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Stout Month 2008Last updated: 02.27.2008Stoked? Stoked Oak! |
| Leap Year means one extra day of the 15th Annual Stout Month! |
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I was out of the country for the 1st half of the month, so I'm
especially glad of the new lineup that was tapped on 2/25!
Once again, there is an extensive selection of Nitro Stout, so the Mountain Sun has added a fourth (or is it a fifth?!) nitro faucet. Please remember that pouring these beers takes added finesse and care. It may take a few minutes to prepare your pint. Perhaps you'd like a sample of something else while you wait? A note on Imperials (over 8% ABV): These debilitating beers are served in 8oz glasses only. Please "savor the flavor", and please Don't drive! The second Stout Month Homebrew Competition has produced a new classic: The Ladies Man - brewed with chocolate, rose petals, honey and cognac. Boulder native Adam Boggs returns with his fantastic Coconut Cream Stout, and Scott Overdorf summoned up a batch of his delectable Stoked Oak for the nitro tap. And, of course, many of the original classics are still here: Thunderhead, Korova, Old School, plus the Usurper Imperial and Avery's Czar. |
| Brewery | Stout | Current Status | ABV and Rating* |
Description
Official descriptions are in normal text. |
| Mountain Sun | Korova Cream Stout | On Nitro! | 4.7% |
Rich & Roasty Milk Stout. Here, we reveal a little Hollywood
influence with a Clockwork Orange reference. Buffs may recall
that the "Korova" was the milk bar frequented by the droog gang.
Also, "Korova" happens to be Russian for "cow". While Mountain
Sun and ultraviolence are polar opposites, we figured "Korova" was
creative and apt. This beer is definitely rich and creamy;
lactose intolerants beware! Malt: Marris Otter English Pale, Munich Malt, 120L Crystal Malt, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt, Victory Malt, CaraPils Malt, Roasted Barley Hops: Fuggle The Korova has been on tap regularly at the Mountain Sun for many years now - and there's a reason! Smoother and creamier than a GUINNESS, but still with a traditional mellow flavor. This beer is pleasing on the palate both going down the hatch and afterwards on the tongue. One pint may just not be enough... |
| Mountain Sun | Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout | Off Tap | 6.9% |
Decadent Chocolate Stout. Remember Austin Powers when Dr. Evil
was trying to drink his cappuccino? "...What? It's a Belgian
Dip!" Our Chocolate Stout now has twice as
much Belgian Chocolate as it originally did. You should see the
10 pound chocolate bars that we smash up for this beer! You can
be assured that the brewers all have tummy aches when we're making
this beer. Malt: Domestic 2-Row Pale, Wheat Malt, Victory, Bonlander, Black Barley, Chocolate Malt, Brown Malt, Chocolate Rye, CaraVienna Malt Hops: Hallertau Adjunct: Belgian Milk Chocolate, Belgian Dark Chocolate, Milk Sugar The Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout continues to top the list year after year. I'm just a sucker for chocolatey, creamy, smooth stouts I guess. Full bodied, and full of chocolate, this stout goes especially well with a slice of the Mountain Sun's Carrot Cake! |
| Mountain Sun | Trickster Stout | On Tap | 6.7% |
Hoppy American Stout. HopHeads needn't worry that their
beloved will be supplanted by Stout Month. We loaded this one
with Simcoe and Summit hops for a pine and citrus character that
is atypical of stout. How does it work for you? Malt: Domestic Pale 2-row, TBA Hops: Horizon, Simcoe, Summit Trickster, indeed! If you closed your eyes and took a whiff of this one, the strong floral hoppiness would cause visions of a pale, golden IPA to dance in your head. Open your eyes and... Whoa! It's a stout?! After a few swallows, the only sign that it is a stout (aside from a tiny hint of burnt/roasty character) is the dark color. Hops and bitters prevail in this brew. For a stout, I'd say it only merits one star, but for uniqueness, and to appease the diehard hopheads, I'll give it two. |
| Mountain Sun | Old School Irish Stout | On Nitro | 5.6% |
Dry Irish Stout. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the
simplicity of this Classic Stout! It has an alluring malt profile
based on domestic 2 row and roasted barley. Flaked barley is
