Stir Stick Stout - Half Pints Brewing Company

smakawhat

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass. Caramel wax on bottle.

A very dark walnut black/brown body, some see thru quality around the head. Head is a uniform nice tan color, good collared lacing. Real nice.

Good sweet and milky coffee nose. Simple creamy and sweet front, light roasty body. Simple and solid. Perhaps some dark bitter chocolate.

Bitter action of hop first, a sense of astringency with coffee angle being burried slightly. Roasty action on the finish. Light bodied coffee angle, feels more coffee than beer in the mouthfeel, but a little fizzy.

Overall a simple solid coffee beer, quite light in feel even for its character.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 20:55:55 | More by smakawhat

cambabeer

Florida

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Yeah, this is good, and worth buying. Dark color with a head to match. Smell is bitter and full of coffee. Somewhat grassy as well. The taste is just like a coffee punch to the face. The hops come out to deliver a crispness. Toasty and smooth. This beer actually surprised me at how good it was. Nothing for the record books, but a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 07:16:06 | More by cambabeer

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into tulip

A- Super dark black/brown pour with a finger width dark beige head that drops to a thin cap relatively quickly leaving spotty lacing and a thin cap.

S- Copious amounts of dark heavily roasted black coffee, dark bitter chocolate and slight brown sugar with a touch of vanilla.

T- Coffee and more coffee, the sweetness doesn't translate to the taste and this is very roasty and bitter.

M- Surprisingly quite thin, you could almost pass this off as a porter. Quite lively carbonation.

O- Good strong black coffee flavor, could have used a little more body and a little more backing rather than relying solely on the coffee alone.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 02:48:34 | More by korguy123

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

341ml brown returnable wax dipped twist off.

It pours a nice dark brown with a foamy tan head that dissipates with some nice lacing.

The smell has a good deal of coffee as it is a coffee-infused stout. There is a good deal of cocoa as well in the smell.

The flavor is nice. There is a good bit of caramel and cocoa, but it is very bitterness/coffee forward. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. I haven't had a good coffee stout in a decent while and this one delivers..

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 03:48:24 | More by crossovert

evlu1441

Alberta (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up mainly because it was a total bargain. The wax on the cap is a bit annoying, but I guess it's a distinguishing touch.

It pours pitch black, with a hint of brown around the edges. The toffee-coloured head is light and slightly creamy.

Light notes of coffee and molasses are noticeable in the aroma. It also has a light toasted chocolaty smell coming through in the background. Fairly standard stout smells, but nice ones too.

Slight chocolaty sweetness is quickly overtaken by the coffee flavour. Some nuttiness comes through in the finish.
Medium body and balance make this a fairly drinkable stout!

Overall, this is a steal! It's a nice coffee stout at a fantastic price.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 22:15:21 | More by evlu1441

womencantsail

California

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour is dark brown in color with a rather sizable brown head on it.

S: Somewhat acidic on the nose with a big roasted malt character. A hint of char to go along with it and maybe a little bit of licorice. Certainly some dark chocolate and coffee notes in there too.

T: Roasted malts are the dominate flavor of the beer. There's a mild bitterness with a definite licorice flavor. Some dark chocolate and coffee. The carbonation is very high which lends an acidic flavor.

M: Medium in body with a very high carbonation.

O: Fairly underwhelming. I wasn't a huge fan of this one at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 09:52:24 | More by womencantsail

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance. Pours a deep chestnut brown, almost black. Three fingers of thick, chocolate head leaving some thick lacing.

Smell. Light coffee, roasty malt and a little earthy, grassy hops.

Taste. Roasty malt, slightly sour coffee, some dark chocolate and maybe a little citrus zest.

Mouthfeel. Lighter body with strong carbonation. Works well.

Overall. Really nice, lighter stout. Could drink a bunch of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 23:58:01 | More by Rutager

BasementBer

Manitoba (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This was the first Half Pints I had, warm that time and a bit unexpected. Today I am proud to say that it is a specialty dark for me when I'm looking for beer to slowly be enjoyed. If I could just voice an issue I have here briefly, it is about the new label of the half pints bottles. I don't like it, it is not nearly as appealing or classically identifiable as the old circular symbol you see in the picture above. I have not rated the beer with this dislike in mind. Just gotta put that out there. Like, its a problem for me when I see it...MOVING ON

A: Deep coffee brown. Not a lot of head remains, surprising for this style. Good amount of lacing trail.

S: Mmm, yirgacheffe! Delicious coffee smell, you can really tell its added for aroma. This is one of the best parts of this stout for me.

