Hipster Brunch Stout
Odd Side Ales
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Odd Side Ales
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Stout - American Imperial
Ranked #320 - ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #777 - Avg:
- 4.36 | pDev: 7.8%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 10, 2021
- Added:
- Oct 06, 2014
- Wants:
- 261
- Gots:
- 201
SCORE
97
World-Class
97
World-Class
Notes:
It's morning somewhere! This delectable stout has been aged in bourbon barrels with coffee, maple syrup, and bacon!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4.23 by TMoney2591 from Illinois on Dec 10, 2021
4.16/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by EMV from Pennsylvania
Dated 2019. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Oily black pour. Barely-there mocha colored head... negligible lacing. No light penetrating this one.
S: Roast, cocoa, sweets, and booze.
T.F: Sweet up front. Loads of chocolate. Lighter espresso and vanilla. Maple syrup.... bacon is very faint. Wouldn't pick it up if I wasn't looking for it. More roast and cocoa. Oily and medium to thick bodied. Low carbonation. Lingering sweetness/syrup with some roast for balance.
O: Overall a very solid dessert stout. Sweet/tasty.... not quite as good as CBS, but in the same vein.
Dec 07, 2021
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by EMV from Pennsylvania
Dated 2019. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Oily black pour. Barely-there mocha colored head... negligible lacing. No light penetrating this one.
S: Roast, cocoa, sweets, and booze.
T.F: Sweet up front. Loads of chocolate. Lighter espresso and vanilla. Maple syrup.... bacon is very faint. Wouldn't pick it up if I wasn't looking for it. More roast and cocoa. Oily and medium to thick bodied. Low carbonation. Lingering sweetness/syrup with some roast for balance.
O: Overall a very solid dessert stout. Sweet/tasty.... not quite as good as CBS, but in the same vein.
Dec 07, 2021
4.04 by goleeoh from Michigan on Mar 04, 2021
3.8/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by SierraNevallagash from Maine
12oz bottle - poured into a stemmed glass at 40°F.
Pours a fairly heavy-looking crude oil black, forming absolutely no head, and sitting pitch black in the glass, still as night.
Nose: Fairly deep, heart, dark roast forms the classic imperial stout backdrop, with coffee winning the fight for first appearance. The coffee is decent - a bit generic, but no sharp or off notes. The maple is subtle compared to some of the breakfast juggernauts, but it certainly makes an appearance - fairly natural, and lending a pancake quality. I'm not sure about bacon, but I do detect a hint of smoke, which nicely compliments the roast. The barrel is just barely there - extremely muted.
Palate: Hipster Brunch greets the palate with a menage jais trois of dark roast, coffee, and maple. The roast had a bold dark chocolate quality to it, almost like a chocolate liqueur. The coffee is roasty, supplementing the roast while holding back bitterness, and the maple serves to tie them together in a sweet, candied maple bow. Still not getting any bacon - for better or worse, but I can sort of imagine a drop of liquid smoke lending this dry applewood note. Again, a whisper of blink-and-you'll-miss-it barrel showing up in the finish. The sweetness is reigned in, as some coffee bite, dark roast, and subtle smoke lay down the finish, with a slight dry woodiness persisting.
Mouthfeel/Body: Despite its appearance upon pouring, this stout is quite surprisingly thin. There's some weight in the form of the 11% ABV, but essentially no malt heft or viscosity. Not a big chewy stout - quite fluid and sprightly - perhaps to its detriment. Low carb comprised of ultra-fine, sparse bubbles.
Overall: I'll start with the obvious... This is quite similar to CBS - particularly the roast profile and chocolate liqueur note. The maple is stronger here, there's less barrel, a touch less sweetness, and that subtle smoke. It actually reminds me of an imperialised Maple Bacon Coffee Porter a bit. With is lack of barrel character and thin body, it doesn't hold a candle to some of the big boy breakfast stouts. It's certainly more drinkable, it's fairly well-balanced, and it has some nice maple character. Not one I'd seek out, but it's a good breakfast stout and the flavours are in the right places.
Feb 23, 2021
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by SierraNevallagash from Maine
12oz bottle - poured into a stemmed glass at 40°F.
Pours a fairly heavy-looking crude oil black, forming absolutely no head, and sitting pitch black in the glass, still as night.