added to increase body, sweetness, and head retention. A very
meager East Kent Goldings hop addition of was added at the
beginning of boil. The hops merely balance this beer rather than
dominating as in many of our other beers. Malt: Domestic Pale 2-row, Roasted Barley, Flaked Barley Hops: East Kent Golding This stout draws you in with a faint and comforting GUINNESS-esque aroma. The first taste leaves a distinctly burnt, but smooth, first impression. As the comparatively thinner head dissipates, further swallows offer up hints of coffee and barley. Ye Old School Stout is fairly bursting with flavor compared to it's Dry Irish Brethren. A hearty and solid stout for sure. A thicker, more persistent head would easily bump this stout to 3 stars. |
| Mountain Sun Winning Homebrew Recipe! |
Boggs' Coconut Cream Stout | On Tap | 5.25% |
Silky Milk Stout with Toasted Coconut. Co-Champion of our
first ever Stout Month homebrew competition; this stout is very
delicate, yet adamantly coconutty. Boulder native Adam Boggs wowed
us with his conglomeration of aroma and flavor: roasted barley is
balanced by lactose, coconut and vanilla. Malt: Domestic Pale 2-row, Wheat Malt, Crystal 120L, Chocolate Malt, Black Patent, Roasted Barley, Flaked Wheat, Carafa 3 Hops: Fuggle Holy Coconut, Batman! This amazingly smooth stout smells just like a fresh coconut macaroon. The coconut on the tongue is a bit more subtle, and extremely pleasing. The combination of the coconut and vanilla perfectly complement the deep chocolate undertones and make this stout a delectable tropical treat without a single hint of the bitterness present in most stouts! I've always been a huge fan of the sweeter, dessert-style, stouts, and the Coconut Cream Stout is no exception. It delivers! With an uber-thick, but darker and grainier head than the Belgian Dip, Boggs' dreamy concoction was absolutely made for the Nitro Tap. The head is so persistent that it takes 3 pours to deliver this pint of perfection. Thank you, Adam Boggs, for this incredible brew! Now, if only there weren't so many other stouts to try, I could just stick to this one for the rest of the month... |
| Mountain Sun Winning Homebrew Recipe! |
Stoked Oak Bourbon Stout | Gone already! | 7.2% |
Smokey Oak/Vanilla Bourbon Stout. Equally deserved Co-Champion
Scott Overdorf masterfully balanced numerous malts, vanilla, and
oak to create an intriguing barrel aged flavor. Malt: Domestic Pale 2-row, Munich, Honey Malt, Crystal 40L, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Special B, Smoked Malt, CaraPils, Wheat Malt Hops: Perle, Fuggle Adjunct: Toasted Oak Chips, Pure Vanilla Extract Deep, bitter, and smooth Vanilla with an initially thick, incredibly fine, but quickly dissipating head. The Stoked Oak is Oaky and Bourbony on the nose, with a distinct vanilla flavor reminiscent of Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter. Thick, hearty, and satisfying enough for the burly man, yet sweet and smooth enough for the ladies. The burnt, oaky and roasted tones develop even further as you drain your pint. On the nitro tap, this stout is as good as it gets! |
| Mountain Sun | Tangerine Cream Stout | On Tap | 4.7% |
Korova Cream with Tangerine Zest Malt: Marris Otter English Pale, Munich Malt, 120L Crystal Malt, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt, Victory Malt, CaraPils Malt, Roasted Barley Hops: Fuggle Exactly as described: Korova with Tangerine Zest. It goes down just like the Korova, but with a distinct and pleasant orange peel aftertaste. A very nice addition to the fruity stouts. |
| Mountain Sun | The Ladies' Man Stout | On Tap | ? % |
Chocolate, rose petals, honey, cognac This ain't no IPA... This ain't no
Lager... Mmmmm, Hmmmm, this is a Looooovely Stout! |
| Mountain Sun | Thunderhead Stout | Off Tap | 7.3% |
Robust American Stout. The ThunderHead is our standby for
stout. It's good and dark, has a full body, plenty of alcohol,
and hops too! You may enjoy the depth of flavor in its malt
sweetness, roastiness, hop bitterness, and alcohol kick. Malt: Marris Otter English Pale, Munich Malt, Bonlander Munich Malt, Flaked Oats, Rye Malt, 80L Crystal Malt, Black Barley, Roasted Barley Hops: Chinook, Liberty
| Mountain Sun | Cherry Dip Stout | Off Tap | 6.9% |
Sweet Cherry Belgian Dip. For a romantic Valentine's twist, we
added 125 pounds of sweet cherry puree to a batch of Belgian Dip.
