Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Porters and Stouts

Always Bet on Black

Flavored Stout

Flavored stouts are stouts, be they sweeter or drier, that have been flavored in some way. Dark fruits, coffee and chocolate are particularly popular, and the marriage of flavors should at best be greater than the sum of its parts.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

92 Swashbuckler Stout, Harmon Brewing Co. (WA). 8.3% ABV (1/09)
Deep brown-black. Dark roasted nut and berry pie crust aromas follow through on a chewy entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body with mashed raisin, cigar box and rum cake-like notes. Finishes with a tangy citrus marmalade, soy and chocolate-accented fade. A big and nicely balanced wood-aged stout.

92 Chocolate Indulgence Stout, Brewery Ommegang (NY). 7% ABV (1/09)
Dark crown, black color with a dark tan head. Rich artisan chocolate and dried fruit aromas follow through on a smooth, silky entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with sweet citrus and honeyed apple notes. Finishes in a tangy, refreshing bittersweet chocolate and bubbly fruit pie crust fade with vibrant acidity and astringency. Excellent.

89 Double Chocolate Stout, Wells & Young’s Brewing Co. Ltd. (England). 5.2% ABV (1/09)
Brown color. Light, crisp chocolate phosphate aromas and flavors with a touch of cherry jam. Finishes with a crisp refreshing dark lager-like fade. A solid quaffer.

89 Chocolate Stout, Rogue Ales (OR). 6% ABV (1/09)
Brown-black color. Rich, warm chocolate pudding aromas follow through on a supple, frothy entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with roasted nuts and tart verging on sharp dried citrus notes. Finishes with a long, tangy astringent bitter chocolate fade. Try with cigars.

87 Double Black Stout with Coffee, Red Hook Brewery (WA). 7% ABV (1/09)
Brownish black color. Mild café Americano aromas follow through on a brisk entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with nut skin peppercorn and cocoa notes. Finishes with mild creamy fade.

87 Coffee Stout, New Glarus Brewing Co. (WI). 4.8% ABV (12/06)
Opaque black brown color with a dark tan head. Nutty roasted malt and mocha aromas. A smooth creamy entry leads to a dry medium-full body of baker’s chocolate, dark roasted nuts and coffee oil flavors. Finishes with a tangy, moderately astringent, charred nut and coffee ground fade. Coffee is really a minor flavor component here and really appears as a caffeine buzz following the aftertaste.

84 Oak Rum Stout, Eugene City Brewery (OR). 6.8% ABV (1/07)
Baker’s chocolate and pine aromas. A smooth, zesty entry leads to a dryish, frothy medium body of chocolate-covered tangerines, oak barrel and piney hope flavors. Finishes with an astringent, bittering hop and mocha fade.

84 Harv’s Wild Plum Stout, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 8% ABV (1/09)
Brown-black color. Grape soda and chocolate milkshake aromas follow through on a round, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with tangy plum pie and raisin notes. Finishes with quick nut skin and cocoa dust fade.

83 Atomic Espresso Stout, John Harvard’s Brew House, Framingham (MA). 5% ABV (1/09)
Dark brown color. Earthy oil roasted nuts and mossy moldy reed and leather aroma and flavors and a tang lemon spritz and spent coffee grounds fade.

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