Old #38 Stout - North Coast Brewing Co.

MeowTom

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Awesome, poor's a black with maybe a slight amber color reflecting from the light in the room. Nice huge head that is a dark mocha cream color.

S- Great barley smell.

T- Wonderful malty flavor with the chocolate notes.

M- Medium full body with a creamy head that compliments the body wonderful.

O- This is a terrific stout that just has everything I look for when I want a simple wonderfully produced stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 17:49:21 | More by MeowTom

pschul4

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a very nice dark black with no hues around the edges. Lacing is better than I was expecting

S- Roasted malts and some chocolate. Not a ton going on but I like whats there

T- Lots of tasty malts and chocolate notes hitting the right spots along with a decent alcohol backbone that cleans everything up without being overbearing.

M- Nice and smooth. A winner in this catagory

O- Really enjoying this one and it cured my stout fix without having to crack open one of the yetis or IRSs I've been trying to age

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 05:20:57 | More by pschul4

Josiah2729

Tennessee

3.85/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into pint glass.

Appearance: Dark black with half a finger of creamy tan head that dissipates fairly quickly, decent lacing.

Smell: Dark roasted malt, some coffee, slight hoppiness.

Taste: Dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, a hint of bitterness from the hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium thickness, slight carbonation, somewhat of a creamy texture.

Overall: Delicious stout, I will try again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 15:48:43 | More by Josiah2729

chinchill

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

undated 12 oz bottle served in a Porter Bar goblet.

A: Pours with a well-proportioned, creamy tan head. The liquid pours dark brown and somewhat clear, but is essentially opaque and nearly black in the glass. As the head settles, the glass gets partially coated with sticky lace.

S: The nose features dark roasted grains, of course, but also has a considerable note of spicy hops, as well as hints of toffee and vanilla.

T: Fine dark roasted malt flavor, with no burnt elements. The hops are way less evident in the flavor but a great sweet/bitter balance is obtained. Hints of chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and vanilla, with some hop spiciness coming through.

M: full body, and very creamy, with an excellent level of carbonation. An inevitable warming from the high ABV. [4.25]

O: an exceptional stout; well worth seeking out. [4.25]

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 21:54:27 | More by chinchill

bmwats

Louisiana

3.63/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

A: Black with a lot of carbonation. Pours about a finger and a half, foamy, brown head. Disintegrates fairly slowly and unevenly leaving only a slight beer ring. No real lacing.

S: Woody chocolate, with hefty floral tones, and honey.

T: Woody, with unsweetened chocolate, and a bit of a hop bite.

M: Full, hearty body, with the washed-out feel often characteristic of the style. Pretty heavy on the palette, though.

D: Sip and enjoy.... it's kind of thick.

Atmosphere is pretty solid. Dark body, heavy carbonation, thick foamy head. Nose is chocolaty and floral malt goodness with some sweet tones. Woody body, with a chocolaty flavor and hop bite.... well done. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 03:08:27 | More by bmwats

schoolboy

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Here comes a good old fashioned stout taste. The raostiness was the first thing that hit me. Nice. Overall, this is a very "sessionable" stout. It reminds me of how a stout should taste plus a little smoke.

It's pretty average looking (black), with some lace and weak head in my conditions. But the taste is good. I would buy again if I were seeking a drinkable stout with a smokey flavor. Nice.I said that twice so it must be so.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 18:55:23 | More by schoolboy

IllNate

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown with red highlights. Thick frothy tan head. Great looking poor, except a bit light on color. Dark roast with rich malt, hints of coffee and licorice. Taste follow with darkly roasted malt and a lightly burnt tones, again coffee and licorice. Nice and dry with a good amount of bitterness, nice drinker. Hop character is earthy and at times piney, but the malt dominates. Mouthfeel is smooth and the bittering is near perfect. Overall a very fine stout, full bodied, yet dry.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 01:33:27 | More by IllNate

TheSixthRing

California

3.68/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a near black, with cola brown edging. Head is a little over finger width, good retention, with an average lace.

Smell - Strong coffee aromas, backed by a strong, bittersweet hop.

Taste - Roasted malt body. Predominantly coffee, with notes of mocha. Hops are classically european and dry.

Mouthfeel - Medium body, smooth and creamy. Finish is a touch on the dry side.