The fruit really adds to the lusciousness! Specs: Same as Belgian Dip except for added cherry puree. This year's Cherry Dip had unusually palatable sour cherry notes. Very nice, but it's nearly impossible to improve upon the perfection that is the Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout! |
| Mountain Sun | Yonder Mountain Stout | Off Tap | 7.4% |
Robust American Stout. Yonder Stout is an adaptation of the
ThunderHead. You may notice the similarities in the grain bill.
It was originally brewed to honor our friends in the Yonder
Mountain String Band. We're sure that the beer has been pivotal
in their success as JamGrass Gods. Look for it whenever Yonder's
in town, or during our February Stout Month. Malt: Marris Otter English Pale, Munich Malt, Bonlander Munich Malt, Flaked Oats, Ashburne Mild Malt, 120L Crystal Malt, Black Barley, Brown Malt, Chocolate Rye Hops: Chinook, Fuggle Big, bold and earthy. Powerful in character and chewy in body. The Yonder Mountain Stout is a manly man's stout. Dark and rich notes of Anise balance the slightly hoppy bitterness. Bitter in the mouth, yet finishes dry and crisp leaving a pleasantly sweet aftertaste on the lips! Oh yeah, and this is one of the few stouts that you can get a growler of to enjoy at the office, er... I mean, at home... |
| Mountain Sun | Usurper Russian Imperial Stout | Off Tap | 9.8% |
Russian Imperial Stout. This is the GrandDaddy of all our
beers. While we're not trying to break any records with alcohol
content, this one approaches ten percent! It uses so much malt,
that we split it into two mashes... And you can taste it! There
may be "no disputin' 'Putin", but we're proud to offer the Usurper
as our interpretation of the style. Here's what "they" say somewhere on the Internet: Brown-hued ebony. Dense slow-rising beige bubbles establish a compact ring of foam. Expressive chocolate mousse, molasses, black licorice, tar, and earthy hop aromas. Light note of diacetyl and blackberries. Soothingly rich inundation of burnt fudge and supple mousse greets the palate. Massive char collides with bitter hop oils and deep-rooted complementary caramel suggestions. With the exception of some dried plums which gently poke through, the richness far outweighs the fruitiness. Savory blend of gritty roast and dry char perfectly cuts the sweetness, as does the earthy hop bitterness. Despite the resounding char, no acridness is discernable. Intense culmination of flavors late in the stage, as it finishes chewy with a profusion of tar and black licorice which are balanced by dryish notes of espresso, seared malts, and chocolate truffles... overall this is delightfully unruly. Should develop nicely over the next couple years should they decide to age a few barrels. Malt: Domestic 2-Row Pale, Marris Otter English Pale, Munich Malt, Wheat Malt, Rye Malt, Flaked Barley, Flaked Oats, Extra Dark Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt, Black Barley, Black Malt, Roasted Barley Hops: Brewers' Gold, Target, Northern Brewer, Fuggle Adjunct: Dark Brown Sugar This immensely complex stout has a thin, dark brown head, and smells like freshly picked flowers planted in charcoal. It has a licorice and roasted raisiny mouthfeel, with an immediate, dark, malty alcohol warming of the throat and cheeks. Lingering, persistent "bitterness" that lacks a proper descriptive adjective - burnt, roasted, blackness... Imperialness. This Imperial Stout is a perfect finisher. Fondly nicknamed "The U-Sipper" - enjoy this beast s l o w l y ! |
| Boulder Beer, Boulder, CO | Obovoid Empirical Stout | On Tap. | 6.8% |
What in the world is an obovoid? Obovoid: An ovoid with the
broad end toward the apex. And why an "empirical" stout?
