Speckled Trout Stout
Padre Island Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance: Very deep mahogany brown, verging on obsidian, with a large, dense tan head, which retains quite well. Thick broken lacing coats the glass walls.

Aroma: Strong notes of bitter cocoa, coffee, and chocolate. There is a bit of chalk as well.

Taste: Opens with strong bitter cocoa and cold coffee notes. The coffee note intensifies as the taste progresses, later some charcoal appears. Late in the taste an earth note manifests itself. The finish is dominated by bitter coffee and bitter chocolate.

Mouth feel: Smooth and soft, quite pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: This seems more like a porter, and a coffee porter in particular. Still, its very good.

Presentation: Packaged in a sixty-four ounce growler, served in a Sam dams Boston Lager glass.

It was poured into a chilled American pint glass. In my opinion it was poured too cold.

Black as coffee in appearance and had a light tan foamy cappuccino head.

At first the aroma was not very strong and it tasted like a weak black cup of coffee. As it got warmer, however, the beer's characteristics began to come alive.

It had a light roasted coffee bean aroma. The taste reminded me of a cross between an espresso and mocha coffee. The flavor became more roasted has it got warmer. As a whole, the taste was a little tamed - a bit mild for a stout. I had a watery fell to it.

I thought it was a good stout for a hot beach climate. It had a refreshing quality and I could see myself drinking this on a balcony overlooking the beach at night. However, compared to other stouts it was average, fairly standard but a bit mild. I think it is worth a try and I would not mind having it again if I ever go back to South Padre. It was not my favorite stout, but it was good dark beer for summer beach weather in Texas.