Don't even say the "G" word
Written: Jun 06 '01 (Updated Jun 06 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Bulging with all the things that make a great stout
Cons: Not as easy to find as SN Pale Ale
The Bottom Line: Like SN's Pale Ale, this beer carved its own niche. Bold, burly, but definitely not an imperial, this is a chockfullaflavor beer you can drink for pint after pint.
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| beerfly's Full Review: Sierra Nevada Stout |
It was a moment of weakness.
I'm a big fan of drinking local. I sign my book that way sometimes: "Think global, drink local!" So why, when the perky pretty bartender (ahhh, Stephanie) asked me what I wanted last week did I pick Sierra Nevada Stout over the local Erie Brewing Company Maibock?
Like I said, a moment of weakness. I was in Porters, a restaurant/bar in Erie, PA, that used to be Hoppers brewpub, and before that was the train station. It's a gorgeous place that I highly recommend, especially as they've put in a very nice selection of single malts and vodkas to complement their excellent tap and bottle beers. Even though the brewpub that was Hoppers moved out and became Erie Brewing, they still carry their beers, and seem to do a good job selling them. (I did sample the Maibock, by the way, and it was light amber, with a quick body, sweet-tasting with a hop and "übermalt" citric twist, very lager-like in its directness.)
Even so, sitting in a bar with the very spirit of local brewing hovering over my shoulder... I just said 'to hell with it' and got the SN Stout. I watched it pour, and the juices gushed in my mouth. Stephanie placed it before me and I eyed it. The head was short, and parchment/tan, but the body was black: light-sucking, squid ink, you-can't-see-through-me black. Yeah, man, this was going to be a good jar.
Up to the nose for a brief inspection -- burnt sugar, graham, bittersweet chocolate, and a darkly twisting vinous character in the background -- then no more waiting -- drink! There it was, baby, everything I'd smelled and then some, the burnt toffee, biting chocolate, the malty graham/biscuit smoothness, and that sly wine-like deepness, all wrapped up in a lively ale-fruit character laced with hop bitterness: what a package! The deep-roasted malts and hops kicked in on the finish, drying it out and quirking the mouth with a brisk bitterness. And at 5.8%, you can probably afford to have two without too many worries. I didn't worry at all; my dad was driving.
Okay, some of you may be thinking, why did I slag the SN Porter for some of the same characteristics I'm digging so much in their Stout? Couple things. First, as I said, I want my porter to be a porter, not a stout. Second, the Stout's got more support for the roast bitterness. Finally, it just works better, the whole thing shapes and molds better. Hey, some people worship the Porter, including Michael Jackson. Not my cuppa. This, on the other hand, definitely floats my boat.
Eat? Wow. A beef or lamb stew, I guess, or maybe shepherd's pie. The right dessert, maybe, something like a flourless chocolate cake, but I wouldn't push that. Mostly I'd drink this on its own, mano a mano.
Who do I recommend it to? Look, if you like this kind of beer, you know who you are. If drinking Guinness is a chore you do to prove your masculinity or Irishness, don't even bother looking at this one (and hey, buddy, switch to Harp and leave more stout for those of us who really like it). If drinking Guinness leaves you... wanting more, well, welcome home, bubba.
Matter of fact, I wouldn't even compare this to Guinness. Do you find any hop bitterness in Guinness? Nah. Do you find any real ale esters in Guinness? Nah. Do you realize that Guinness is about 72% the strength of this stout? Hope so. This is a different breed of stout cat. Comparing Guinness to this is a bit like comparing a Mustang to an F-16: sure, the P-51's a beautiful classic, but damn, look at that -16 go!
I can't wait till one of my local breweries starts making a stout like this and I can quit my embarrassing dependency.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
beerfly
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Member: Lew Bryson
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 82 members
About Me:
One bourbon, one Scotch, one beer, eh? I'll take Kentucky Spirit, Scapa, and HopDevil.
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