Emperical: Relying on experience or observation alone often
without due regard for system and theory. Empirical evidence has shown the brewers at Boulder Beer Company that beer fans across the country are going to love Obovoid Emperical Stout, an oak-aged oatmeal stout as dark in color as deep space. Aging Obovoid on oak adds an earthy character to the roasted notes and bittersweet chocolate finish derived from the black and chocolate malts. Obovoid has a rich mouthfeel and pours a creamy, off-white color head. This stout starts off with a thick, but surprisingly light (texture, not color) head. Cinnamon and hops on the nose give the false impression that this will be a light stout, but it certainly isn't. Heavy, rich, earthy and bold but not too bitter. This is a thick and strong stout - it won't take many of these to fall under the rule of the Obovoid Empire. |
| Pumphouse Brewery, CO | Backdraft "Double Oak" Imperial Stout | On Tap | 8.6% |
Brewer Dave Mentus, (another Sun alum), has been plying us
with award winning Imperial Stout for years: Only 1 keg made for Mountain Sun Stout Month. Full bodied with malty notes of raisin, caramel and coconut. Aged on American and French Oak This rich and sumptuous stout departs from the traditional burnt and char of its brethren imperials. Instead, it is as sweet and raisiny as a fine Port, and if I didn't know better, would have guessed an even higher alcohol content! A thin, unpretentious head disguises this bold and majestic Imperial Stout that bursts with oaky overtones and sweet raisins, perfectly balanced by a dry, but lingering finish. Sweet and dry - a splendidly unexpected combination! |
| Twisted Pine Brewery, Boulder, CO | Big Daddy Espresso Stout | On Tap | 5.7% |
Twisted Pine continues to be a great presence in our tightly
knit brewing community. Bob Baile must be the hardest working man
in the brew business, and Billy Phillips has been a fixture at the
Walnut St brewery since the Oasis days. We owe them a debt of
gratitude for helping to make Stout Month happen! Twisted Bob explains their award winning Coffee Stout: A favorite of many coffee-loving beer drinkers, Big Daddy Espresso Stout boasts about a shot of espresso in every pint. Twisted Pine teamed up with popular Amante Coffee in Boulder to produce what Amante co-owner and founder Greg Buchheister calls "the most perfectly balanced buzz." The earthy, dark chocolate flavors of the Amante Espresso lend to the flawless balance of the beer. 2006 World Beer Cup: Silver Medal Winner (Coffee Beer) This highly carbonated, odorless stout has a course light brown head. It is absolutely bursting with coffee flavor, and coffee drinkers would probably find this an adequate breakfast substitute. The Java Porter is a touch smoother, but the Big Daddy delivers the caffeine with wonderful burnt caramel undertones. This beer could gain a star just by being moved to a Nitro Tap. |
| Stone Brewery, CA | 2006 Russian Imperial Stout | On Tap | 10.8% |
Brewed in the authentic historical style of an Imperial
Russian Stout, this beer is massive. Intensely aromatic (notes of
anise, black currants, cofee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on
the palate, this brew goes where few can - and fewer dare even
try. Siberian crude? Not too fragrant. Dark, fine head. Very light on the nose, but absolutely incredible in the mouth! Dark touches of caramel and toffee with a touch of raisins and dates give this stout a slight sweetness that is perfectly balanced by the immediate alcohol presence. Thick caramel and mellow sweetness with a bitter and lingering finish, it will be hard to drink more than 1 of these. |
| Anderson Valley, Boonville, CA | Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout | Off Tap | 5.7% |
The brewery's website proclaims: "Barney Flats
Oatmeal Stout is a brew beyond words that must be experienced for
a true appreciation of its complexity. This full-bodied, creamy,
sweet stout is like no other! With its deep, dark brown-black
color, thick, full-bodied, velvety-smooth mouth feel, mocha
character, and, strong yet subtle hop bite, Barney Flats Oatmeal
Stout is one of the thickest, richest, and most complex stouts on
the market today." |
| Avery Brewing, CO | The Czar 2005, 2006, 2007 | Off Tap |
11% |
With this and their other decadent brews, Avery has helped to
put Boulder on the International Beer Map. It has become a
tradition of ours to save one keg of Czar each year for subsequent
Stout Months. We feel that the beer really benefits from time in
the keg. See below for Avery's description: "Behold the stunning crimson hues through the inky blackness. Inhale the noble Hallertau hops, spicy and floral. Savor the flavors redolent of English toffee, rich mocha, sweet molasses, candied currants and a hint of anise. We highly recommend cellaring additional bottles, as the Czar will continue to mature and become denser and more complex with age" Malt:Two-row barley, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt, Carafa III, Cara 8, Cara 45, Honey Malt Hops:Magnum, German Hallertau This year, I missed out on the side by side tasting of the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Czars. Without even a taste, I can guarantee that this would have been a 4-star experience! |
| Oskar Blues Brewery, Lyonds, CO | 10 Fidy Imperial Stout | Off Tap | 10.5% |
A new beer from the oldest brewery in Lyons. This imperial
stout has been aged for a month in an oak barrel from Stranahan's
(the oldest distillery in Denver). Former Sun brewer Dave
Chichura has taken Dale's Pale to new heights. Somehow, he has
also managed to squeeze in a few specialties like the 10 Fidy.