T: A good coffee taste, not too as long lasting as I would have hoped. But a nice bittering finish to carry out the nose.

M: Finishes dry on the tip of the tongue and goes down smoothly and settles like coffee in the rear.

D: A good beer to definitely be drank chilled. I am pleased that it is now in a 341ml bottle as opposed to the 650ml of old.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 05:32:09 | More by BasementBer

Dawkfan

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Big mocha creamy head that takes awhile to settle out on top of a very deep brown colored body. Thin cap sticking around, above it is a meager amount of lace.

S- Aroma of coffee first to greet the nose, milk chocolate and roasted malt in the mix as well.

T- Mild flavors which I can enjoy in a stout like this, some coffee beers are just way over the top for my liking. Great balance of coffee bitterness, dark chocolate, and sweet malt. Faint coffee bitterness in the aftertaste.

M- Medium body and carbonation. Very clean mouthfeel, it really suits the flavor profile. Very easy stout on the palate/mouth.

D- This is right up my alley for a coffee stout of this strength. I could drink this all night long. Nice work Half Pints.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 02:53:19 | More by Dawkfan

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3rd Time Lucky: re-re-review on Feb 10, 2011
Much better this time around! Hopefully I never have to triple review a beer again.

Light lacing from a tan head. Light chocolate and coffee along with mild roasted barley on the nose. Similar body, with enjoyable sweetness and a bitterness that lingers over time. Fairly thick mouthfeel. I would drink this again.

Reviewed 03-12-10
I am not sure if Half Pints has rejigged their recipe, but I had another bottle of this beer and it seems vastly different to me than what I recalled. I have another bottle from another batch lying around so I will soon be able to compare. I felt the need to re-review after having it though.

A decent appearance with a light head and moderate to light lacing. Light notes of coffee, with a bit of chocolate on the nose, but not nearly as strong as I expected. The beer itself was thin, with a light body and barely a hint of the coffee. Low carbonation. I would reach for other beers first.

Looking at other reviews, it looks like I may have got a bad batch or something, but I am gravely disappointed in this beer.

Reviewed 05-07-08
A: 4.5, S: 4.5, T:4.0, M:3.5, D:4.0
Pours a nice opaque brown, just as a stout should. On this pour it had a weak head, but I have had some in the past that have had fuller heads.

The aroma is one of my favorite things about this beer. It is dominated by chocolate and coffee. The smell makes this beer.

A strong coffee flavor comes through in the beer and bitterness lingers.

It feels almost like water in the mouth. For some reason the carbonation is almost non-existent in this bottle.

This is not a 'drink 6' beer, rather should be enjoyed a couple at a time with foods that have strong matching flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 02:39:22 | More by kjyost

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours pitch black with a very nice deep ruby red around the bottom when held to light. Has a nice two finger tan head. Settles to a very thick cap and leaves decent lacing.

S: Strong roasted coffee bean aroma. I also get a very faint smell of hops. The hops blend right in with the coffee aroma to which the point that you hardly notice them unless you look for them.

T: Roasted coffee dominates the palate with faint hints of chocolate.

M: It has a medium body with medium carbonation. Very creamy with a bit of a dry finish.

D: Probably my favorite offering from Half Pints so far. I never drink coffee but this beer makes me love the taste. Stouts are probably my favorite style and this one is right up there near the top of my list. I could drink many of these in one sitting.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 18:41:39 | More by marty21

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to kjyost for this beer.
Poured in to tulip glass

A - Dark black with one finger of bubbly light brown head and a lot of visible carbonation.

S - Dark roasted malts with a lot of sweetness. Some coffee and chocolate notes.

T - Dark roasted malts with some coffee and chocolate notes and a significant sweetness. A slightly dry finish.

M - Light body for a stout; somewhat watery at times. Moderate carbonation - a little too much for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 02:13:48 | More by TheSevenDuffs

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a very, very, very dark brown chocolate hue, with mahogany edges, and two fingers of foamy beige head, which leaves a few specks of random lace around the glass as it recedes. It smells of bitter cappuccino, and some sweet roasted caramel malt. The taste is coffee grounds, bittersweet chocolate, and caramel malt. The carbonation is on the low side, the body close to full, smooth, and creamy. It finishes still quite in the coffee/chocolate vein, with a drying bitter earthy hoppiness.

Wow, what a tasty stout, like chocolate milk, good coffee, and beer all rolled up in a freakishly stellar hybrid. I know that I keep saying this, but I do not drink any manner of coffee, but when done up like this, it is very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 00:39:56 | More by biboergosum

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Thanks to kjyost for this one. Had it on the night of Oct. 13, 2010.

