Victory Donnybrook Stout

Brewed by Victory Brewing Company
Style: Dry Stout
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

Nitro… Almost black with a mid-sized, creamy, lightly tanned head that never dissipates. When I held it up to light I saw ruby sparkles around the edges of the glass. Dark chocolate and espresso aroma with lesser notes of smoke and charcoal. Light to medium-bodied and a touch creamy with only a whisper of carbonation. Acrid, burnt, lightly tangy flavor - a touch thin. Bland, dry finish.

Draft at The Porter. Pours black with a very thin tan head (almost non-existent). The aroma is roasty and rich like coffee. The flavor is mild on the tip of the tongue with some malt character, very subtle sweetness, and a thick delicious roasted grain coffee note. At mid-palate, there is a rich coffee flavor with soft balancing bitterness. The finish is dry and satisfying like an iced coffee with subtle malt flavors. The mouthfeel is soft and medium in body with very little carbonation (perhaps they were simulating the "nitro" pushed stout by just serving a barely-carbonated stout - which is fine to me since that’s how I do it myself). Overall, a satisfying dry stout - sessionable/quaffable but sufficiently rich in flavor to be pleasant, too.

Deep dark brown coloured body with a thinnish tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, a bit of coffee and some oatmeal. Medium-bodied; Strong assertive roasted malt up front, all with a dry flavour and some light lactic qualities. Aftertaste shows some coffee and alcohol, but the roasted flavours still stay present. Overall, a good dry stout - definitely worth trying, but perhaps a bit too light and undercomplex compared to others. I sampled this beer on draught at Rustico in Alexandria on 15-January-2009.

On tap at the Mad Mex. Very nice headdy pour, black and foamy, very appealing. Good roasty stout aroma. Like most notro brews, this stuff has tons of foam but not carbonation on the tongue, flat. Taste is typical original stoutish, roasty burned wood and such. Has a bitter charred log finish that hangs for a while.

Draft, dark bodied with ruby edges and a uniformly thin creamy off-white head that remained throughout. Had a mild cafe au lait aroma, some chocolate maltiness, and notes of dark fruits. Flavor was bitter roasted barley, cream, sweet fruity/honey malt, mildly coffee and chocolate malt. Palate was watery lacking body, yet smooth. Finish was only slightly bitter from the malt. Standard dry stout I suppose, which is why I don’t drink them.

Draft. Light roasted malt in the aroma. Pours a dark brown color with a creamy head. Some nuts and oats as well. Very light taste though. Seemed watered down. It’s OK, but I’d prefer Guiness.

Tap at Tylers. Dark brown pour with creamy light tan head. Guinness-like but thinner in body. Slightly roasted malt and nice lacto tart creaminess. Perhaps a slight hop presence as well. Let’s hear it for tasty low-alcohol brews.

Had on tap. Nitro poured into a pint glass a black color with a nice, creamy tan head. Aroma of dark roasted malt with a little nuttiness. Taste of burnt chocolate and coffee along with the roasted malts.