Bare Knuckle Stout

Tap @ Taco Mac. It looks like a textbook stout on nitro. Jet Black, with the pasteiest white head. The head looks like a layer of latex paint floating on the surface. It smells like nothing except, ironicly, dried latex paint. The flavor is a full roasted, burnt, malt, character. Hints of flavorless coffee grounds linger on the palate. Very watery texture. Finishes very dry, with a sharp bitterness.

On tap at Upstairs in Bloomington, IN. Bare Knuckle Stout is a pitch black beer with a beautiful creamy tan head. The aroma is mild and roasted and the flavor is roasted with a slightly bitter finish. This is a very smooth, but also watery beer with little to no carbonation.

Had this one on tap. Aroma strong of coffee and light of cocoa and biscuit, not notably hoppy. Pours a murky watery black. Disappointed with the one finger greyish-tan head, although it was extra creamy from the nitro. Laced most of the glass. Sweet when it hits the tongue, boozy, oily finish despite the low ABV. When it’s over you’re left feeling like you ate a piece of chalk dipped in chocolate flavored coffee. Nice.

Tap @ Paris Casino in Vegas. Dark amber in color. Bitter roasted maltiness. Quite dry. Finish is fairly bitter. A little watery.

On tap at Anheuser-Busch brewery in St-Louis, black color, with a thick creamy beige head, mild roasted malt nose, with a hint of black coffee bean and dark chocolate in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a thin roasted malt character, witgh some faint black coffee and chocolate flavors, with a mild flowery hop leafy accent, leading towards a roasty, dry bitterness finish.

I sampled this beer on an Anheuser-Busch tour about 2 1/2 years ago, when I believe it was just coming out. So that’s my disclaimer; it was a while ago, right at the plant, early in it’s existance and I was on a beer tour (and thus in a good mood). I recall it being very much like Guinness but a touch thinner on the mouthfeel. Everything was just a little bit watered down when comparing to Guinness but it wasn’t bad at all. I actually enjoyed it. Decent coffee presence, some malts and a hint of dark chocolate. Wasn’t as dark as Guinness, more of like a dark brown but they did have some similarities. Also mine had a pretty decent sized creamy head but that could be because it was forced draught at Anheuser-Busch.

Tastes, looks, and feels like chocolate milk! Thick. Not the best stout, but an accessible one, in many ways.

A very drinkable stout. Surprising that it hails from AB, but kudos to them for doing it. I ordered it with Virginia Ham and eggs for breakfast. The pairing worked fine for me.