Dry Irish Stout Nitro
Left Hand Brewing Company

RB transfer

Left Hand Dry Irish Stout Is a nice easy drinking Stout.

 

 

I'm finding that Left Hand's Nitro process may be a good market niche, but not always applied well to the wide variety of styles they offer. Fortunately, a dry Irish Stout suits the nitro process well.

I've noticed that nitro does not create really good Looks, and this one is only slightly above average for this dry style. Smells improve as the chocolate and coffee tell me I don't need to eat dessert. Tastes are balanced; not sweet and not too dry, well roasted and blended malts. Exceptional in my mouth, smooth and full.

I'm wanting to like Left Hand. I'm glad I found a brew of theirs that I'd like to have again.

 

Dense, long lasting tan head settled over the solid black body while leaving a nice curtain of lace. Aroma of roasted malts exuded the requisite notes of chocolate and coffee. Earthy, dark chocolate and coffee flavors with a hint of cigar smoke. Smooth, rich, softly carbonated, medium-to-full bodied mouthfeel. Hits the right spot on this damp, dreary early Spring day.

 

16oz nitro can. Poured like nitro should - jet black, cascading light brown foam. Great head retention. Lacing is A++. It smelled of roasted malt, coffee, toffee and chocolate. Nice roasty taste with subtle coffee and chocolate.

16oz-ish nitro can, popped poured and enjoyed on St Patricks Day. Pours that familiar dark brown with the cascading-effect of the nitro leading to a creamy off-tan head capping an opaque black-ish body. Simple malt character, minor impressions of unsweetened chocolate, roasted nuttiness bordering on peanut butter at times, roasted grains, light coffee, lower carbonation levels even with the nitro, though it is creamy. Very simple and unimpressive overall, not my favorite.

L- Nice dark brown color, with mild nitro cascading and small short lived head
N- Dark roasted grain and malt with notes of smoke and a touch of coffee
T- Smoke first and then the roasted grain and malt, without any burnt notes. Coffee vibe is light
F- Light in mouthfeel with a watery feel, also light in body and finish. Some dryness on the finish.
O- Nice, yet the smoke note evokes a hankering for a Scottish Ale. A step behind my fave Irish Stout, Murphy's.

 

Nitro can poured into a SA glass

A- pours black in color with a two finger creamy khaki head that has great retention

S- roasted cereal grains, chocolate, light vanilla

T- Milk chocolate vanilla up front, followed by a bold roasted malt bite that gives char, roasted grains and light coffee. The finish gives more chocolate with a toasted linger

M- medium body with a creamy and velvety finish, high drinkability

Best by 11.01.23

Poured into a stout glass at > fridge temp and < room temp

Pours deep pitch black with a tall sandy colored nitro head. 4

Deep and roasty malts, some dark coffee and touch of semi sweet chocolate. 4

Roasty and lightly bitter malts, semi sweet chips, and unsweetened coffee, accompanied by light woodiness. 3.75

Water like softness and body, which was surprising, and only thickened up when I sipped in some of the head. 3

Overall a nice and easy drinking and enjoyable Irish Dry, but I think a rare, but possible instance of where nitro just didn't help. 3.5

8/16/23 12 oz bottle purchased at Washington Beer Store in Washington PA.

Dark dark brown. Typical nitro beige colored foam.

Aroma.... All we get is stone. Very very little malt and roast.

Taste is very similar. Mostly stone, hop bitterness, coffee roast.

A very average brew of this style.

 

Incredibly dark with a mocha colored thin head that clings to the side of the glass.
Smell is roasty and bitter.
Taste replicates the nose and is light as Irish stouts should be.
Unfortunately the taste became almost watery after about half the glass.

 

Poured into a tall beer glass from a 16 oz can with an 18 July 2023 BB date stamped on the bottom. The nitro treatment is immediately obvious when the tan is pulled, but the beer doesn't emerge until it is poured out. Pouring raises a very durable, creamy, tan head that looks and acts like it came from a well calibrated nitro tap. It is dry and light on the tongue. The aroma and flavor, however, are Irish-American rather than just Irish, having relatively high levels of hops. This makes the aroma too dank for me but added to the complexity and enjoyment of the flavor.