Nose: Fairly deep, heart, dark roast forms the classic imperial stout backdrop, with coffee winning the fight for first appearance. The coffee is decent - a bit generic, but no sharp or off notes. The maple is subtle compared to some of the breakfast juggernauts, but it certainly makes an appearance - fairly natural, and lending a pancake quality. I'm not sure about bacon, but I do detect a hint of smoke, which nicely compliments the roast. The barrel is just barely there - extremely muted.
Palate: Hipster Brunch greets the palate with a menage jais trois of dark roast, coffee, and maple. The roast had a bold dark chocolate quality to it, almost like a chocolate liqueur. The coffee is roasty, supplementing the roast while holding back bitterness, and the maple serves to tie them together in a sweet, candied maple bow. Still not getting any bacon - for better or worse, but I can sort of imagine a drop of liquid smoke lending this dry applewood note. Again, a whisper of blink-and-you'll-miss-it barrel showing up in the finish. The sweetness is reigned in, as some coffee bite, dark roast, and subtle smoke lay down the finish, with a slight dry woodiness persisting.
Mouthfeel/Body: Despite its appearance upon pouring, this stout is quite surprisingly thin. There's some weight in the form of the 11% ABV, but essentially no malt heft or viscosity. Not a big chewy stout - quite fluid and sprightly - perhaps to its detriment. Low carb comprised of ultra-fine, sparse bubbles.
Overall: I'll start with the obvious... This is quite similar to CBS - particularly the roast profile and chocolate liqueur note. The maple is stronger here, there's less barrel, a touch less sweetness, and that subtle smoke. It actually reminds me of an imperialised Maple Bacon Coffee Porter a bit. With is lack of barrel character and thin body, it doesn't hold a candle to some of the big boy breakfast stouts. It's certainly more drinkable, it's fairly well-balanced, and it has some nice maple character. Not one I'd seek out, but it's a good breakfast stout and the flavours are in the right places.
Feb 23, 2021
4.25 by iamjeffbaker from California on Jan 02, 2021
4.41 by nmann08 from Virginia on Nov 25, 2020
4.4 by Eyedoc27 from Illinois on Aug 15, 2020
4.39/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by RacerX5k from Pennsylvania
Since I see no bottle date, judging by the freshness I'll guess 2019? Label says "Keep cold, drink fresh" which is an good mantra for 95% of beer, especially barrel aged coffee stouts (my favorite). 1/2 price at the coolest local beer store imaginable, they have everything (of course) but I go there seeking the occasional 1/2 price master. and this fits the bill.
Aroma is coffee, chocolate, maple, bourbon and the taste follows, more coffee in the aroma than taste (again, drink fresh) and that's ok. Sweet, smooth, strong, delicious. Really reminds me of the recent CBS releases, though I preferred the coffee forward 2018. would certainly get this again, there may be one left on the shelf? Did I mention 1/2 price. Yes.
Aug 01, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by RacerX5k from Pennsylvania
Since I see no bottle date, judging by the freshness I'll guess 2019? Label says "Keep cold, drink fresh" which is an good mantra for 95% of beer, especially barrel aged coffee stouts (my favorite). 1/2 price at the coolest local beer store imaginable, they have everything (of course) but I go there seeking the occasional 1/2 price master. and this fits the bill.
Aroma is coffee, chocolate, maple, bourbon and the taste follows, more coffee in the aroma than taste (again, drink fresh) and that's ok. Sweet, smooth, strong, delicious. Really reminds me of the recent CBS releases, though I preferred the coffee forward 2018. would certainly get this again, there may be one left on the shelf? Did I mention 1/2 price. Yes.
Aug 01, 2020
4.5 by NonicPanic from Pennsylvania on Jul 31, 2020
4.04 by Magery from Kentucky on Apr 03, 2020
4.14 by drstalker from Illinois on Apr 01, 2020
4.25/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by NCSapiens from Indiana
Beautiful dark chocolate pour with light beige foam that settles to a thick rim and surface foam. Nice aroma of maple, vanilla, and oak. Complex and well-rounded taste of maple, oak barrel, smoke, and vanilla bourbon, and a faint touch of roasted coffee. Syrupy thick mouthfeel. Overall a fascinating elixir of ashen maple syrup goodness.