Oskar's website explains, "Ten FIDY Imperial stout is a titanic
wonder of a stout, immensely viscous, and loaded with neck-deep
flavors of chocolate, malt, coffee, cocoa and oats. It's the beer
equivalent of decadently rich milkshake made with Whoppers
malted-milk balls and Heaven's best chocolate ice cream." |
| Deschutes Brewery, OR | Obsidian Stout | Off Tap | 6.7% |
Smooth and black, like the volcanic rock, Obsidian Stout is a solid, satisfying beer with a rich roasted malt finish. |
| Great Divide Brewing, CO | Oak-aged Yeti Imperial Stout | Off Tap | 9.5% |
Aging on a blend of French and toasted oak chips infuses a
subtle oak and vanilla character into Yeti's already intense
chocolate, roasted coffee malt flavor and hugely assertive hop
profile.
I was thinking a few weeks ago that this would be quite a worthy addition to Stout Month, and... Voila! It's now on tap!!! Heavy and thick like 10w40, this is a highly viscous stout that sticks to the sides of your glass and your mouth! Chocolatey with a long lingering bitterness. Oakey, woody, and earthy, the burnt and roasted flavor is fulfilling with just a sip. In the mood for 1 and only 1 stout? Better get this one. Without a doubt, 3 climbingboulder stars. |
| Dogfish Head Brewery, DE | Chicory Stout | Off Tap | 5.2% |
A dark beer made with roasted chicory coffee, St. Johns Wort
and licorice root. This is a creamy, roasty, dry stout with a
hint of chocolate. Two years ago, I gave this stout the bomb, and the year before that only 1 star. It's hard to put my finger on what I dislike about this beer, but its excessive carbonation masks all the (alleged) chicory and licorice hints and leaves you wishing you were drinking something different. I love the imperial IPAs brewed by Dogfish Head, so it's with regret and disappointment that I'm going to quit trying this one if it shows up again next year. |
| Young's Brewery, England | Double Chocolate Stout | Gone! | 5.2% |
This is one of the all time most popular Stout Month guests.
As of this printing, the kegs are lost at sea. May Poseidon guide
them home to our waiting gullets. "Young's Double Chocolate Stout has an intriguing twist. Chocolate malt and real dark chocolate are combined with Young's award winning rich, full flavoured dark beer to craft a satisfyingly indulgent, but never overly sweet experience." Malt: Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt Hops: Fuggle, Kent Goldings Adjunct: "a Special Blend of Sugars", Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Essence Smooth as silk. Sweet, creamy and dreamy. The Young's imparts chocolate like no other. A personal favourite. (Gratuitous British spelling) |
Stout Evaluations:
These are the evaluations given by me (obviously, it's my
website - can you tell I like chocolate and imperial stouts?). They are extremely subjective, and are dependent upon the
day of the week, my BAC, the situation in Chechnya, and other
intangibles. In other words, you may completely disagree. If you do,
great - more of the better stouts left for me to drink! Untapped
stouts that are rated I've tried someplace else or at prior
stoutmonths, and their ratings are subject to change without
notice. Stouts without stars (or bombs) I have not yet tried.
- 4 stars
Stoutpendous! I could live off of this stout. Everytime I have one,
I'm torn between ordering another and trying something else. It's so
incredibly delicious and smooth that orgasmic sounds often escape my
lips as I sip from the chalice of perfection.
- 3 stars
This stout is great. It's one of the stouts that makes you smile as
you take the very first sip. The flavor and smoothness of the dark
liquid are factors also. It's a stout that, when you're done, you say
excitedly to your friends, "That was frickin' awesome! You're gonna
love it." You look forward to drinking it again.
- 2 stars
A pretty nice stout. You wouldn't mind drinking the stout again after
you've tried the others.
- 1 star
Nothing to write home about. You're happy you drank the stout, and
enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't order it again given all the other
choices.
- Bomb
This stout was a waste of time; it just plain sucked. It shouldn't
even qualify as a stout. The lack of flavor and body put this stout on
par with lesser beers. Not many stouts get this rating; when one
does, you probably shouldn't bother even trying it.
- Untasted
This stout has never been on tap at The Mountain Sun before (at least
in the last 5 or so years), and as such, I haven't had the pleasure of tasting it.