PNW Stouts

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by drone, Oct 30, 2016.

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  1. drone

    drone Savant (1,224) Jun 17, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    Fresh hop season is on the outs and the weather is growing dreary. Though I'm inclined to drink big stouts year round, the fall/winter season generally sees an uptick in stout/porter releases. Inspired by Stoup's fantastic release of their rye barrel aged imperial stout today, and my recent belly aching about the PNW's lack of widely available and quality stouts, I figured I'd throw out a discussion thread about our stouts/porters in general.

    I need not add to the heaping pile of praise for Fremont's seasonal KDS releases. They've easily cultivated one of the best barreling programs in the US, and I couldn't ask for a better BA stout. Bravo, @Texwild.

    Recently had a pour of Barley Brown's Breakfast Stout, and if this beer was canned or kegged regularly it would easily be a regular for me. Fantastic balance between the sweetness of the vanilla and roasted coffee, ridiculously smooth body, and . 6.5% too. Loved it.

    Scuttlebutt's 20 Year RIS is pretty tasty, but at the price I'm not sure I would recommend it over something like Old Rasputin. Big roast and mouthfeel, but very one noted. Wasn't bad.

    Cloudburst's Boom. Roasted! is another beer I wish was more regularly and widely available. Superb roasted coffee; not particularly dense, but creamy for sure.

    Skookum's BA Breakfast Stout is pretty great, but I didn't get much of the barrel characteristics, and the sweetness from the other adjuncts falls off the palette pretty quickly. Definitely would like to grab this one again.

    As for releases, Reuben's is releasing a BA imperial stout November 19th and a BA breakfast stout on December 3rd, both of which I'm pretty excited about. December 3rd is also the release of Urban Family's BA imperial stout, aged in buffalo trace barrels for 6 months with Vermont maple syrup. UF also released Muerte Al Cereal, their Death to Cereal milk stout with cinnamon, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, and mexican chili; I ended up getting a bottle, but haven't had a chance to try it yet.

    Block 15 also recently released their Cosmic Cold Brew and the bottles seem to be pretty available in PDX, but I haven't seen them around Seattle. Hoping they make it up here.

    Cheers!
     
    #1 drone, Oct 30, 2016
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  2. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It seems like your definition of stouts only includes barrel-aged stuff. There are plenty of top notch stouts around, easily obtainable and reasonably priced. Here's a few I like: Wander Correspondent, Emissary (and it's BA versions), and Global Mutt Baltic Porter, Boundary Bay Oatmeal Stout, Iron Goat Goatmeal Stout, Naked City Big Lebrewski, and, it's likely discontinued, but Skagit River Trumpeter Stout is/was awesome. I have no idea if Farmstrong will bring it back in a different guise.
     
    #2 BBThunderbolt, Oct 30, 2016
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  3. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Crux just did a regular stout in 16 oz bottles, too.

    When should we be seeing Dark Star cans? Pretty soon?
     
    #3 distantmantra, Oct 30, 2016
  4. drone

    drone Savant (1,224) Jun 17, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    Definitely not; 3/5 I called out didn't spend any time in barrels (at least I don't think Scuttlebutt's saw any barreling). In fact I'm quite partial to lower ABV stouts, as I usually don't do big beers during the week, especially not when in bombers.

    I haven't had any of the ones you've listed, but will have to seek them out. I've been struggling to find a solid shelf stout/porter in the 5-7% range. HUB's Survival Stout is pretty solid, but I find Oskar Blues Hotbox to be more well rounded and balanced, so typically reach for that instead. I'm a big fan of New Holland's The Poet and Anderson Valley's Barney Flats, so I'll be hunting down those oatmeals listed.

    Tough Love? Or a newer one?
     
    #4 drone, Oct 30, 2016
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  5. TheBungyo

    TheBungyo Pooh-Bah (2,037) Dec 1, 2004 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    I really dig Cavatica, along with the many other stouts brewed by Fort George.
     
