Beer Review: Green Flash Double Stout

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 8.8 percent

Appearance: This was a very rich and dark brown color that featured reddish highlights. The head was also a dark brown color and boasted a quarter-inch thickness. The brown color was there for about thirty seconds. After that, the head faded a way a bit and the color appeared to be more of a light beige. I got both of the intriguing brown colors we see in assorted stouts. The thin layers of lacing left were of the darker variety.

Smell: I got may sweet notes of chocolate. The chocolate even seemed to be layered with light and dark flavors. Very distinctive. Malty and sweet, but not exactly dark or roasty. The sweeter scents were bold here.

Taste: The chocolate profile once again showed up, but the sweetness didn't please as I would have liked. The chocolate in the taste was very dark. The beer in general tasted black, which didn't surprise me. I was really shocked to pick up a few hints of black licorice. The booziness is present and somewhat noticeable. Nice bitter finish to compliment the sweet and chocolaty front of each sip.

Overall Rating: 

This was a very complex and layered beer. Very bold. It was like an explanation point, if there was ever one for beer. I loved getting both sweet and dark chocolate. The colors were very attractive to look at. Hell, the head of the brew was two colors The hops and alcohol presence didn't dilute the other great qualities of the beer. Would very much like to have again in the future.

Beer Review: Maui Coconut Porter

Serving Type: Can

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: This brew featured a body that was coal black and had quite a heavy and thick look to it. Stout and porter folk would classify this as "chewy." The head was a light shade of tan and was very frothy. it did show a sign of weakness after it reached its peak, though. It seemed to cave in, but ended up leaving some sticky lacing caked along the inside of the glass. It wasn't in the typical fashion, but it certainly got there!

Smell: I got plenty of dark chocolate that was plenty sweet. This was also a bit nutty. I settled on the idea that this was something close to almond. Oh yea, and there's coconut.! Coconut and chocolate is such a great combination.

Taste: I was hit with a plethora of the dark chocolate and coconut on the front. The chocolate tasted very sweet, but the coconut did as well. The sweetness was enjoyable and not overpowering at all. The coconut in the taste also has a note of charred flavor. Nice and toasty. The front of the tongue is balanced by a roasted flavor from this brew's malt bill. The finish of the beer was quite balanced. There was a small bitter hop presence along with the almond. I love drinking a beer and being put through the process of nostalgia. This reminded me of Almond Joy bars. I was floored.

Overall Rating: 

The only other Maui Brewing beer I've had was the Bikini Blonde Lager. I mentioned in my review that it'd be perfect for hot on-the-beach drinking. I honestly would have this beer on a beach as well. I love being reminded of food's I've tasted previously in beers. this was just another case. Rarely am I reminded of some of my favorite candy bars from childhood. I've also had a coconut porter/stout before by Church Brew Works and the coconut didn't come off too well. It tasted like something closer to a twist cone.

Beer Review: Bell's Kalamazoo Stout

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: Kalamazoo Stout has a dark body. It can be classified anywhere between a very dark brown and a black. There are highlights of both colors floating around in the body of the brew. The head is what made this stout one of my favorites in terms of how it looks. It was a lighter shade of beige, but the upper portions of it were a creamy white. That looked very appetizing as I went in for a few sips of this brew.

Smell: This smelled very dark, roasty and robust. The prominent scent I picked up was the brewer's licorice that's noted on the label. I love black licorice. So, this was a big plus for me. There was also a couple notes of chocolate and coffee. There was more coffee present between the two.

Taste: The black licorice was very present on the front of the tongue as was some dark, sweet and roasted malt. The chocolate that I picked up in the aroma seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by the malt bill in this beer as I wasn't able to get much of it. The coffee in the beer had a dryness that paired well with a nice hop bitterness on the finish. The aftertaste consisted of heat from the booze in this one. Not overwhelming at all. This stout wasn't as "chewy" as I would have liked it to be. If felt to be a little on the thinner side.

