AleSmith Speedway Stout

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

Serve in Snifter

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750mL bottle from Beermongers. Split. A: Rich, oily black with a bubbling of mocha head. Glass receives a slight discoloration upon the swirling. N: Smooth dark chocolate, espresso and roast, some vanilla, an oak toastiness though it’s not barrel aged. Some coffee berry. Malted milk. Really, really nice. T: Very roasty with plenty of coffee bitterness. Almost pure, unsugared cocoa. Has an alcoholic sharpness that can probably age out, but it’s distracting to me. There’s also a hoppy bite to it. M: Solid if a bit watery at times. O: I always want to like this a lot more than I do. Needs some more sweetness which is why I tend to like the BA version a lot more. Worthy beer and one I should age to taste the changes.

Nothing much to say after all that’s already been said. I’ve tried most of the best of the rest, and this massive gem is even better.

Poured into my Samuel Smith tulip glass. I figure one Smith is well-suited for another. The beer presents itself as an opaque, nearly black with a huge, frothy, long-lasting mocha head. Aromas are characterized by milk chocolate, malted milk balls, brewed coffee, brown spirits, and perhaps some raisin. Silky, viscous, warm (not from alcohol, but like a parka for the palate), creamy, pleasant mouthfeel. Initial coffee acidity, yielding sweet roasted marshmallows, tons of lactose, and finally, cherry. Finishes with mild, but lingering bitterness. Nearly no alcohol warmth or flavor.

Svart öl med stort mörkbrunt skum. Doft: Barr, choklad, hav, lakrits, torkade exotiska frukter, kola, jord. Smak: Samma som doft + kaffe och kakao.

Not bad. Not really deserving of a 100 but it is tasty. I’m not getting the coffee ad much as it is promoted in the description. Sweet but not cloying. Scotts favorite beer!

Jet black, with a brown creamy head and lively carbonation for a 12% abv brew. Viscous & rich palate with a caramel and mocha chocolate & coffee backbone. This is rich and smooth and drinks very nicely, some roasty dry fruits & alcohol warmth on the finish. Super smooth & slick.

Appearance: Black, motor oil-like appearance. Near no head, even when poured vigorously. Lots of alcohol legs.

Aroma: Bittersweet chocolate, some dark/bittersweet chocolate aroma, malt roastiness, brown bread. There is a hint of a red wine aroma in the end, definite alcohol presence. Not much coffee apparent at all.

Taste: A slight coffee presence, but not enough to really call this a “coffee stout” (it’s not FBS, that’s for sure). A roast bitterness present throughout.

Mouthfeel: Viscous with a definite alcohol warmth. Medium-high drinkability.

Overall: This is an excellent stout, but it isn’t one that I could give a 10 too because it isn’t what I would consider “world class.” I’m not sure how old the bottle I had was, but I’d love to give it some aging in the cellar and revisit it again after a year or so.

Score: 9/10

Black and opaque with a light brown head. Coffee, dark chocolate, caramel, and roasted aromas. Full-bodied and silky smooth. Rich and deep chocolate, caramel, and coffee flavors that finishes bitter-sweet. Very satisfying and inviting. Nice!

Surprised I haven't rated this one before. Nonetheless, on tap at Toronado in San Diego, served in a stem glass. Pours black with a small tan head that fades to a thin remnant and leaves a tiny amount of lace. On the nose, there are big notes of chocolate, roast malts, licorice and coffee, along with earth and subtle herbal hops. The flavour is moderately sweet throughout with an incredibly complex malty blend of molasses, dark chocolate and roasted malts, along with herbs, dark fruit, and hints of tobacco and coffee. The finish is long and malty with roasty notes and subtle coffee and herbs. On the palate it is full in body with a smooth creamy texture and soft carbonation. Overall, wow, this is an incredible imperial stout! Unbelievably complex and subtle, it is truly beautiful. The quintessential fireside sipper. 2013-03-21

On tap at Toronado, San Diego. Pours crude-oil black with an even icing of head. Aroma of chocolate, molasses, and coffee beans. Bold chocolate-covered coffee beans up front that fades to burnt sugar and surprising spicy hops on a long complex finish. I love it.