Dry Stout - Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

oberon

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a real nice brew,it poured a opaque black color with a nice creamy off-white head,the aroma was nice and roasty with slight chocolate notes.This one tasted somehwhat of marshmellows ans some nice roastiness,very aoetizing.Pretty darn drinkable and pretty darn tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2003 18:36:40 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

King of Prussia, PA location. I assume that every Rock Bottom location does a dry stout at least once a year under some name. Jon Thomas has chosen to call his simply "dry stout". And I wouldn't normally review a fairly standard rotating beer such as this, but I was so impressed with it that I felt impelled to do so. It's delivered via nitrogen dispense as would be expected (although I'd really like to try this one under natural carbonation!), and displays the tight and creamy off-white head that lasts almost forever and leaves creamy rings of lace about the glass with each and every sip. The color is not quite as dark as the mainstream commercial versions, and a dark mahogany brown can be seen at the base of the glass. A solid roastiness is clear in the nose, and this will sound much worse than it is... but it's almost ashtray-like. A gentle touch of mild fruitiness and some subtle caramel/toffee rounds things out and leaves it quite pleasant as you raise the glass to drink. The body is a bit fuller than Guinness or Beamish, and slips over into the "medium/light" designation. The fuller body coupled with the gentle carbonation and creamy mouthfeel of the nitrogen breakout is simply luscious in the mouth... silky smooth, but with some mouthfeel behind it - very nice! The flavor also throws a twist to the common brands with a much richer character than normal. This version contains a light note of chocolate and a good deal of caramel that becomes ever-so-much-more under the nitrogen dispense. Still, it doesn't step too far away from its roastiness; and avoids going over to sweetness. The pH is a bit higher as well, and the light acidic note of Guinness is replaced by a more lush, malty character. It's still dry, but with substance. Additionally, there's a mild note of hop flavor that's a bit hard to find at first but adds greatly to it's depth. Also very nice! It finishes dry with a lingering combination of roastiness and gentle caramel that slowly waltzes off leaving you ready for another sip. An impressive display of balance and charisma in a quaffable, lower-alcohol brew! Well worth trying!

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-09-2003 14:31:16 | More by NeroFiddled