Seven Swords
Mispillion River Brewing

I have somehow gotten on a Stout kick, following the finale of New Beer Sunday (Week 687)! I have plenty of Stouts in CANs awaiting inCANsion in The CANQuest (tm), so it is not a problem. This takes me away from my CANfort zone, which is AIPAs, but it is good to branch out ocCANsionally.

From the CAN: "The reader did say she saw a mutiny in the cards. What we didn't know is that WE would be the traitors! Seven Swords sparkles as golden as the sun, yet it hides in shadows yielding strong chocolate notes, leaving you with a mouthful of night black stout. You better watch out or this 8.5% ABV beer, it will betray your senses and have you walking the plank!"; "Designed By: Tom Ryan's Studio".

I beCAN by Crack!ing open the vent & giving the CANtents a slow, gentle Glug. Once deCANted, I employed a vigorous in-glass swirl to raise two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, eggshell-white head with good retention, leaving nice lacing in its wake. Color was solid Gold (SRM = 5) with NE-quality clarity & while The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus were very excited, I was not. If I am to review to style & not to taste, this is going to hurt my numbers. Nose was odd, slightly roasty, kind of chocolaty, but I am not sure that "Stout" would have been my first guess. Porter, maybe, but even then ... It really had me stymied. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but still pretty big on the tongue. The taste had an initial coffee-like bitterness followed by a baker's chocolatiness, but it was still difficult to think of it as a Stout. I was also not enamored of an unabating astringency running through its flavor. It was bitter for no real purpose. Finish was dry, but not really all that pleasant. This was a definite swing-and-a-miss, IMHO. YMMV.

Poured into a grip shaped goblet: color is gold, head is off white with fine bubbles, spotty lacing on the glass sides.

Smell is light coffee, no roast, light toasty malt - i wouldn't call it a stout, i'd call it a coffee strong ale.

Taste is light coffee, toast, no roast or chocolate but the flavor is good and clean - again more like a coffee strong ale than a stout.

Mouthfeel is moderate, actually very pleasant and easy drinking.

Overall - I give negative points for the lack of roastiness in a stout, but otherwise this is a good beer - good flavor if you don't read into style guidelines or descriptions.

Very unique brew. Appearance wise it looks like a pale ale; clear golden color and frothy head with decent retention.
Aroma tells a different story. While there is a hoppy aroma that highlights citrus and tropical fruit, the dark chocolate, raw cacao and nutty malt spell stout/porter. Furthermore, I perceive a spicy, hit and peppery, maybe cayenne, tone.
As with the aroma, the taste seems to suggest a pale ale and porter/stout hybrid. Flavors of dark chocolate, nutty and caramel malt and light roasted barley, are contrasted by a fruity, citrusy, and piny hops kick.
Medium bodied with a spicy quality coming from both the roasted malts and hops. Finishes dry.
Hard to categorize this as a stout when at times it feels more like a chocolate malt/coffee flavored IPA/APA. Overall, happy and open minded to see something different.

Wow, I feel like I'm in that episode of sponge Bob square pants called "opposite day". The first beer I had tonight, Uinta's Rise & Pine, was a piney hops beer with a black color. Now I drinking a golden colored coffee beer.
Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a deep golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of roasted malts, a bit of smoke. Taste is strong of black coffee, a hint of smokiness, alcohol is well hidden. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall is a beer worth trying.

 

 

**
01/01/17

On tap at blend, to tulip glass.

Not sure what a blonde stout is supposed to be, but I guess this is it.

LOOK: chardonnay yellow, no head.
AROMA: just nothing, like water, completely odorless. Its pretty warm now and I have my nose all the way in the glass. Empty.

TASTE: banana, melon, musty grape. Bitter finish.

FEEL: flat, sticky.

That was not fun.

**

Pours a golden color with about a finger of head. The nose has nice chocolate notes and at least a little roast (which was surprising considering the color). The flavor follows the nose and includes even more tasty notes such as caramel.

This is quite tasty once one gets past the appearance.

So I ordered a Stout. I like to take chances on new beer. Also, I mostly hate IPAs. I can get Sip of Sunshine and Alchemist all I want, but I don't like either. This Stout is Amber in color and tastes more like an IPA to me. I would never order another one. I feel deceived. I love almost all stouts, but this one is terrible. However, if you love IPA and Hops, you will probably love this beer. Me, I'll take some Stone Xocoveza

 

 

 

 

On tap at the Pickled Pig in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Tulip glass. Drop-dead gorgeous golden amber color; perfectly clear. Virtually no head; carbonation is perfect.
This is a big beer. Really thick, boozy, and bursting with flavor. Malt, caramel, maybe just an undertone of cocoa initially, gradually morphing into a very very smooth finish. Thick, chewy mouthfeel - robust describes it nicely. Very tastly offering from Mispillion.

Revisited 11/5/16: growler from the brewery. Slightly chemical finish, so I'm taking the taste down a notch or two.