L1933 00909, 17/01/22 Well, I don’t know. What has become of the once great l’Abbaye des Rocs? Some things as good as ever, most things not, and then there’s this. Is it a stout? Sort of. Is it a coffee stout? Absolutely not. Is it a 'flavored stout' (whatever than means, and what it says onthe label)? No. Is it a Belgian Dark? Some elements of it might feel a bit that way. It is a little insipid? Yes. Too thin? A bit. Frankly it’s all over the place and not really in a good way. The pour us a...
Notes on beers in the style
Foreign / Export Stout
Fade To Black Volume 1 – Foreign Export Stout
12 oz single. Been holding on to this one since the original release. Time to have a crack at it now. Pour is an impressive jet black body with a tight head of very fine bubbles. Nice looking head and decent retention and lace. Nose releases some bready malts and not a lot else. Tastes release some very light alcohol notes amongst the very lightly charred, dark chocolate. A little bitterness that is the source of the slightly dry character. The dryness doesn't really ever get very high, which...
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta, GA. This beer was not available in the USA until relatively recently (last few months) when Atlanta became one of the test markets before a wider launch across the USA in September of 2010. With all of the various incarnations of this beer being brewed in all parts of the world, I'm pretty sure this review is in the correct place since apparently (according to the bottle at least) this was brewed in Ireland and not the West Indies etc. Pour as expected is...
Foreign Export Stout
WOW! Extraordinary. I wasn't expecting this. 500 mL bottle, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. I didn't bother to check the ABV or anything about this beer before I cracked it, and as a result I got quite a shock Pour is jet black (some reddish highlights at the extremes) with a small head and not much retention or lace. There is a spotty, creamy film on the surface of the beer. The nose reveals some amazing, light sherry notes with beautiful, subtle roasted creamy bursts of depth. The flavors...
De Dolle Extra Export Stout
11.2 oz bottle. Into the Westmalle chalice it goes. This is at least two years old, but to be honest it's impossible to tell the real age; could be even older. Quite a lot of sediment from the dregs of the bottle and a large amount of yeasty, marmite debris around the top of the bottle and underneath the cap. Body is dark, dark brown approaching opaque. Creamy mocha head with a nice spotty film on the surface of the beer. Nose gives a slightly acidic, lactose like whiff. Mouthfeel is a little...
Exit 1
Cracked this one at The Brick Store on a Friday lunchtime. Simple pour with standard black body and nice, mocha head. A very light drinking stout. Influence from the oysters? Maybe, but if there is an character at all it manifest in the light nature of the beer. Mouthfeel is approaching thin, but it doesn't seem to detract from the experience at all. Perhaps a mild salty, brine element amongst the water, but to be honest this may be just a function of the mind playing tricks on the palate...
Lump Of Coal
500 mL bottle. Green's, Atlanta, GA, USA. $5.95. Black body with some ruby red highlights. Some spotty lace on the surface of the beer. Licorice in the nose. Tasty beer but not really stout like. Good malts, but not much bitterness. A little thin in the mouth for the style I think, and in many ways this isn't really very "stout like". Quite sweet with a little alcohol in the background of the finish. Expensive for what it is.
Lion Stout
330mL bottle, $1.99 as a single at Michael's Atlanta, GA, USA. Poured into the Brasserie des Rocs chalice, it forms a one inch head before receding to leave an espresso film and some very nice, very fine lacing. Black opaque. Big chocolate nose. Very mild tastes, not at all bitter. Large, creamy mouthfeel with the dominant taste being a very mild licorice. This imparts a dry finish. Very nice, a small tasting stout considering the 8.00% ABV, and the alcohol is well hidden....
Coopers Best Extra Stout
Jet black pour with a disappointing head and not much lacing. Lots and lots of sediment, a little too much for my liking in this style. For whatever reason, the sediment in the jet black body looks slightly off-putting (perhaps that's the Guinness perfect pint syndrome). Aroma is very sweet, with some coffee and a little chocolate. I suspect that the aroma would be too much for some people, but I like the sweet malt nose. Tastes are bitter sweet, with a decent bite in the lingering finish....