Feb 15, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by NCSapiens from Indiana
Beautiful dark chocolate pour with light beige foam that settles to a thick rim and surface foam. Nice aroma of maple, vanilla, and oak. Complex and well-rounded taste of maple, oak barrel, smoke, and vanilla bourbon, and a faint touch of roasted coffee. Syrupy thick mouthfeel. Overall a fascinating elixir of ashen maple syrup goodness.
Feb 15, 2020
4.59/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
Hell of a good beer for $5.
Thick, SMOKY, and sweet.
Feb 10, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
Hell of a good beer for $5.
Thick, SMOKY, and sweet.
Feb 10, 2020
3.62 by MIBriton54 from Michigan on Feb 05, 2020
4.6/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by Brewster1963
One off my new favorites . Very smooth at beginning finish with a little bitterness sweet all the way through....
Jan 18, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by Brewster1963
One off my new favorites . Very smooth at beginning finish with a little bitterness sweet all the way through....
Jan 18, 2020
4.21/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by philbe311 from Pennsylvania
Slight lush brown head... Limited retention... Inky black color... Subtle but inviting nose... The maple syrup and bacon are present, but not overpowering... Sweet palate highlighted by maple syrup and vanilla along with some faint smokiness from the bacon... Bourbon notes rise on the finish... On the fuller side of medium bodied... A bit sticky... Unique and quite satisfying, but I'm not sure it is something I would drink with regularity...
Dec 29, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by philbe311 from Pennsylvania
Slight lush brown head... Limited retention... Inky black color... Subtle but inviting nose... The maple syrup and bacon are present, but not overpowering... Sweet palate highlighted by maple syrup and vanilla along with some faint smokiness from the bacon... Bourbon notes rise on the finish... On the fuller side of medium bodied... A bit sticky... Unique and quite satisfying, but I'm not sure it is something I would drink with regularity...
Dec 29, 2019
4.75 by Dutchcraftbeergeek from Netherlands on Dec 17, 2019
4.56 by Kuelsken from Michigan on Dec 08, 2019
4.34 by craigbelly from Iowa on Dec 05, 2019
4.5 by rare_bird from Michigan on Dec 02, 2019
4.47/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by beerthulhu from New Jersey
-Brewed with Maple syrup, aged in Bourbon barrels, with coffee and bacon.
A: A beautiful dark chocolate pour, sits an almost coal like black in the vessel. The head was a beautiful cinnamon coloring, one inch high with a tizzy tiny bubble surface. Within tons of tiny effervesce bubbles are in a deep rush, flowing swiftly throughout. The rich deep coloring, viscose pour, and the cinnamon colored head get extra props and consideration.
S: Dark chocolate is sweet and dry, with some marshmallow. Hints of bourbon and vanilla add highlights, dark hersey chocolate and cocoa add sweetness balanced with a soot, campfire minerality like scent. Dark plums round out.
T: Flavor was warming soot and campfire mineral earthiness, bitter with some raw coffee beans and ash. Dark chocolate adds sweetness for balance, along with vanilla and sweet dark plums. Charred barley, earthy bitterness, bourbon barrel woodiness off the tongue. Some sweet burnt sugary grains.
M: Full bodied, syrupy thick molasses for mouthful, most likely aided by the addition of the syrup late boil. Heavy on the tongue.
O: Overall the flavor starts with a kick, a rich campfire minerality and soot. The mouthful is full bodied, one of the best features here, a thick slurry of deep roasted chocolate malts and charred bourbon delight. My only knock would be the minimal input of the bacon, which maybe others picked up but honestly only small subliminal hints at best for me. The mouthful was full and thick, one of the best features, maple syrup like.
Nov 18, 2019
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by beerthulhu from New Jersey
-Brewed with Maple syrup, aged in Bourbon barrels, with coffee and bacon.
A: A beautiful dark chocolate pour, sits an almost coal like black in the vessel. The head was a beautiful cinnamon coloring, one inch high with a tizzy tiny bubble surface. Within tons of tiny effervesce bubbles are in a deep rush, flowing swiftly throughout. The rich deep coloring, viscose pour, and the cinnamon colored head get extra props and consideration.
S: Dark chocolate is sweet and dry, with some marshmallow. Hints of bourbon and vanilla add highlights, dark hersey chocolate and cocoa add sweetness balanced with a soot, campfire minerality like scent. Dark plums round out.
