Avery Out of Bounds Stout

For starters, dry stout does not really due this beer justice, this is nothing like a nitro can stout. Pours black with a small, tan, fluffy head that has decent longevity. At first, earthy/flowery hops hit up front; after warming, roast is more noticable with dark chocolate and a wood-like character. The medium-full body is appropriate along a somewhat creamy texture and the carbonation being somewhere between soft/lively. Flavor is a mocha, roasted coffee (and slight anise and vanilla) with a definate whiskey, wood barrel flavor that is rather pleasant. Hop bitterness is nice and nearly balances the flavor. Finishes with the hop flavor along with a wood and coffee tinge. Honestly, I was sufficiently surprised by this one, with the wood-like character really helping this beer to be intriguing and complex. My favorite un-imperial stout to date.

Nice beer. Looks great in the glass, black as midnight and with a thick khaki head. The body seems to be heavy mid-palate and drops off with an overly bitter and astringent bite. This really isn’t my style of stout. The hops and the roasted malts are in constant friction rather than harmony. I love dry stout I guess I just like it to be more of a session style.

Bottle. Black with brown head. Packed with flavor; liqourice, tar, coffee, hops, medium body. More powerful than some imperial stouts.

Bottle warm sampled with Stegosaurus. Pours dark with a tan head. Aroma of hops, roast, and black liquorice. Flavor, smooth, dry finish. A pour stout yet drinkable.

Bomber into tulip glass. Purchased at some grocery store in Brookfield, WI sometime in 2004. Smell was skunky out of the bottle, but maltier and sweet from the glass with a clear note of hickory smoke. Beige foam head rides an opaque brown-black beer. Fun-Dip sweetness up front, quickly transitioning to an acrid/metallic/burnt-popcorn hops, slightly smoky, all of which stays through the finish. Body is medium to full, good carbonation level; smooth. The flavor is a good intensity for the body, too; well balanced.

Foreward, roasty aroma; assertive but not in your face. A touch of chocolate as it warms. Nice lacing on the deep brown pour with a clean, yummy head. Taste is supremely dry, burnt, carbon chocolate, very bitter with little english hop taste. Very mellow, refreshing, dry and tasty.

(Bottle from <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/massachusetts/westborough/julio’s-liquors/461.htm target=blank>Julio’s Liquors) Very dark coffee brown with a thick tan head. Rich aroma of molasses, coffee, chocolate, malt and caramel. Spotty weepy lacing. Smooth, full mouthfeel but fairly prickly as well. Flavor of mostly smooth, mildly bitter coffee with a touch of caramel and chocolate. Finishes a bit bitter, but also with a bit of grassiness. Good except for grassiness.

Bottle warm. Pours dark with a small tan head. Aroma of hops, roast, and black liquorice. Flavor is mild, smooth, thin mouth feel with a good hoppy bitter dry finish ( but not to hoppy). Thin body very mild stout, but a good, drinkable brew.