Fat Heads Shock the Monkey Stout

Brewed by Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon
Style: Stout
North Olmsted, Ohio USA

Tap @ Fat Head’s. Pours a clear dark brown, almost black, body with a small beige head. Huge coffee and roasty nose with a touch of yeastiness. The flavor is very coffee forward with a dry roastiness and dark bakers chocolate undertone. I get a touch of vanilla as well. Pretty full bodied with a nice creamy texture and light carbonation. Overall, second best of the bunch that I tried on my visit (behind their Pumpkin).

Sample at the brewpub. Dark brown pour with a medium tan head. Coffee nose with some subtle creaminess and chocolate. Coffee flavor with a nice chocolate sweetness. Good, but the flavor is not as pronounced as you would expect after smelling it.

On tap, black with auburn edges. Rich roasted aromas with some chocolate sweetness. Bittersweet flavor dominated by the chocolate and vanilla. Very smooth and lucious on the palate. A nice beer, definitely seemed like a ramped up version of the Voodoo Monkey.

On tap at brewpub
The last sample that I tried on the night was a well done stout. I’m not sure if it is modeled after the Voodoo but however it was crafted this is a home run. Had I more time to sit around or lived close by this would be a happy hour go to until it tapped out.

Aroma / Appearance - Black with a reddish tinge around the fringes a creamy tan head gave it depth. Dark chocolate, coffee, and smoke were well balanced; some consideration went into the outcome here.

Flavor / Palate - Smoky melted bittersweet chocolate fills the mouth along with dry maltiness. Hidden vanilla rears its head near the end as does the coffee. Balanced from start to finish this has no major flaws. In fact if it were ever bottled I think it would stand up well with almost ever other porter on the market.