Black River Stout
Big Buck Brewery & Steakhouse

From a growler bought at 3pm and drank at 5:30pm. First off I don't think this brew held up well. I don't think I'll be buying anymore Nitro Tap beers in growlers. Poured out to a dark and thin black body with no head. None. Forget about lace. Aromas of mild chocolate and malt, with some smoke, but overall the aroma was far to weak. Flavor was disappointing; water mixed with mild malts and some bitter hop flavor. Hints of caramel and cocoa, but otherwise quite boring. Mouthfeel was far too thin and light. Drinkability was poor; hopefully when I try this brew again (IF I try it again) it will be better right off the tap.

Served in a pint glass, this stout sits opaque black and headless. The lack of head could be due to an improper pour, since the glass was pretty damn full of beer. Aroma of bitter chocolate, roasted grain, and oats was immediately apparent, with some faint sweetness and alcohol coming out as the beer warmed. Taste started big on the roasted barley and black patent. Bitter chocolate was there to a large degree, as were the oats. To a lesser degree was a bit of coffee. The more the beer warmed, the more a little sweet caramel emerged. Finish was roasted dry. Not a bad beer at all, but I've had some better oatmeal stouts.

Claims to be a gold medal winner..from what, I don't know.
Clear, black with chestnut accents, forming a nice tan nitro head with great retention and lacing. Fruity and dark in the aroma, with vanilla and bitter cocoa. Taste is of vanilla bean, sugar cookies, sharply blackened malts, french roast coffee, a woody/herbal medium potency hop finish and a tart roasted astringency. Mouthfeel is smooth with a medoim-dense body.

A decent stout, but not high on drinkability. It it warms, some of the esters and alcohols become obtrusive. Some batches hit the spot, and some are completely different beasts. Each Big Buck brewery obviously has it's own brewer, probably with different recipes and equipment.

I wasn't impressed with this brew. It was over-carbonated and served way too cold. Quite sharp on the palate too. As it warmed up I did notice some caramel, coffee and chocolate notes ...