Poured from a 341ml. bottle.

Appearance: Way too much foam again. Second HP that does that though this one isn't as bad. Dark brown head with an opaque nearly black body.

Smell: Cocoa powder and chocolate. Sweet but not cloying so. Really digging the aroma.

Taste: Where's the sweetness? Harsh and bitter chocolate with no balance. Not quite pleasant.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is abrasive and hinders the taste and feel of the beer though it is partially perceptible.

Drinkability: Not particularly. One third was enough for me.

Overall: Very odd contrast between the aroma and taste. Night and day almost. Not a memorable stout at all.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 19:00:54 | More by papat444

chickenm

British Columbia (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

341mL waxed bottle. Pours almost opaque dark brown with some sediment floating around and a thin light brown head that leaves some lacing. Really nice aroma of strong coffee, and some dark chocolate and hops as well. Great taste, lots of coffee and chocolate, and a nice bitter finish. Weakest aspect of this beer is the body, which is a bit on the thin side, with light carbonation. Still this is very drinkable, and one of the best Canadian coffee stouts I've tried!

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 20:08:47 | More by chickenm

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Was quite excited to try this one from Half Pints. Big thanks to my neighbor for hooking me up with a couple bottles from his recent trip home to Winnipeg.

A - Pours pitch black, finger of mocha coloured head with decent retention (2-3 minutes) and no real lacing.

S - Delicious. Quite sweet with milk chocolate and caramelized sugar coming off the top, and finishing with a mild espresso scent. Quite pleasant on the nose, almost mouthwatering.

T - Sweet chocolate at first, with subsequent sips becoming more bitter, but not offensive. Chocolate is still dominant on the finish, but espresso undertones complement it and linger on the tongue. The sweetness on the nose doesn't come through quite as strong in the taste, however, it is still a delectable stout!

M - Perfect carbonation, not overly syropy, nice smooth feel on the tongue, and goes down just as smooth. A lighter stout offering, but I much prefer that feel to a thick chewy stout.

D - Yet another winner from Half Pints. A lovely go-to offering for any stout fan and highly recommended. Mind blowing? Not really. Delicious? Absolutely! Do yourself a favour and grab a 6-er of this stuff, because you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 20:06:49 | More by andrenaline

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - jet black, a very short chocolaty head dissipated quickly to a few islands, leaving a light ring of lacing
S - milk chocolate, caramel malts, coffee, and roasted marshmallow, this is very enticing
T - coffee and burnt roasty malt much more pronounced, semi sweet chocolate, and that burnt sugar taste reminiscent of roasted marshmallows
M - more carbonation than I was expecting, slightly chewy, and a coffee like bitterness
D - the nose was amazing but the taste didn't quite meet it although still good, a little more carbonation than I like in a stout but the bitterness is great, overall a nice effort

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 02:55:59 | More by joemcgrath27

Noxious26

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

341ml brown bottle with twist-off cap poured in a pint glass. Part of a 12-pack sampler.

Absolutely black. When you hold it up to the light you get a touch of cola appearance around the edges, but no light is getting through the center. Big, rocky, dark beige/light brown head foams over the top of the glass. Settles down to a solid cap with lots of sticky lacing.

Not surprisingly, coffee is the dominant aroma. Hints of chocolate, burnt malt, and brown sugar.

Dark roast coffee, dark chocolate and dark malts of the start. After the carbonation rush we're left to a long finish of burnt malts and coffee.

Full bodied with mild carbonation. Tiny little bubbles tickling your palate.

This is one of my regular go to beers in the winter time. I still remember when I first tried it with some friends at FestivAle here in Regina a few years ago. By the end of the night, we just stayed by the Half Pints booth and drink Stir Stick.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 04:52:32 | More by Noxious26

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark brown with thick tan head. Head dissipates really slowly and is there most of the way down the glass. Some lacing down the sides. Smell is first of roasted coffee beans with the roasted malt and a hint of chocolate. Lots of bitterness, possibly from the coffee, with some sweet chocolate too. This tastes like a much bigger stout than it is, which is nice for sipping, but I wouldn't want to have several of these in a row.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 13:56:10 | More by kwjd

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from the brewery in a trade with Dave. Thanks!

A - Cap of beige goes away pretty quick. Not opaque but extremely dark brown/ruby.

S - Lot's of dark roast coffee, some chocolate as well but the majority of the aroma is coffee.

T - Coffee! Some sweet matls as well after the initial coffee flavours. Tastes a little like cola to me.

M - Light to medium body. Smooth in the mouth. Feels really nice.