T: Flavor was warming soot and campfire mineral earthiness, bitter with some raw coffee beans and ash. Dark chocolate adds sweetness for balance, along with vanilla and sweet dark plums. Charred barley, earthy bitterness, bourbon barrel woodiness off the tongue. Some sweet burnt sugary grains.
M: Full bodied, syrupy thick molasses for mouthful, most likely aided by the addition of the syrup late boil. Heavy on the tongue.
O: Overall the flavor starts with a kick, a rich campfire minerality and soot. The mouthful is full bodied, one of the best features here, a thick slurry of deep roasted chocolate malts and charred bourbon delight. My only knock would be the minimal input of the bacon, which maybe others picked up but honestly only small subliminal hints at best for me. The mouthful was full and thick, one of the best features, maple syrup like.
Nov 18, 2019
4.29 by TooGood from Minnesota on Nov 15, 2019
4.38/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by bluejacket74 from Ohio
12 ounce bottle, looks like the date stamp on the label says 04/22/19. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about a half inch brown head that fizzled away quickly. Pretty much no lacing. Aroma is nice and sweet, the brew smells like maple, vanilla, roasted malt, coffee and a bit of bourbon. For the most part the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some smoky and salty flavors. I think the sweet maple and vanilla flavors stand out here. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and smooth with a good amount of carbonation. I liked this, but it's definitely a dessert stout. It's sweet but the sweetness isn't quite overpowering either. Certainly worth trying for sure! $4.99 a bottle.
Nov 02, 2019
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by bluejacket74 from Ohio
12 ounce bottle, looks like the date stamp on the label says 04/22/19. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about a half inch brown head that fizzled away quickly. Pretty much no lacing. Aroma is nice and sweet, the brew smells like maple, vanilla, roasted malt, coffee and a bit of bourbon. For the most part the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some smoky and salty flavors. I think the sweet maple and vanilla flavors stand out here. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and smooth with a good amount of carbonation. I liked this, but it's definitely a dessert stout. It's sweet but the sweetness isn't quite overpowering either. Certainly worth trying for sure! $4.99 a bottle.
Nov 02, 2019
4.33/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by briandgilbert from Illinois
Look - black
Smell-sweet smelling stout
Taste-terrific sweet stout
Feel-East to sip and drink
Overall-a sweet tasting breakfast stout, a good one!
Oct 25, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by briandgilbert from Illinois
Look - black
Smell-sweet smelling stout
Taste-terrific sweet stout
Feel-East to sip and drink
Overall-a sweet tasting breakfast stout, a good one!
Oct 25, 2019
3.22/5 rDev -26.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
by Tilley4 from Tennessee
Waaaaay too sweet...
Maple syrup in a glass...
No bacon at all for me...
I'm glad I got to try this bit I would not get this one again... I've been saving this and it's not what I was hoping for..
Rats....
Oct 20, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
by Tilley4 from Tennessee
Waaaaay too sweet...
Maple syrup in a glass...
No bacon at all for me...
I'm glad I got to try this bit I would not get this one again... I've been saving this and it's not what I was hoping for..
Rats....
Oct 20, 2019
4.34 by Whitey_from_Remedy from Pennsylvania on Sep 12, 2019
4.4 by nruhlig from Minnesota on Sep 12, 2019
4.56/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
My fourth entry in/of New Tying Up Loose Ends Beer Sunday (Week 759) loops us back to Week 750! M'man @Jimmy_Kneecaps was the impetus then & remains my CANspiration now. I ran through a LOT of Odd Side Ales' beers that day & since then I have scored a few more, as well as finding some in the backlog, to stay CANrent with The CANQuest (tm). This one, however, came in a Bottle (Yahhh!).
From the Bottle: "Stout brewed with Maple Syrup, aged in Bourbon Barrels with Coffee and Bacon added".
I was cowed by all of the things seemingly going on in/with this one, but I was determined to press on. In order to do so, I had to Pop! off the cap. How do I do that? It has been SO long since I had to deal with a pesky Bottle that my memory, including muscle memory, is gone! Samurai katana? No. Teeth? NO! Hammer & chisel? No. Hmm. Bottle opener? Is that what that dusty relic is?!? And a coin to keep the cap from getting bent! Aha. It was starting to come back to me.
