Black Magic Stout
Left Coast Brewing Company

Black Magic StoutBlack Magic Stout
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From:
Left Coast Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Stout
ABV:
6.7%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.89 | pDev: 12.6%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
49
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 26, 2020
Added:
Oct 06, 2007
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.39/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Wondering what the difference between this and the Oggi's version is. Seems the same.

Anyways, drank December 27, 2015, pours black with brown head. The smell is metallic heavily roasted grain.

Taste is all roast, heavy bitterness, still metallic, but not as bad as I feared from the nose. With the heavily roasted barley you get that coffee note from the roast sensation. Drinks bigger than a 6.7% abv. Significant bittering hops, but also some of those dark fruit notes you expect out of a Russian Imperial Stout moreso than this. This beer is all about massively roasted barley. Brings a little scorched earth to barley.

Haven't seen these in awhile, could be the lack of travel down south, could be the bomber format obselescence. Who knows. Legit surprised the beer is rated so high here. Thought it was only the YUGE barrel aged pastry stouts that had grade inflation. There are no 'off' flavors here, just a few that could have been tempered for a better experience.
May 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by wrightst from Maryland

Aug 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by sharkdigital from California

Mar 27, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by JeffSuttonTX from Texas

Mar 10, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Feb 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by acurtis from New Jersey

Dec 30, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by beerpadawan from California

Aug 27, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by BugTownPub from Pennsylvania

Mar 01, 2012
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
So I was wondering what my 1,000 beer should be and since this is the only stout I currently have I am going for it!

PS: I love stouts

A - Wow nice body especially for a non-imperial. Pitch black with only a slight glimmer of ruby red at the base and a 1/2 inch of nice mocha head.

S - Smell is of light roast, some cocoa, and toasted barley. Roast is surprisingly aggressive.

T - Anise is the first thing I picked out which is quickly covered by roast. Repeated sips introduce some chocolate flavors and a touch of molasses. The herbal like hops are kind of distracting but not bitter enough to cover any flavors.

M - Medium bodied and tasty.

Overall I picked this one up at the House of 1,000 beers for around 5.75 and will assume it's a touch old (since it was 20% off so at least 4 months) but the hops are earthy and balanced with the flavors. Doubt I will have it again but it's a nice stout overall.
Feb 07, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by Fermenticusrex from Pennsylvania

Jan 02, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by rhino54 from California

Nov 27, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by PunkFloyd from California

Nov 24, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by wattershed from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got this at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam.

From a bomber into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Black and thicker pour yields a 2+ finger, medium thick, tan head with pretty good retention. Jet black body with zero carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a good foam cap and clings to the sides of the glass. A ring remains to the end and leaves some good lacing down the glass. Looks good, and much bigger than a regular stout. A thicker, blacker pour than many imperial stouts.

SMELL: Big nose on this one. Roasted barley, dark chocolate and coffee notes. Mostly roasted malt and coffee, but bold and commanding. A touch of black licorice in there as well.

TASTE: Different than the nose. Roasted malts, sweet caramel malt, toffee, and notes of dark chocolate and coffee at the finish. Big, bolder aftertaste of sweet toffee, roasted malt and bitter coffee lingers nicely. Sweeter than the nose had suggested, though very flavorful and enjoyable. Again, bigger than the ABV would suggest.

PALATE: Medium body and carbonation. Semi creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes with a bit of a scratch at the back of the throat. A little too much heat for 6.7%, though the rest of the beer is bigger than that, so why not this as well. Finishes rather mouth-coating.

OVERALL: This was a very pleasant surprise. I would have pegged this at 8%+ if I hadn't known better. Looked like an imperial stout, and had lots of nice aroma and flavor for a less than 7% stout. A little too much heat for the style, but hey, if the rest of the beer suffers from Napoleon complex, might as well take the feel along for the ride. If you want a stout with a kick but without the ABV, then this is a good choice. Recommended.
Feb 14, 2011
Photo of Bizz88
Reviewed by Bizz88 from Colorado

3.97/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured as black as night with a fast fading finger sized tan head with zilch point shit for lace, oh well. Aromas of dark robust coffee, semi-sweet chocolate and roasted malts. On the palate I found this much as to its aroma. Was a little lighter than expected for the style with good carbonation. A solid none the less brew.
Dec 06, 2010
Photo of Haybeerman
Reviewed by Haybeerman from Colorado

4.29/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Dark brown, almost black; no light comes through, even on the edges. Pored < 1/2 finger chocolate-colored head that dissipated quickly to a skim around the edge. Laced in intermittent wavy rings.

S: Roasted bitter coffee, dark chocolate and burnt toast. Light, floral hop character; also earth and hay.

T: Very consistent with the nose; roasted bitter coffee, dark chocolate and burnt toast. Some alcohol presence coupled with an even, balancing bitter.

M: Medium body. Low carbonation. Smooth, rich and creamy.

D: Lots of stout malt flavor with some hop character...yet nicely balanced. I really liked this beer.
Nov 09, 2010
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a pitch black hue into my Sierra Nevada hop tulip pint glass. Large thicket of dark tan head with a scattered fine laced pattern forming between sips. Aroma dark roasted malt layers combine with a touch of herbal anise tones. Dark chocolate and dark roasted coffee nearly burnt tones. Flavor has a bit of caramel, anise, and dark fruit tones with a bright herbal back ground infused hop character. Dark chocolate dry finish with hints of dark roasted coffee. Mouthfeel is big medium to full bodied stout with even soft carbonation, creamy textured for the most part. Drinkability is solid a nice big west coast style export ale, crazy brew big bold flavors from the Oggi chain out West this is quality.
Oct 15, 2010
Photo of Schmittymack
Reviewed by Schmittymack from Colorado

3.45/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Had this tonight at my watering hole, Old Chi's Westy. Poured from 22 oz bottle after I'd warmed it a bit into a warm shaker glass. Poured pretty black with no lacing to speak of. Roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate on the nose; taste was coffee and chocolate with vry little bitterness. Mouthfeel was rather thin for a stout. Good effort but doubt I'd seek this out again.
Oct 07, 2010
Photo of srandycarter
Reviewed by srandycarter from California

3.91/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Near pitch black, not much head, some spotty lace.

S - CC cookies. Nice. Comforting. Raw cocoa there too.

T - Not as impressive. Cocoa there, but very simple overall.

M - Light carb, med body, just not that impressive.

D - Not a bad beer. Not stellar, but definitely drinkable.
Aug 05, 2010
Photo of Bajasith
Reviewed by Bajasith from California

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Aquired from a friend since I could not find Left Coast brews here...
A: Solid dark brown to almost flat black with a thin tan pancake head that later faded...
S: Coffee is predominant with a slight whiff of chocolate present.
T: Bitter chocolate and roasted coffee with a slight creamy feel.
M: Creamy mixed in with slight cabonation and mild sweetness detected at the end. Blends well with the alcohol.
D: Very drinkable... next time I will definitely pair it with a slice of cheesecake. I am sure both will compliment very well making this stout very enjoyable.
Mar 21, 2010
Black Magic Stout from Left Coast Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 49 ratings