D - Nice and drinkable. Rich enough to keep my attention.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 04:41:19 | More by tbeckett

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Like a giant glass of molasses, the beer sits lifeless, opaque and without any real foam atop it. Its marble-like complexion and stark contrast between the black body and eggshell lace gives it a distinctly sleek look. Swirling produces a thick, frothy trim that has a rusty tone to it; it is this that transforms the beer's appearance from handsome to downright wicked.

What struck me first was not the coffee but the malts, and that sits well with me. Cookie dough, dark caramel and chocolate chips, even a pinch of dark fruit, all amalgamate well into the smokey, rich aura of the coffee. Most importantly, they aren't drowned out by it! It has a ton of roasty mocha character that it isn't shy about either. Yum.

If I wanted coffee I'd just as well drink coffee, no? It always frustrates me when brewers are too heavy-handed with the beans and not heavy-handed enough with the grains; if you're going to add coffee to your beer make sure you've provided enough malt so that the flavours can counterbalance one another. That's exactly what this brewer has done...

Its flavours are intense but harmonize well and come across the palate with balance and good collation. I remember finding the first few batches of this beer to be overly liberal with the coffee - my notes state that it was "like drinking cold, flat espresso" - but by now they've figured out to be more diligent with the coffee and more generous with malts.

And it doesn't end with flavour, either. I've had many coffee beers that are plagued with the astringent, acrid texture of coffee grinds. Generally speaking, I don't want the smoky bitterness of the coffee to override the sweet, toastiness of the malts. With this one, however, we appreciate roasted coffee and sweet, doughie maltiness all in one.

I wish this beer also came in solid-form; 'Stir Stick cake' or 'Stir Stick cookies' would make heavenly desserts and I'm hardly kidding when I say that I'd kill for the recipes. Hell, this has flavours of cookie dough, espresso, pecans and macadamia nuts, tiramisu, creme brulee, chocolate chips and toffee brittle... come to think of it, it is a dessert already! Maybe I'll just buy more of the beer and save myself the trouble of baking ;)

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 20:31:26 | More by biegaman

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

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

341ml bottle:

Pours a hazed dark chestnut with ruby highlights. Decent off white cap lasts and laces.

Aroma is very starbucks dark roast with a malty undertone and some wet grass.

Moderate body for a stout, coffee like character with a robust mouth feel.

Roasted malts in the front provide a rush of coffee tones, hop affinity adds balance to this semi-sweet London styled stout. Finish is clean and lightly dry.

A good coffeeish medium bodied stout with a mellow character...very approachable as good or better than Old Yale's.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 15:48:46 | More by pootz

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A private import, got 24 bottles of this one! Nice!

A: Black color, not very dark. The head is brown but disappear very quickly. Some red color notes on the edges.
S: Coffee... but not espresso... more like... yeah mocha coffee notes. A first for me in beers! Some milk chocolate too.
T: Mainly it is mocha coffee. The bitterness is very light.
M: Thin bodied for a stout.
D: So drinkable it is scary!

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2010 02:35:41 | More by ZorPrime

Hornet2003

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Black with small head. Quite a cloudy beer too. There are some floatie particles at the bottom of the glass. MAybe from the coffee?

Smell: Rich coffee and black chocolately malt.

Taste: Yup there's coffee in here! Good, solid, dry stout flavours. A touch of molasses as well.

Mouthfeel: Quite a bitter beer. The coffee leaves a slightly chalky dryness that lingers. The initial sip is sweet though. Odd combination of mouthfeels.

Drinkability: I could have a couple in a sitting, but it's more of a nice sipper. Maybe on a dark cold night, this would be great.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 19:55:17 | More by Hornet2003

eat

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a brown-black, almost opaque with reddish-brown coming through with the light. Nice milky beige head fades to a thin covering. Retention is not so good but traces do stick around for a while and there is a bit of lacing.

Lots of coffee grounds, smokey roasted malt and some hops in the background. I've tried quite a few coffee stouts but none quite like this. This one is unique, very nice.

Again, lots of coffee. This is no espresso stout; this is coffee-coffee, as in from a drip machine. Roasted malt and dark chocolate round it out. A little bitter and nice and smokey on the finish. I wish the flavour was a little more pronounced, but it's still solid. No alcohol presence.

Good feel. A little thin for my liking, but most stouts are. Medium body and moderate carbonation.

It's all good! This is a really nice stout, very drinkable. Light enough to session but still full of flavour, especially at only 5.6%. I can't wait to try the $ellout, I'm sure it's going to be awesome.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 07:14:18 | More by eat