Spooners' Stout
Red Brick Station

Off the bat there’s too much carbonation clinging to the side of the glass. Not that the beer is very carbonated but it’s an off putting and inauspicious start to the experience. Fairly devoid of aroma, maybe a hint sweet pipe tobacco. Taste is fine but with little complexity. Faint tobacco & cocoa but decently dry as an Irish style stout should be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: pours an opaque black into a nonic pint with a beautiful cascade of bubbles that forms a finger and a half of solid tan khaki hockey puck head that leaves nice lacing.

S: bitter dark chocolates are there, but it doesn't overpower the sweet malts, with a small amount of pine/ grass at least it smells good.

T: well it taste good too. Dark chocolate is the first flavor to come to mind, but not the overly bitter dark chocolate used for cooking, more like a lower percentage candy bar dark chocolate with a few nuts thrown in. The malt isn't the backbone holding this beer up; it is more like the ligaments, pulling everything together. The end is the pine bite with notes of a grassy field.

MF: not really heavy, but a solid beer. Just a bit chewy and a tad dry on the end.

O: a perfect example of a chef (in this case a brewer) taking a simple style and recipe and making it as true and perfect as possible.

On nitro draft at the brewpub.

Poured a deep black and ruby streaked hue with a two finger frothy off white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured a full roasted barley with a dry charcoal element.

The taste consisted of full blown black patent and charcoal.

The mouthfeel was full and creamy.

Overall a very well done dry stout.

Smooth, milky look; deep dark opaque brown in the glass with a gorgeous foamy head that left a smooth foam on the glass all the way down. Can I say "smooth" often enough for this one? No. it's amazing. Rich malty stout in the nose, with a mouthfeel that is near perfect for the style. Easily one of my favorite stouts. Rich roasted malt... and little else. But oh so drinkable. I remember telling someone at the table that it was like drinking a really good chocolate milk. That flavorful and rich. Really enjoyed this one.

This beer comes a dark black with hints of cola around the edges. There’s a solid finger of tan cream on top that leaves behind some nice stripes of lace.

Smells of loads of chocolate, oatmeal cookie and a touch of coffee.

Tastes surprisingly like Guinness (at least how I remember it used to taste) with a solid creamy chocolate riding on top a base of delicately smoked malts that finishes off with a touch of smoke and coffee. There’s also a balance of walnut and sour green apple in the flavor.

Feels light, creamy and easy but just a slight bit sticky. I suppose I’ll concede a bit of stickiness to get at the rock-solid flavors.

This one’s an exceptionally solid representation of the style. A pleasure to drink.