Once I had this exceedingly difficult task behind me, it was time for a slow, gentle C-Line pour. It was defiant of my wishes & came barreling out to create both a pseudo-cascade & two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-brown head that slowly settled into an impenetrable cap of foam. 8=O Color was utterly Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), sucking all of the light out of my kitchen like a black hole! Or was it that I had inadvertently placed the light switch in the "OFF" position?!? Oof. It may be time for a nap following the completion of this review! 8=( Nose made me wonder if I had not subconsciously planned this horizontal all along. I had French Vanilla coffee, Hazelnut coffee & now, I was getting coffee, bacon, maple syrup & a side of bourbon! 8=O
I often think fondly of my time as a drunkard seaman in California & this was one of those times. If we came into port early on a Friday, I would head to The Jester Room for their Red Irish Workout Breakfast. That gem consisted of your choice of Irish whisky, a back of your choice of V-8 or tomato juice & watching workout shows on ESPN! An upgrade was this plus a takeaway/delivery breakfast from The Best Breakfast coffee shop up the street. If it was delivery (& it usually was), you had no choice - it was rashers of bacon, a couple/few of pancakes & a container of maple syrup. Bourbon for a slight upcharge at the bar. I cannot tell you how many times we pulled in, I got everything secured & I made a beeline on my way to my apartment, only to get sidetracked into The Jester Room on the way!
This smelled like one of those delivery breakfasts with the upgrade! Oh, great gahdang! By the time that I left SoCal to spend what would be my last tour of duty (unbeknownst to me at the time) on Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T., I had to be poured onto the plane. I willfully used that year to dry out & sober up, but once I was retired, I was back to drinking.
Still, I have NOT done that level of craziness … until now. I find myself back at The Jester Room, bourbon, coffee & tomato juice all in a line, my Styrofoam clamshell with the pancakes & rashers + a side of syrup in front of me & it is dahn the rabbit hole I go.
Mouthfeel was thick & creamy, jolting me back into the present. Phew! The taste held the missing ingredient - a Maduro cigar! Back then, smoking was still allowed in bars & I was heavily into stogies. A puff, a bite of pancake & rashers, a sip of Bourbon, rinse with tomato juice & repeat. No tomato juice here, but everything else! Cigar smoke commingled with coffee, bacon & Bourbon as I dip some pancake into maple syrup. Mmm. Jeez-O, man, how have I lived this long, doing this to myself? This is not meant for Hipsters, but for modern drunkards. Well, maybe those are Hipsters, but so many of them don't speak the lingo nor are they interested in learning & it makes me sad.
I was not saddened by the semi-dry finish of this one. It was a big beer, to be sure, but it was not really sweet in any sense nor did it achieve outright dryness. Instead, it was truly the sum of its parts. I tasted every adjunct + the barrel-aging & still managed to remain semi-coherent in so doing. Phew!
Sep 08, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
My fourth entry in/of New Tying Up Loose Ends Beer Sunday (Week 759) loops us back to Week 750! M'man @Jimmy_Kneecaps was the impetus then & remains my CANspiration now. I ran through a LOT of Odd Side Ales' beers that day & since then I have scored a few more, as well as finding some in the backlog, to stay CANrent with The CANQuest (tm). This one, however, came in a Bottle (Yahhh!).
From the Bottle: "Stout brewed with Maple Syrup, aged in Bourbon Barrels with Coffee and Bacon added".
I was cowed by all of the things seemingly going on in/with this one, but I was determined to press on. In order to do so, I had to Pop! off the cap. How do I do that? It has been SO long since I had to deal with a pesky Bottle that my memory, including muscle memory, is gone! Samurai katana? No. Teeth? NO! Hammer & chisel? No. Hmm. Bottle opener? Is that what that dusty relic is?!? And a coin to keep the cap from getting bent! Aha. It was starting to come back to me.
