O'Hara's Irish Stout | Carlow Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Carlow Brewing Company
Ireland
carlowbrewing.com
Style: Irish Dry Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.30%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
The flagship of the O’Hara’s brand, this uniquely Irish stout brings one back to how Irish stouts used to taste. First brewed in 1999, it has since been awarded prestigious honours for its quality and authenticity.
O’Hara’s Irish Stout has a robust roast flavour complemented by a full-bodied and smooth mouth feel. The generous addition of Fuggle hops lends a tart bitterness to the dry espresso-like finish. This sessionable stout beer is filled with rich complex coffee aroma mingled with light liquorice notes. The combination of traditional stout hops with an extra pinch of roast barley allows us to stay true to Irish tradition, recreating a taste so often yearned for by stout drinkers.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 12-27-2001
Ratings: 953 | Reviews: 493
2.62/5 rDev -32.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
What I love about Irish stouts are the malty chocolate notes that make up the dominant taste with hints of bitter and earthy notes that form a really good taste but this one seemed to lack that traditional taste, it seemed to be a pale version of a stout that didn't satisfy my Irish hunger.
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look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
What I love about Irish stouts are the malty chocolate notes that make up the dominant taste with hints of bitter and earthy notes that form a really good taste but this one seemed to lack that traditional taste, it seemed to be a pale version of a stout that didn't satisfy my Irish hunger.
291 characters
4.08/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This is a solid easy drinking stout. Black and clear with garnet highlights. Smallish but dense tan head that does settle down and out too quickly.
Smooth roast aroma with a coffee quality. Hints of sweetness with toffee.
There is a nice depth of flavor for such a small beer. Flavor holds same notes of smooth roast with coffee and hints of toffee.
It has a small feel, which would be consistent with the size. More than enough carbonation, which takes away a bit too.
This is a nice drink. Esp. at the price I got it, it will make a nice autumn beer.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This is a solid easy drinking stout. Black and clear with garnet highlights. Smallish but dense tan head that does settle down and out too quickly.
Smooth roast aroma with a coffee quality. Hints of sweetness with toffee.
There is a nice depth of flavor for such a small beer. Flavor holds same notes of smooth roast with coffee and hints of toffee.
It has a small feel, which would be consistent with the size. More than enough carbonation, which takes away a bit too.
This is a nice drink. Esp. at the price I got it, it will make a nice autumn beer.
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4.1/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2.64/5 rDev -31.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Black colour, medium head, short retention, good lace.
Aroma is weak, with notes of coffee, licorice, chocolate.
Light, a bit watery, texture, good carbonation.
Taste of coffee, with notes of chocolate and licorice.
Too light and lacking of flavours.
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look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Black colour, medium head, short retention, good lace.
Aroma is weak, with notes of coffee, licorice, chocolate.
Light, a bit watery, texture, good carbonation.
Taste of coffee, with notes of chocolate and licorice.
Too light and lacking of flavours.
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4.32/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Draft Carlow O'Hara Irish Stout on draft at Long Island, NY, gastropub in June, 2017. This is a stout with moderate alcohol (just above 4%), but an intense, lasting roasted barley/malt flavor. It's comparable to Guinness, but better.
(I read the review by one of the brothers before writing this. He said this gives Guinness a run for the money. I think O'Hara is preferable for the depth of flavor.)
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Draft Carlow O'Hara Irish Stout on draft at Long Island, NY, gastropub in June, 2017. This is a stout with moderate alcohol (just above 4%), but an intense, lasting roasted barley/malt flavor. It's comparable to Guinness, but better.
(I read the review by one of the brothers before writing this. He said this gives Guinness a run for the money. I think O'Hara is preferable for the depth of flavor.)
409 characters
3.87/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.15/5 rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Look - Pours a thin black color with lighter highlights, a finger of tan head, whispy lacing.
Aroma - Charred grains, mild coffee, slightly tangy.
Taste - Dry and tannic up front, sweet but light toffee, burnt malts, slightly ashy, a little earthy. Finishes pretty quick with notes of burnt grains.
Feel - Light-Medium bodied, has a grit to it, aggressive carbonation.
Overall - Easy drinking stout. A little thin on taste and feel but enjoyable enough.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Look - Pours a thin black color with lighter highlights, a finger of tan head, whispy lacing.
Aroma - Charred grains, mild coffee, slightly tangy.
Taste - Dry and tannic up front, sweet but light toffee, burnt malts, slightly ashy, a little earthy. Finishes pretty quick with notes of burnt grains.
