Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout

Brewed by Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe
Style: Sweet Stout
Eureka, California USA

i really did like this beer a lot. I’ve taken a liking to the sweeter, smoother stout - as opposed to the dry bitter versions. having said that, lost coast brewed one that is pretty darn good. if It wasn’t so small, it would get a much higher rating. a good beginner’s stout for sure.

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown with a mocha colored head that fades rapidly. The nose is that of chocolate, coffee and smoke. The taste starts very subtle and smooth, and quickly develops into a richly earthy smoke and chocolate combination. The aftertaste is slightly sweet and doughy with a smooth malt thrown in for good measure. Slightly astringent on the tongue, but not enough to affect the rating.

Bottle. Malts smell of toasted bread and light coffee, hops have a light note of herbs, a light doughy yeast note and maybe a bit of cola. Color is jet black with a creamy light brown head which is fully lasting and has good lacing. Taste starts lightly sweet and ends moderately sweet and lightly bitter and just a bit salty. Body is medium full and creamy with a soft/flat carbonation. This one a beauty. My favorite stout yet. Don’t drink it too cold.

The aroma was chocolate and roast and some coffee with a bit or an estery hop presence. As the beer warmed the aroma became lightly grassy and the coffee presence increased in prominence. The beer poured black with a brown frothy head which lasted well to lace the glass. The flavor was roasty and toasty and fairly dry with coffee and chocolate most notable coupled with a decent level of bittering. The flavor also had a bit of grassy and lightly citrusy hops. The body was medium and with a moderate level of carbonation was quite creamy in mouthfeel. The finish was dry with lasting impressions of chocolate and coffee and grassy hops long into the aftertaste and beyond. A really nice Stout, dunno about being sweet, but a nice stout. 12 ounce bottle.

Aromas of roasted malt, chocolate and a bit of coffee. Near opaque brown/black color with a tan head that left rapidly, leaving edges that lace a little. Started with a moment of dark fruit, passed on to coffee, chocolate, crisp carbonation, and finally a roasted malt finish. Medium mouthfeel, but it thickens greatly with swishing. Not really sweet in the finish, but not super dry either. A good one.

Now this is what I love about a nice Stout! Black as the darkest of nights with not the slightest bit of light that I can gather seeping through the crevices of the glass. The head upon the initial pour is brown and thick, but dies down around midway through the glass leaving a nice ring to look upon and admire. The aroma of burnt coffee and chocolate fills the nose and encourages you to take the initial sip. What a sip it is at that! From a strictly taste standpoint this may very well belong among my alltime favorite Stouts of any type. The flavors are much like what one would expect when taking the nose into account. Deeply roasted malt and the finest of chocolates in tandem with a nice full flavored coffee and just enough hops to balance things out without going overboard. Make no mistake this is one heck of a Stout and very much worthy of the praise it’s gotten thus far. The mouthfeel lingers long after one swallows and begs the drinker for more. This is the first Brew from Lost Coast I’ve had the honor of trying, but if this one is any indication I will seek out some of the others. Can’t recommend this Stout highly enough.

Bottle. Fizzy tan head (quickly dissapated). Poured a dark black. Almost no lacing. Chocolate, coffee, raisins, and roasted malts in the aroma. Flavor is initially semi sweet and finishes with a very slight bitterness added. Long good finish. Medium bodied. Dry texture. Lively carbonation. Solid sweet stout.

Pours a pitch black color, with a fizzy head. Heavy bodied with hints of chocolate, roasted malts and some fruit.