Overall - Solid irish dry. Reminiscent of Guinness Extra Stout, but a touch smoother. Good, but nothing necessarily original.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 07:55:36 | More by TheSixthRing

McNealc31

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring as black as the coal that likely fueled engine No. 38, this stout from North Coast offers quite the inviting aroma, as well. Overflowing with caramel, currants, and raisins. Very smooth on the palate and a bit sweeter than expected as there is a flavor of burnt marshmallows. The hops come in late and are not particularly strong, but just enough to cut the sweetness before it gets cloying. Charred woods comes to the forefront as it warms. The dry finish also becomes more noticeable.

Overall, another very impressive brew from North Coast. It takes a bit to get used to all the fruit notes, but the charred and toasted character along with peppery hops lead to a very nice balance. Pick this up when you find it!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 23:51:02 | More by McNealc31

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-black with a thin tan head that fades to nothing

S-oh i've come across this smell before. it smells like vomit, much like victory storm king can smell. has a hint of chocolate.

T-oh thankfully there's no vomit in the taste. comes in with a great burnt dark roasted grains taste. its actually of pretty good quality. has a good semi bitter coffee taste to it.

M-medium carbonation with a pretty dry finish

O-this is actually a decent and full flavored stout. the smell turned me off at first but the taste really made up for it. i wouldn't mind having this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 20:55:48 | More by AdamBear

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a beer mug.

A: Pours a very dark brown color. The head is a three finger tan color with good retention and lacing. It doesn't have the beauty of Guinness, but as the old saying goes, looks ain't everything...

S: I really like the subtle chocolate notes this give off, but I also smell a light fruitiness from the esters alongside the typical roast. Not much coffee on the nose, but still a good smell.

T: This has a bit of a milk stout vibe to it, with its lactic twang and light milk chocolate notes intertwining with its roasty base. Just like in the smell, this could use a little more coffee. The back end of the flavor profile sees hints of fruitiness pop up. Not insanely complex, but well balanced and very likable.

M: Light-medium body, with subtle dryness on the finish and medium carbonation. Mild astringency give a pleasant tingling on the tongue, without going overboard.

O: Looking back on it, I regret not buying a six pack of this. Impressive stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 02:06:39 | More by ThisWangsChung

mactrail

California

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

So this must be why we have nitro. About the best nitro-fuelled beer I've had. The usual creamy body but with a perfect cap of foam. The black beer looks great in the standard pint glass. Texture and flavor are both like chocolate cake, but not sweet. Roasted malt in the nose. Pleasant warmth, a little bit of hops, some caramel hint.

What's not to like about this? A beer made for swilling. This should make the Irish take another critical look at their Beamish Stout. Not as sour and charred as the Irish cousins. On the nitro tap at South Park Abbey in San Diego.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-07-2012 05:53:12 | More by mactrail

smakawhat

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured on nitro tap, into a labelled Old #38 Stout shaker pint glass at Matchbox pizza. (I think the head was a little too large but I wont split hairs...)

Classic creamy head, very light tan in appearance. There's some noticeable large soda like bubbles on the side of the glass but not too many, maybe even some cola carbonation strangely. Classic dark walnut brown, and lots of thick lacing of course for nitro.

Very impressive nose, a fruity quality of red berry, cherry, reminds me of Barney Flats, even a hint of sourness that is just playful but not overbearing or disturbing.

Taste matches the nose on the palate nicely. Milk chocolate with a silky classic nitro texture, hinting at some light bodied wetness for a typical Irish Dry. Afterfinish hits with a taste of just light carbon, maybe even some decent coffee.

Overall real solid, and really like this slight fruit angle to this stout. Great stuff!

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-06-2012 00:28:02 | More by smakawhat

Murrhey

Montana

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

A- Two finger white head astride a black settling body. Dry stout, nice looking.

S- Dry dark malts, some chocolate sweetness.

T- Roast malts, chocolate, caramel and light mocha notes.

M- Smooth and full bodied. Kind of light and dry.

O- Opens up as it warms up. Yummy.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 18:22:53 | More by Murrhey

JamesS

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very nice deep brown/black with wonderful head and great lacing. Very nice deep scent, nice roastiness and quite a bit sweet maltiness. Very nice flavors with a nice roastiness, good earthy finish, but perhaps a bit much on the malt sweetness and just a bit not-enough-dry. Still goes down smooth and is a very nice Irish dry stout... just not as good as the guy at Big Red told me it would be.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 00:33:36 | More by JamesS

jeremy13586

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very dark beer with a lite tan one finger head. Dissipated pretty quickly and didn't leave any lacing. Nice layer of bubbles settled on top.

Very big aroma of roasted malt with some chocolate and coffee and a bit of smoke. Also smells of some sweet dark bread.