Once I had this exceedingly difficult task behind me, it was time for a slow, gentle C-Line pour. It was defiant of my wishes & came barreling out to create both a pseudo-cascade & two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-brown head that slowly settled into an impenetrable cap of foam. 8=O Color was utterly Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), sucking all of the light out of my kitchen like a black hole! Or was it that I had inadvertently placed the light switch in the "OFF" position?!? Oof. It may be time for a nap following the completion of this review! 8=( Nose made me wonder if I had not subconsciously planned this horizontal all along. I had French Vanilla coffee, Hazelnut coffee & now, I was getting coffee, bacon, maple syrup & a side of bourbon! 8=O
I often think fondly of my time as a drunkard seaman in California & this was one of those times. If we came into port early on a Friday, I would head to The Jester Room for their Red Irish Workout Breakfast. That gem consisted of your choice of Irish whisky, a back of your choice of V-8 or tomato juice & watching workout shows on ESPN! An upgrade was this plus a takeaway/delivery breakfast from The Best Breakfast coffee shop up the street. If it was delivery (& it usually was), you had no choice - it was rashers of bacon, a couple/few of pancakes & a container of maple syrup. Bourbon for a slight upcharge at the bar. I cannot tell you how many times we pulled in, I got everything secured & I made a beeline on my way to my apartment, only to get sidetracked into The Jester Room on the way!
This smelled like one of those delivery breakfasts with the upgrade! Oh, great gahdang! By the time that I left SoCal to spend what would be my last tour of duty (unbeknownst to me at the time) on Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T., I had to be poured onto the plane. I willfully used that year to dry out & sober up, but once I was retired, I was back to drinking.
Still, I have NOT done that level of craziness … until now. I find myself back at The Jester Room, bourbon, coffee & tomato juice all in a line, my Styrofoam clamshell with the pancakes & rashers + a side of syrup in front of me & it is dahn the rabbit hole I go.
Mouthfeel was thick & creamy, jolting me back into the present. Phew! The taste held the missing ingredient - a Maduro cigar! Back then, smoking was still allowed in bars & I was heavily into stogies. A puff, a bite of pancake & rashers, a sip of Bourbon, rinse with tomato juice & repeat. No tomato juice here, but everything else! Cigar smoke commingled with coffee, bacon & Bourbon as I dip some pancake into maple syrup. Mmm. Jeez-O, man, how have I lived this long, doing this to myself? This is not meant for Hipsters, but for modern drunkards. Well, maybe those are Hipsters, but so many of them don't speak the lingo nor are they interested in learning & it makes me sad.
I was not saddened by the semi-dry finish of this one. It was a big beer, to be sure, but it was not really sweet in any sense nor did it achieve outright dryness. Instead, it was truly the sum of its parts. I tasted every adjunct + the barrel-aging & still managed to remain semi-coherent in so doing. Phew!
Sep 08, 2019
4.22 by PaulSlazinger from Pennsylvania on Sep 05, 2019
4.29/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by Harrison8 from Missouri
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is okay. Aroma is brown sugar, molasses, vanilla beans, maple syrup, bourbon, char and roasty and toasty malts. Really pleasant initial sweetness that slowly descends into light heat. Flavor profile is vanilla bean, maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, bourbon and roasty and toasty malts. It remains sweet throughout, without ever becoming cloyingly or artificially sweet. Mouth feel is lightly sticky - like maple syrup - with a grainy effervescence that sweeps the stickiness off the tongue. Overall, lots going on here, but it's well controlled with lots of depth and nuance.
Served in a 15.5oz Spiegalau tulip from a 12oz bottle.
Aug 27, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by Harrison8 from Missouri
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is okay. Aroma is brown sugar, molasses, vanilla beans, maple syrup, bourbon, char and roasty and toasty malts. Really pleasant initial sweetness that slowly descends into light heat. Flavor profile is vanilla bean, maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, bourbon and roasty and toasty malts. It remains sweet throughout, without ever becoming cloyingly or artificially sweet. Mouth feel is lightly sticky - like maple syrup - with a grainy effervescence that sweeps the stickiness off the tongue. Overall, lots going on here, but it's well controlled with lots of depth and nuance.
Served in a 15.5oz Spiegalau tulip from a 12oz bottle.
Aug 27, 2019
4/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by ChrisMon02 from Ohio
Maybe I was expecting more but this one just didn’t impress. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good beer but i didn’t get any bacon and without that, it is just another BBA stout. I will give the rye whiskey version when I get a chance but I won’t seek thing one out again.
Aug 23, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by ChrisMon02 from Ohio
Maybe I was expecting more but this one just didn’t impress. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good beer but i didn’t get any bacon and without that, it is just another BBA stout. I will give the rye whiskey version when I get a chance but I won’t seek thing one out again.
