AleSmith Speedway Stout (Vanilla and Coconut)

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Sample at the BA Speedway and Decadence release. This was an amazing offering. Pours a deep coffee brown, fairly viscous with a creamy beige head, nice lacing. Tons of coconut in the nose as well as vanilla, coffee and burnt malts. Not quite as much coconut on the palate which was a good thing, might have made the brew a bit to cloying.

UPDATED: AUG 11, 2012 Sample (thanks to a friend at the release, I missed the samples they were pouring earlier in the day). Pours with a pitch black and viscous body with a small tan head. Some mild lace, okay retention. Aromas of coconut (as stated) that reminds me a bit of medium toast french oak, coffee, vanilla (not too sweet), dark roast, chocolate, richness and alcohol. A bit of a lactose note. Rich flavors: coconut and vanilla cocooned by the rich chocolate and coffee notes (and alcohol). Minimal bitterness, but the beer is not cloying. Smooth, lightly warming (mellow, but you can feel it in your stomach), velvety texture. Amazing, wish I could have gotten a full sample (or two, or three...).
Fuller sample at the Full Pint Anniversary event. Murky near black hue, very slight brown head. Aromas are straight almond joy, huge chocolate fudge and vanilla. Otherwise pretty clean. Flavors are of vanilla, mild bitterness, coconut, cocoa, banana and lots of chocolate. Booze is under control. Silky mouthfeel. Really excellent. At a 4.3 I am still probably under-rating it.

Small pour thanks to GT. Pours a thick creamy dark brown pour with the slightest dark tan head. Aroma is creamy and meaty. Notes of chocolate and cookie dough. Coconut and vanilla is present but subtle. Flavor is dry and chocolate. Very creamy, almost like chocolate milk. Coconut is light at first but strengthens and lingers in the back of the mouth. Bitter finish with some coffee notes. Thick and full bodied.

On tap @ O’brien’s Night of a Million Zillion Speedways.The appearance is identical to the regular version, except maybe a slightly smaller head. Aroma is regular Speedway with a bunch of coconut. The flavor is like an almond joy, lots of coconut to go with the chocolaty goodness. Mouth feel is a bit oily compared to stock Speedway. Another damn good beer, my wifes favorite of the bunch.

On draft at the BA Speedway release. Dark black pour with small tan head. This stuff was much less roasty than the regular batch, however the vanilla and the toasted coconut made it very smooth and tasty.

Hand bottle courtesy of GT2, thanks! Black color, scant brown head. Aroma of intense coconut, chocolate, vanilla, like a fancy Mounds bar. Taste is smooth dark milk chicolste and coconut. Tasty.

On tap @ Alesmith release - I actually got the last sample poured. This was very good, but I was expecting more coconut and vanilla. It had the same great Speedway appearance and finish. I think I liked it the best of the three special tap releases that day. Good stuff!

Big chocolate and coconut nose, just a little bit green. Taste is sweet and moderately bitter, lots of chocolate and roast, plenty of buttery coconut. Tasty.

Sample at the brewery. Rating #5. Nice treatment on the Speedway. I really didn’t pick up a lot of the coconut, but the vanilla added a nice subtle sweetness to balance the coffee, real nice. (1766)

Vanilla and coconut notes abound with the usual chocolate and coffee notes underlying. Again, I unfortunately feel like the vanilla tastes a little artificial.