Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout

Brewed by Mad River Brewery
Style: Stout
Blue Lake, California USA

Bottle. A random grab that turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. It has a oil black color with a thin dark chocolate head. The aroma was a bit strange - smelled of pine resin and heavy on the fruit such as grapes. Flavor worked better - a toned down piney, grape taste that gives way to roasted coffee aftertaste.

12 oz. bottle - jet black with slight tan head; pleasant roasted coffee aromas lead to burnt, yet smooth flavors; oh so smooth and would certainly classify as another "hit" from Mad River

12 oz. bottle- color of dark raost coffee , with a medium tan head - nose of bittersweet chocolate , sour red fruit , cocoa , and coffee – taste of coffee , burnt , bitter chocolate , vanilla , and milk chocolate - body is a medium smooth cream , dry , and with light carbonation – aftertaste of vanilla , coffee , chocolate , and lingering

the wife and I have conducted a blind taste test over the past year of every stout we could get our hands on and Steelhead has come out the victor... but only barely edging out Blackhawk and 8 Ball in the US stout championship

Short stubby 12 oz bottle. Beautiful black pour into my glass. It comes out really viscous. Thick and slow. Attractive brown beer aroma like those wax lips and luscious old campfire coals. I even smell some chocolate milk in there! Coats the inside of your mouth like used shovelhead oil. Carbonation is low medium but that does not curtail any creamy tingliness. The creamy carbonation is one of the better features. Taste impact is like a yeungling black and tan filtered thru old cooled campfire coals that have been put out with creek water. Bitterness on the back of the throat that reminds me of meat that has been charred heavily on the grill. This is quite impressive and offensive to an extent. Finish is annoying burned dark chocolate again like dark chocolate brownies that have been baked way too long on too high a temperature. Now, think about dipping those brownies in cold black coffee before you eat them. Comes on almost like an imp stout.

Bottle pours a deep viscous inky black with a very thick fluffy dark tan head. Still pretty cold but aroma of sweet dark roasted malts and grape sodapop. Flavor is mostly straight forward black and roasted malt. Not much of the coffe or chocolate notes that often accompany. A bit thin and oily palate and faintly carbonated. Late slightly sour bitternes that is earthen and leathery. Some soy and old rubber. Promising at first but falters.

7/12/2007: Steelhead Extra Stout is medium-bodied and smooth. is is black with a thin, frothy tan head. The aroma is roasted malt and chocolate and the flavor has coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt. the finish is dry and bitter. This beer is quite robust overall and pretty good. I bet this would be good with a brownie or poured on top of some vanilla ice cream! Wow, I didn’t even notice that the description said that! At any rate, Mad River makes some very nice beers for the price!

12 oz bottle shared by Rob. Thanks! Rating #192 for this beer...

Pours a pitch black with a medium light brown head. Sweet aroma of smooth creamy chocolate and mild roasted coffee beans. Taste is smooth and creamy chocolate malt with a hint of roasted coffee beans. Very good stout.