Aug 23, 2019
4.09 by Unclevince from West Virginia on Jul 14, 2019
4.24/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Buck89 from Tennessee
Poured into a wine glass. Nice looking beer with a medium creamy tan head that hung around longer than I expected. Aroma was rich with maple, coffee, chocolate, and faint whiskey. Taste followed closely. Very chocolatey at first, giving way to maple and coffee. The whiskey was there primarily at the finish. I didn’t pick up any overt bacon but it was perhaps slightly salty. Overall just a delicious and complex beer.
Jul 11, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Buck89 from Tennessee
Poured into a wine glass. Nice looking beer with a medium creamy tan head that hung around longer than I expected. Aroma was rich with maple, coffee, chocolate, and faint whiskey. Taste followed closely. Very chocolatey at first, giving way to maple and coffee. The whiskey was there primarily at the finish. I didn’t pick up any overt bacon but it was perhaps slightly salty. Overall just a delicious and complex beer.
Jul 11, 2019
4.61/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota
Pours a deep dark brown with a thin mocha cap that falls away quickly but leaves great legs when swirled. Aroma is dark rich roasted malts and cocoa. Flavor is wonderful sweet cocoa, all the roasted malts and coffee with only a hint of the bourbon barrel. I don't pick up any bacon (which is fine by me). The feel is thick and rich. Overall a tremendous beer that I hope I can find more of.
Jul 11, 2019
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota
Pours a deep dark brown with a thin mocha cap that falls away quickly but leaves great legs when swirled. Aroma is dark rich roasted malts and cocoa. Flavor is wonderful sweet cocoa, all the roasted malts and coffee with only a hint of the bourbon barrel. I don't pick up any bacon (which is fine by me). The feel is thick and rich. Overall a tremendous beer that I hope I can find more of.
Jul 11, 2019
4.47/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Jimmy_Kneecaps from Tennessee
Appearance is pitch black and oily with very minimal dark khaki colored head which recedes immediately to form a thin ring with a dense island in the middle. The aroma is ever so inviting, rich maple, bitter chocolate, some coffee, and some smokey baconesque scents to round it out. The maple is not as prevalent in the taste as the nose but does play a role in the sweetness. Some chocolate, mocha, and some smokiness also come in to play. The bitterness of the mocha and chocolate balance out the sweetness of the maple well, however the overall balance swings more to the sweet side. Mouthfeel is fuller than medium, oily, slick, and somewhat drying on the finish. Overall this is an excellent beer, it just feels like it doesn’t come together like it should or like I want it to. Instead of each flavor being distinct, they kind of muddle together and leave you wishing. However I really like the sweet maple presence in this beer and it begins to take over as it warms.
Jul 07, 2019
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Jimmy_Kneecaps from Tennessee
Appearance is pitch black and oily with very minimal dark khaki colored head which recedes immediately to form a thin ring with a dense island in the middle. The aroma is ever so inviting, rich maple, bitter chocolate, some coffee, and some smokey baconesque scents to round it out. The maple is not as prevalent in the taste as the nose but does play a role in the sweetness. Some chocolate, mocha, and some smokiness also come in to play. The bitterness of the mocha and chocolate balance out the sweetness of the maple well, however the overall balance swings more to the sweet side. Mouthfeel is fuller than medium, oily, slick, and somewhat drying on the finish. Overall this is an excellent beer, it just feels like it doesn’t come together like it should or like I want it to. Instead of each flavor being distinct, they kind of muddle together and leave you wishing. However I really like the sweet maple presence in this beer and it begins to take over as it warms.
Jul 07, 2019
4.68 by Peaches13 from Pennsylvania on Jul 06, 2019
4.2 by jmh21 from Minnesota on Jul 05, 2019
4.04/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by darktronica from Indiana
Gimmicky breakfast stouts aren't typically my thing, and this one is not an exception. It's well executed, hitting all the additive notes that it claims. But I've yet to encounter a maple stout that I really loved.
Jun 29, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by darktronica from Indiana
Gimmicky breakfast stouts aren't typically my thing, and this one is not an exception. It's well executed, hitting all the additive notes that it claims. But I've yet to encounter a maple stout that I really loved.
Jun 29, 2019
4.17 by Trmmilwwi from Illinois on Jun 28, 2019
4 by Gaddabble from Ohio on Jun 20, 2019
Hipster Brunch Stout from Odd Side Ales
Beer rating:
97 out of
100 with
890 ratings