Lenin's Revenge
Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co

 

 

400th BA review -- let's make this a good one!

22-oz bottle into porter/stout glass

A - pitch black under a finger of medium tan; very small web of lace

S - roasted malt, dark fruits, touch of chocolate

T - smokey roasted malts, dark chocolate, dark fruits, pretty bitter all the way through

M - creamy medium/full body, above-average carbonation (for the style)

O - Not a bad brew by any means, but would be a better RIS with a little more body, a little less carbonation, and a lot less bitterness.

 

 

 

Pour is black velvet, leaking to chestnut brown on the edges, with a rich tan head, Coffee and dark chocolate dominate the nose.

Coffee flavors are WAAAY forward on the taste, with plenty of dark chocolate and black cherries, too. This is a really nice RIS, IMHO.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Go5awP6.jpg$ 11.90 (including tax)/bomber ($ 0.541/oz) at Spec’s in Shertz,TX
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma – odd for a RIS – incredibly faint roasted malt and some perfume. Fortunately, the perfume stench disappears after a short time exposed to the air
Head large (Maximum 5.5 cm, aggressive pour), light brown, creamy with rocks, diminishing to a four mm ring and a heaped partial creamy layer with rocks
Lacing – poor. A few small islands of tiny bubbles are scattered around the glass
Body dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor – very light roasted malt, slightly sweet initially but approaching sourness on the tail end. No hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl (although a little might have helped)
Palate medium to full, creamy approaching syrupy, soft carbonation

An odd take on the style - perhaps if it were named “Trotsky’s Revenge” it would be more fitting. The sourness is too weak to be a style statement like New Braunfels makes with every one of theirs and just seems to be a flaw. Ignoring the initial perfume and the sourness, this would be an average RIS.
As it is –
Appearance 3.75, Aroma 2.75, Flavor 2.75, Palate 4, Overall 2.75

Pours a dark brown color with a lot of khaki colored head. Funky smells on the nose mixed in with some roasted malts, no chocolate, no coffee, weird off-putting smell on the nose; same for the palate. There is just a weird funky off-flavor on the palate, tastes infected in some way. There is a weird tarty lactic note on it, finishes with a lingering off-note. Just not good at all.

Exceptional for a Texas beer.

 

 

I don't know why this has such horrible reviews. It is a thick and slick stout that is pitch black with a thick tan head. Yes, maybe a little too much hop bitterness that throws it a little out of balance, but nothing to cry about. The feel and body are great. Could use a little more sweetness, but still a stout worth picking up.