Overall Rating: 

This is a great stout if you're looking for a good one to drink. I love black licorice. So, this was an instant hit with me. This was very similar to the General Washington's Tavern Porter that I also love. The only difference as that the Tavern Porter had molasses. Something that's rare in stout today. In the Kalamazoo Stout, I would have really liked to have more chocolate as well as the beer playing a little thicker than it did.

Beer Review: East End Chocolate Covered Cherry

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: I can't find anything official online, but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that it was 5.2 percent at the brewery.

Appearance: East End's Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout pours a very dark brown (very similar to chocolate, but who knew?) and has a ruby hue to it elsewhere throughout the body. The body also had a thick appearance to it. Stout lovers describe this look as "chewy" and this brew definitely had that. The head is an attractive beige and is very soft and frothy. There was enough retention for some lacing, but it all faded away fairly quick.

Smell: I was able to pick up some roasty and nutty aromas. These were two scents I wasn't expecting out of this. The ones I assumed I'd come across were the chocolate and the tartness of cherries. It really smelled like I had just cracked open a cordial cherry. So, my mouth did water at this point.

Taste: Once again I'll play on the cordial cherry thing. If there was such a thing as a cordial cherry in liquid form, this is it. It tasted nice and dark, It was also roasty from the darker malts. I can't forget about the sweetness of the chocolate and the tart cherries. Those two flavors made this beer. They meld well together as the beer warms. The sweetness was a tad too much for me much later in the drink, though.

Overall Rating: 

I think was brewed by East End once back in 2011 and again this past winter. If there's any left at the brewery location, grab a growler of it if you can before it's gone. If not, I hope it's back next year! This brew was really well done. It was as close to a cordial cherry candy as anything in this world can be without actually taking on that form. As really sweet candy tends to do with me, the sweetness in this did overwhelm me towards the end. That wasn't by a big margin, though.

Beer Review: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 5.8 percent

Appearance: Edmund Fitzgerald Porter pours a deep coal black and has some appetizing brown highlights scattered elsewhere throughout the body. The crown of the brew gives off an almost brown head, which had thickness of approximately quarter of an inch. It provided a creamy cap atop the beer for pretty much the entire drink.

Smell: A robust aroma of coffee beans was the most dominant thing I noticed upon initial waft. The chocolate came next. The thing with the chocolate was the fact that it didn't smell too sugary. It was somewhat bitter, which complimented the coffee very well.

Taste: This beer tastes really warm and roasty. That can be contributed to the coffee content. As I mentioned previously about the bitterness of the chocolate complimenting the coffee notes, the same can be said for the taste. Another thing I'd like to note is how the slight hop bitterness also successfully plays into the role of complimenting the strong coffee. Everything works quite well in this beer.

Overall Rating: 

One of the best porters I've ever had. Before I began to explore what each beer style had to offer (years ago) I tried this beer once and it tasted awful to me. My palette wasn't quite ready to appreciate the bold and dark flavors this brew provides. I've finally come back to it and couldn't be happier. You also have to listen to Gordon Lightfoot's song as you drink this!

Beer Review: Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 4.7 percent

Appearance: I wouldn't Breckenridge Vanilla Porter as a black beer, as you'd expect most Porters to be. This brew has a body that's more on the browner side of the spectrum. The visible carbonation provides you with a texture that causes the mouth to water. The head is slightly tan and somewhat weak, but the lacing makes up for it later on.

Smell: I got plenty of roast and chocolate in the aroma at first. Next comes an inviting, sweet smell of vanilla beans. The hint of vanilla reminded me of the days when your parents made some homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Remember the black specks?

Taste: This beer tasted very dark, at first. The roast and chocolate are the majority of that. The chocolate is more on the darker side as opposed to milk chocolate. You end up wandering where the vanilla is, but then it comes and creates a dramatic, extremely smooth finish.

Overall Rating: 

This is a really enjoyable drink. At first, it teases you and causes you to think that this is just like any other Porter. Then, a rush of sweet vanilla kicks in. Good timing!