no aftertaste to speak of, this is a very short lived beer on the palette
A poor offering, I expected this 'brewhouse' series to showcase a more interesting side from guinness but apparently not
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