Big Country
Martin House Brewing Company

12 oz. can in a 4 pack. Can has "Smoked Pecan and Vanilla Stout 10% abv. Bottom has canned on 1/15/23? Very smudged date. Sampled 3/31/23.

Appearance: Black glass holds a thin tan cover with a halo, a few spots of lace. The blackness swallows bright back lighting starting clear brown, going ruby, then just black.

Aroma: Sweet, malty, vanilla, a hint of citric hops.

Taste: Very malty, again with the vanilla, a little pecan shell, with a pretty clean finish. It doesn't go cloying, and doesn't show any alcohol, and no hop notes. A little chocolate cake heaviness.

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, very low carbonation, slightly oily finish.

Overall: A pretty well put together Impy Stout. The vanilla is there without going overboard, there is a light touch of pecan something, so ticks the two boxes it tells you it is going for. Not a lot else going on, which isn't a bad thing. No flaws, big beer, almost too easy drinking? Kind of lacks a punch or some wow factor, just a big, pretty tasty beer.

Pours an effervescent & murked up mahogany with a pinky of mocha colored head, drops off quick. Some head retention & lacing

S: Vanilla, cocoa, slight roastyness

T: Follows the nose, dryness & a little booze heat, the smoked pecan hull also shows up in the initial taste. More smokey notes, cocoa, vanilla & dryness as this beer warms through. Finishes dry with vanilla, hints of smoke pecans & a little cocoa

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, warming. Body thins over time

A serviceable Imp Stout where the smokeyness & vanilla don't seem forced. This would be a decent bonfire beer

Purchased a can of this beer at the local grocery store. Poured into a tulip glass. Rich dark brown color with nice brown head and great curtain lacing. Strong smell and taste of pecans and definitely some vanilla. Not really getting the smokiness the can promised. Thin for the style.

 

 

This is a beer you should pass up at the grocery store. Very little carbonation. Too thick and malt liquor tasting. There are many other stouts that are done much, much better. This is probably the lowest I've ever scored a stout. The flavor is too entrenched in alcohol to even gather the "pecan and vanilla" "notes. I'm in Texas so it looked like the flavor profile was attractive. Just the brew itself is awful. Seriously this brewery should pull it off the shelves ASAP. The other reviews are very high and I don't know why. The batch from 1/15/2023 should not be for sale. I would hope other batches are better, but I won't be buying this again.

4/1/23 On our way to DFW for a perhaps bumpy ride to Pittsburgh. Stopped at the brewery.

So black, so coffee and pecan! Leah loves this one. A perfect example of a nutty stout without being overly sweet. More please.

Poured from a can into a snifter
Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown, nearly black color with a small head of brown colored foam. The head fades rather rapidly, leaving a light level of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – THE aroma is very heavy of a caramel and brown sugar smell mixed with lots of milk chocolate and some toasty and roasty malt aromas. Along with these smells comes a rather strong showing of vanilla and crème as well as a bit of brown sugar. With these aromas also comes a little bit of nuttiness as well as a touch of toffee. Overall, it smells akin to a fudge brownie.
Taste – The taste begins with sweet milk chocolate and caramel flavor paired with some good roast and brown sugar sweetness. There is a rather strong showing of vanilla right from the start, with it remaining strong throughout. As the taste advances the milk chocolate gets more pronounced and is joined by a bit of a latte like flavor. A touch of nuttiness comes at the end, and with a surge in the brown sugar and notes of cherry, one is left with a rather chocolaty, and quite sweet and rich taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is rather thick and chewy with a carbonation level that is low. For the dessert qualities of the brew the feel is rather nice and makes for a slow sipper.
Overall – A rather sweet and big stout. Like others I would have liked a bit more smoked pecan flavor, but all said, it is still a brew worth giving a try too.

On tap. Black color with a lacing of tan bubbles. Smells of roasted malt and vanilla. Full bodied. Tastes of roasted malt, vanilla, and a nutty pecan note. Very nice

 

Canned 1.19.23 drank 2.14.23
Pour is black with a finger of deep khaki head. Somewhat loose. Decent retention
Nose is vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, roasted malt
Taste is vanilla upfront; big time. Followed by milk chocolate, coffee, roasted malt. Can’t say I’m really picking out any smoked pecan. As the beer warms, a pleasant subtle pecan shows up on the finish. Again, don’t detect any smoke, though.
Smooth creamy body.
Good beer. Wish there was more smoke. But very good nonetheless.