    #5 TheBungyo, Oct 30, 2016
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  6. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Tough Love isn't a regular stout. ;-)

    Crux Stout is a 7.7% stout. They've got PCT Porter coming out in cans at some point in the future as well.
     
    #6 distantmantra, Oct 30, 2016
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  7. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    They're calling it A Not-So-Rainy Day Stout https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29415/252428/. A little above your preferred 5-7%, but I recommend it too.
     
    #7 sharpski, Oct 30, 2016
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  8. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Buoy makes a tasty oatmeal stout, but I don't remember if they bottle it or not.

    Fort George's Cavatica Stout is a bit too sweet for me, yet still hits the spot from time to time.

    I also like S'More Stout from Base Camp on occasion.

    Been a while since I had a HUB Survival Stout or a Laurelwood Organic Espresso Stout, but I remember enjoying the coffee profile in both of them.

    It's also been a while since my last Deschutes Obsidian Stout, and I have a strong suspicion I'm going to pick some up when we do the shopping today.

    I had a pint of Backwoods Pecan Pie Porter not long ago, and would drink it again. Good body, nice roastiness (not harsh), and an appealing amount of pecan character. Not too much, not too little.

    For readily available stouts from outside the region, I love AleSmith Speedway and Firestone Velvet Merlin.
     
    #8 vurt, Oct 30, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2016
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  9. dphi

    dphi Zealot (534) Apr 14, 2013 Oregon

    I picked up a bottle the other week and thought it was pretty bad. I remember thinking it was okay on draft but the bottle I got was a bitter mess.
     
    #9 dphi, Oct 30, 2016
  10. bfields4

    bfields4 Savant (1,171) Dec 11, 2007 Colorado

    I feel like Noir flys under the radar being from Ninkasi.. speaking of oakshire's espresso stout is always a constant for me.
     
    #10 bfields4, Oct 31, 2016
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  11. Robomunky

    Robomunky Initiate (0) May 14, 2015 Washington
    Trader

    In the cooler months, I drink a shitload of Dark Star and Murder of Crows. Good amount of Oakshire Espresso Stout, too.
     
    #11 Robomunky, Oct 31, 2016
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  12. drone

    drone Savant (1,224) Jun 17, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    Yeah agreed. While I found Ground Control to be more of a novelty beer than anything, Noir is definitely a solid coffee stout. Really nice cold brew notes and mouthfeel. Wish it was a year round offering.

    Is Murder of Crows widely distributed in WA? Will have to find bottles of that one.
     
    #12 drone, Oct 31, 2016
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  13. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Speaking of, Oatis is very solid, and I'm a big fan of the Vanilla Oatis.
     
    #13 BBThunderbolt, Oct 31, 2016
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  14. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't know how widely, but I think it at least gets to the main Seattle bottle shops. I don't see it up here, but I go to the brewery about once a month, and often grab it there.
     
    #14 BBThunderbolt, Oct 31, 2016
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  15. dphi

    dphi Zealot (534) Apr 14, 2013 Oregon

    Man, I forgot about Noir already, was all about that when it first came out. I thought Wild Ride's coffee/vanilla stout was pretty solid as well.
     
    #15 dphi, Oct 31, 2016
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  16. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's also made it's way to 99 Bottles in Federal Way recently. Looks like increased distribution of bottles.
     
    #16 distantmantra, Oct 31, 2016
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  17. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I know they use a distributor up here, I forget who at the moment, but I don't see their bottles on shelves much. Ambers Hot Friend sometimes, but that's about it.
     
    #17 BBThunderbolt, Oct 31, 2016
  18. drone

    drone Savant (1,224) Jun 17, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    Didn't they retire Oatis?
     
    #18 drone, Nov 1, 2016
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  19. DamienI

    DamienI Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2014 Washington

    Saw it at Safeway this evening, the vanilla variant anyway.
     
    #19 DamienI, Nov 1, 2016
  20. SeaAle

    SeaAle Maven (1,381) Jun 24, 2012 Oregon

    Oatis has been retired and replaced with Vanilla Oatis.
     
    #20 SeaAle, Nov 1, 2016
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