Stouts in California

Interesting. Was it shadow of a doubt imperial porter? That one has been around more recently (and agree, nothing special for me either).

The one I mentioned was just called RR Porter and I last had it before moving from CA, so would have been 2009ish. I remember it as being pretty robust and not thin at all, but 10+ years is a while.

 

It was that one. I'd give another porter a shot from them but shadow of a doubt was pretty disappointing

 

Smog City Coffee Porter is a solid one

 

This thread is reminding me of some of the older stouts. Back before the pastry craze. I’m thinking stuff like Stone IRS, Old Rasputin, Storm King, Class V, Big Bear Black Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout. All these were wonderful. I guess I leaned toward the hoppier stouts. Not sure if many are made like this anymore but they definitely get lost in the endless pool of pastry stout.

 

Yup, used to call them west coast style stouts. BJCP apparently now calls them American Stouts. Bit bigger, roastier and hoppier than their English cousins.

West coast IPAs seem to be coming back (at least on the west coast). Maybe time for a resurgence of the west coast style stout?

 

Apparently not much as @riko , now off to explain to my wife why it would be better and cheaper just to buy a keg for the house.

 

Speaking of old school stouts, I recently discovered that someone I know is from Bar Harbor, Maine. Anyone else remember trading for Cadillac Mountain Stout back when it was on the BA Top 100?

 

IRS was the first stout I ever liked, period. I remember the belgo-anise version came out 2011 I think, and I couldn't get enough of it. Stone recently released some old bottles they were sitting on and I was fortunate enough to grab 1, still sitting on it now. The odd years they would make the Espresso one too which I really loved.

 

Man this thread is reminding me how much o used to love stone stouts. What the fuck happened there? I get adapting to the industry but stouts are still super popular and stone used to absolutely slay in that field. Last stone stout I had was.Totalitarian (which I think is the current incarnation of IRS) and it was so very middling, thin and muted and generally whack.

 

I really liked this one
https://untappd.com/b/stone-brewing-bitter-chocolate-oakmeal-bourbon-barrel-stout/1652171

And I know this seems to be an anti adjunct thread, but xocoveza was one of the stouts that got me to love drinking stouts. Was obsessed with that beer the first year it was in 6 packs. Really wish they'd have done a good BA version, but I think they only did 3 month and 7 month versions. The 3 month was terrible, just tasted like a muted version of regular. Maybe the 7 month was better (at least with some barrel character), but it'd be awesome if they aged it first, then treated it with the adjuncts.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I wasn't really ever a fan of their IPAs but I thought their stouts were right on point. That 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout was legendary

 

Ya I was actually thinking about xocoveza while writing that, I think its (still?) On some shelves around here.

Definitely a solid one back in the day and some more evidence that they have (had?) the skills to lean into the modern flavored stout market in the way they've leaned into the modern IPA market

 

I still have a vertical in my cellar of Stone IRS from ‘08 til whenever they stopped making it/changed it to Totalitarian. One of these days I’ll actually get around to opening it (when in-person bottle shares are a thing again).

 

Another vote for Obsidian, on nitro its magical.

Mine isn't quite that old, think I've got 6-year very '11-'17. Can't wait to tackle it with friends, hopefully soon.

Though as the OP mentioned, hard to go wrong with Kern Class V if you can find it. I occasionally see bombers, but 12oz cans would be glorious @KRBCEric.

 

ya I need to treat myself to one of those again soon. Their cappuccino stout and the annual ba barrel release are solid and great values as well.

Also, some of the ba rasputins are absolute magic. The rye barrel has been my favorite but they are all simple , clean, classic beers

 

When I have a stout these days it’s normally Mootown Philly, Asphalt Jungle or No Talent Punks all from Bagby.

 

Do you even Ten Fidy, bros?!

 

I just checked and the last time Kern River’s Bay Area distributor carried Class V was a year ago. They’ve switched everything over to 12oz or 16oz cans, I wonder if the same will happen for Class V (I hope so). Currently it’s only available on draft at the pub.