Firehouse Stout
Firehouse Brewery & Restaurant

This was the second soapiest of the three soapy off-flavored beers I had from the Firehouse.

The beer was poured into a frosted pint glass to a nearly black color that shines ruby even when held to the dimmest of lights. Has a thin creamy white head that leaves a soapy lacing.

Smell is dominated by soapiness and other medicinal astringent odors that don't belong in a stout. It almost smelled like some sort of failed attempt at a dubbel if you don't take the soapiness into account. Very odd for a stout.

The taste had no characteristics of any stout I've previously had. There was no chocolate/roasty/coffee flavors in the slightest, not even a sweetness like an oat/milk stout. It tasted like soapy water with a hint of dark malt extract.

The mouthfeel was an improvement over the wheat, but still had a huge watered down taste. Drinkability is only slightly better in this beer over the wheat as well, mostly since it doesn't taste QUITE as soapy.

Dark brown hue, almost black but not quite, the white head was creamy and the retention was fair, the finger faded to a cap that lasted for a good while. As I quickly drank this stout it laced in a spotty fashion. The nose was faint, very lightly roasty (if at all); it was served a touch cold. Apathetic bouquet. The palate is quite odd for there is almost no roasted flavor, no maltiness at all really. The flavor profile is void of sensation aside from a prickle of piney hops at the finish. It is inexplicably clean, largely flavorless, and not even remotely worthy or accurately called a stout. If I tasted this blindfolded I swear it was a lager, golden in color. There is nothing to it, I could not quaff, I damn near chugged. The body is especially thin, not watery, just absent of any bulk. The carbonation is low. Feeble mouthfeel for a stout. Broken malt backbone. Modestly dry. As flawed and as odd as this beer is, it was drinkable to a point. It is tolerable to drink and far from unpleasant or a chore to finish; I can’t say I enjoyed it or would drink it again or would recommend it however. Avoid.