A whole lot of malt with some nice bitter hops to even it out. It does finish with a bit of astringency.

Medium bodied with a very smooth carbonation.

A very drinkable brew, but I did find myself a bit disappointed. The nose led on that there would be more to the flavor, but I just didn't find it. I'd still probably try it again in the future, but I have some more interesting beers in the queue that Id rather get to first.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 19:21:48 | More by jeremy13586

rufusb

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

another great beer from North Coast. a lot to think about with this one. Dark in appearance, pours think with about an inch of dark khaki foam. Smell has strong aromas of roasted coffee, chocolate...a definite smokiness to this beer.
Taste is complex. The roasted flavors come through. Has a bit of a acidic bite to it in the after taste. Finish is not as clean as I normally enjoy. Very good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 17:41:29 | More by rufusb

tdm168

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep, dark black with a half of an inch of brown head that has good retention. The nose is roasty with a hint of chocolate and yeast. The taste is roasty, chocolaty, charcoally, burnt, and mildly yeasty. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, smooth, and has little carbonation.

This is a smooth drinking, refreshing Irish Dry Stout. Everything about this beer is traditional. I would have this again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 02:45:59 | More by tdm168

dexterk1

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours from bottle to glass with a good head and a dark black color.
Odor is of malt, toffee and coffee.
Taste is pretty darn good overall. Malt is upfront along with some coffee. Some hops near the end.
Mouth feel is a little creamy at the beginning. Stays with you and coats your tongue pretty well.
Overall it is a good stout. Old 38 has many reasons to try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 23:12:04 | More by dexterk1

scratch69

Missouri

2.73/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Dark brown with ruby highlights. A half a fingers worth of light tan head and little lacing.

Smell- Boozy with a hint of malt.

Taste- Light taste of hops with a slight boozy flavor.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and crisp. Good amount of carbonation.

Overall- Not good. I was hoping for better after I saw the BA score, but I was really disappointed once I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 20:43:45 | More by scratch69

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A very dark brown stout with a thin tan head. No lacing.

S - Molasses, brown sugar, elderberried licorice, burnt marshmallows - a nice aroma.

T - Slightly sweet. A bit of molasses and smoke round it out. Not a lot of action, but it is nice. Aftertaste is a very mild smokiness with a bit of an earthy edge.

M - A little harsher than most stouts I've had, medium to thin bodied, somewhat refreshing.

D - The smell alone makes this worth trying. It is a very solid stout with enough action to turn a "Guinness-is-the-greatest-beer-ever" type to craft.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 01:29:47 | More by mrasskicktastic

acevenom

Louisiana

4.48/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown with an abundant two-finger length brown head. Holding the glass up to the light reveals a dark amber color around the edges of the glass. There's a sweet aroma. I pick up roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee. The flavor is well balanced with the sweet roasted malts and the bitterness of the hops. I can taste the flavor of chocolate and coffee. The finish is dry and carbonation is plentiful enough to aid in lightening the medium body. Each sip is very enjoyable and lacing is present on the glass. This is a very crisp stout that leaves me craving more. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 00:56:43 | More by acevenom

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - poured a thick dark black with a nice amount of dark tan head, leaving behind lots of lacing.

S - malty, slightly boozy/sugary (almost a hint of rum), hints of fruit

T - very light in taste surprisingly. bitter hops, sweet malts.. very well balanced

M - very crisp stout (just looked at the description and it's a dry stout so that makes sense). nicely carbonated

O - not a bad stout, my 2nd review for an irish dry stout, and it's not as good as black sun, but it's still pretty awesome in its own way.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 16:00:57 | More by facundoCNB

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a really standard product, as normal as a bottle of stout can be, but it is well made and very drinkable. pours coffee colored dark brown, letting just a hint of light in, fair off white head that fades out. smells nice and roasty. flavor is well balanced and tastes stronger than it is. pretty dry finish as well. mouthfeel is good, full bodied but not filling and heavy. just enough carbonation, crisp for a stout. overall not something id rush to buy again, but a stout i am happy to drink anytime.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 19:18:17 | More by StonedTrippin

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought a single bottle of this as part of a M&M 6-pack from Binny’s in Downer’s Grove, IL for $9.99 in Early 2012.

Pours a very dark brown/black color with a slight brown head. Scent is wonderful with robust malts, sweet milk, cocoa, and coffee. Smooth and very drinkable taste with erupting flavors. Sweet flavors first that finish with a dry after taste. A great pick up and an even better stout. Would love to drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 05:14:37 | More by Lemke10