Feel - Light-Medium bodied, has a grit to it, aggressive carbonation.
Overall - Easy drinking stout. A little thin on taste and feel but enjoyable enough.
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4.06/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle to a pint
A - Black with brown reflections and no head
S - Roasty malts smelling of toffee and coffee
T - Bitter
M - Low carbonation but pretty fluid
O - A very good stout!
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle to a pint
A - Black with brown reflections and no head
S - Roasty malts smelling of toffee and coffee
T - Bitter
M - Low carbonation but pretty fluid
O - A very good stout!
193 characters
3.84/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2.5/5 rDev -35.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25
3.93/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the bottle, it pours a very dark brown with a nice fluffy head. Scent is roasted malts. Taste is similar, well balanced roasted flavor with a nice finish. Yum!
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the bottle, it pours a very dark brown with a nice fluffy head. Scent is roasted malts. Taste is similar, well balanced roasted flavor with a nice finish. Yum!
167 characters
3.5/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.22/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
3.02/5 rDev -22%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
On Tap at the Bier Baron Tavern in Washington DC, pours opaque black with a khaki one-finger tan head. Aroma is of sweet malts. Taste is fully malt-forward with a smooth body. But flavors disappear quickly to give a watery finish.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
On Tap at the Bier Baron Tavern in Washington DC, pours opaque black with a khaki one-finger tan head. Aroma is of sweet malts. Taste is fully malt-forward with a smooth body. But flavors disappear quickly to give a watery finish.
230 characters
3.41/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I often bag on Irish Stout as being the lamest stout style, but in reality, I think I enjoy it more than a lot of Russian Imperial Stouts out there.
Anyways, a black pour, some brown in it, brown head, 3/5" deep. Aroma of small roasted barley, nothing adjunct going on.
Taste, good and dry burnt malts and really not much else, as style intends. Mild charred coffee notes. Very minimal. Relatively smooth, not overly bitter, acrid or ashy. Carbonation good for style. Even just the slightest hint at smoke in the mouth feel. I definitely think this is one of if not the best examples of style here from outside the US. Some might say the body is thin but that is because it is made to style, this isn't Dark Lord bruh.
733 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I often bag on Irish Stout as being the lamest stout style, but in reality, I think I enjoy it more than a lot of Russian Imperial Stouts out there.
Anyways, a black pour, some brown in it, brown head, 3/5" deep. Aroma of small roasted barley, nothing adjunct going on.
Taste, good and dry burnt malts and really not much else, as style intends. Mild charred coffee notes. Very minimal. Relatively smooth, not overly bitter, acrid or ashy. Carbonation good for style. Even just the slightest hint at smoke in the mouth feel. I definitely think this is one of if not the best examples of style here from outside the US. Some might say the body is thin but that is because it is made to style, this isn't Dark Lord bruh.
733 characters
4.5/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
S: Chocolate leads and then more grain comes forward finishing with coffee and mild roast in the background.
L: It pours bright dark brown to black under a 1" light cream colored foam cap that leaves good lace.
T: The flavors start with black coffee moderated by chocolate and finishes smooth with a nice drying, lingering roast. Reminds me a little of Guinness before they went nitro. The roast is not harsh, burnt or over powering but it comes through nicely. There is a hint of initial malt sweetness that leads to a dry finish with a faint hint of fruit. there is a slight tart tang in the background. Chocolate and coffee flavors linger.
F: O'Hara's is creamy with a medium to medium full body, medium carbonation.
O: This is a surprisingly good, full flavored, satiating dry stout.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
S: Chocolate leads and then more grain comes forward finishing with coffee and mild roast in the background.
L: It pours bright dark brown to black under a 1" light cream colored foam cap that leaves good lace.
T: The flavors start with black coffee moderated by chocolate and finishes smooth with a nice drying, lingering roast. Reminds me a little of Guinness before they went nitro. The roast is not harsh, burnt or over powering but it comes through nicely. There is a hint of initial malt sweetness that leads to a dry finish with a faint hint of fruit. there is a slight tart tang in the background. Chocolate and coffee flavors linger.
F: O'Hara's is creamy with a medium to medium full body, medium carbonation.
O: This is a surprisingly good, full flavored, satiating dry stout.
795 characters
4.12/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
2.95/5 rDev -23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
O'Hara's Irish Stout from Carlow Brewing Company
Beer rating:
71.7% out of
100 with
953 ratings
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4