Survival "7-Grain" Stout - Hopworks Urban Brewery

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #39 (Apr 2010):

Barley, wheat, oats, amaranth, quinoa, spelt and kamut with a dose of coffee. Sounds like a healthy breakfast to us.

Epic head retention, no doubt giving thanks to the grains. Nice Stout color, black. Aroma of iced dark-roasted coffee, charred wood, mild molasses, black currants and a faint whiff of alcohol. Smoothness drops the bomb; grains really come through for the mouthfeel in an exceptional way. Roasted grain character is a bit of controlled chaos; from charcoal to cocoa, fresh coffee to burnt sugar. Berry flavor within is dual play from the coffee and fruiti- ness of the yeast. Hops show up to the party; bitterness is there to balance with some citric herbal tone in the bitter, semi-dry finish.

Wow, what a way to take a Coffee Stout and turn it up a few notches.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 02:20:57 | More by BeerAdvocate

Ratman197

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bomber poured a clear reddish bown with a small lasting creamy tan head. Aromas of caramel, bakers cocoa, light vanilla and light coffee., Mouthfeel was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish which is a little off for a stout. Flavors of bakers cocoa, roasted malt,light coffee and a hint of vanilla with a crisp dry lingering roasted malt finish

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 22:30:25 | More by Ratman197

HarmonMW

Michigan

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-13-2013 22:20:45 | More by HarmonMW

fsck

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

05-12-2013 07:26:29 | More by fsck

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 22 oz bottle obtained through Letspour.
Poured in Maudite chalice.
Pours very dark or black...light brown head.
Aroma of wet hay, carob, rye, oats, old bacon.
Modest carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of dark malts, sweet malts, various grains, bitter chocolate, cold coffee, slight lactose, #2 pencils, grassy hops. Overall easy drinking yet flavorful enough...lots of different tastes with emphasis on dark roasted malts.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 04:14:03 | More by DenverLogan

scottfrie

California

3.11/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

22oz bottle into imperial pint.

A: Pours a deep dark brown color with a finger of bubbly light brown head that faded into thick and lasting film leaving soapy lace down the glass.
S: Black coffee dominates with a little bit of spice. Pretty one dimensional.
T: More coffee, mild roast, bitter dark chocolate, touch of spice, almost no sweetness, and a bitter finish. Bitter chocolate aftertaste.
M: Thinner than I like, medium body, soda carbonation. Bitter and dry mouth.
O: Solid coffee stout. A bit thin, a bit one dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:37:24 | More by scottfrie

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into pint glass, late 2012 bottling. Pours crystal clear almost opaque dark brown color with a 1-2 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of big roasted coffee beans, milk chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, caramel, oatmeal, toast, light char, and roasted earthiness. Fantastic aromas with great balance and complexity of roasted notes with plenty of coffee presence. Taste of roasted coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, light char, oatmeal, toast, caramel, and roasted earthiness. Fair amount of coffee bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, light char, oatmeal, toast, caramel, and earthiness on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of roasted flavors with coffee; with a good bitterness/sweetness balance and no cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a moderately creamy and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent American stout style. Very nice balance and complexity of roasted and coffee flavors with the multiple grains used; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 04:47:43 | More by superspak

elektronen

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

04-26-2013 04:41:26 | More by elektronen

Nzinger

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

04-09-2013 01:47:03 | More by Nzinger

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 650ml bottle. Pours a dark, dark brown colour. Notes of coffee and coffee grounds predominate. There are chocolate aromas, as well. Taste pretty much follows suit. Coffee dominates, but there are also rich grainy and nutty notes, with a bit of rye bread flavour and chocolate, as well. Mouthfeel is incredibly creamy.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 23:06:20 | More by CookstLiquor

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1.2%

03-31-2013 03:31:27 | More by RedneckBeerz

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Had this on 2013-03-23 in Columbia, PA and again on 2013-04-27 at a bit warmer temperature. Raised my review scores a bit as a result.

A - Pretty opaque dark brown with a 2.5-finger dark tan head that drops to 1-finger fairlyquickly. Tons of lacing.

S - Mocha latte with a shot of expresso. Light-medium roasted grain.

T - Sharp and astringent dark roasted coffee and dark roasted grain. Some semi-sweet chocolate and burnt/carmelized sugar for balance. There's some zesty and roasted bitterness in the finish. I like the flavor and it reminds me more of a roasty porter than a stout.

M - Light-medium body and light carbonation. More watery than I expected. Would have liked it fuller and creamier.

O - It's got an appealing chocolate/coffee flavor that improves as it warms. Glad it is organic. This is right in my wife's wheelhouse with the almost-sessionable ABV and porter-like flavor. Flavor-wise, it's a solid contendor for a top spot but the thin mouthfeel detracts from the overall experience for me but not my wife.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 21:25:34 | More by Tucquan

Kopfschuss

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

03-12-2013 23:42:02 | More by Kopfschuss

nmann08

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

02-23-2013 23:55:06 | More by nmann08

brandoman63

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.2%

01-30-2013 01:57:28 | More by brandoman63

SocalKicks

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%

01-23-2013 04:43:08 | More by SocalKicks

Sbragg85

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

01-14-2013 20:48:50 | More by Sbragg85

adkieffer

Washington

4/5  rDev -1.2%

12-17-2012 23:09:56 | More by adkieffer

Dope

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finally knocking off a long-awaited Want. Thanks Daniel!

A: Pours a dark brown with a fizzy, fluffy light brown head. Fades at a pretty decent pace, leaving moderate light fluffy bits of lacing here and there.

S: Super strong coffee, just like sniffing a fresh cup. Has a unique sort of grainy, earthy aroma to go with it. Coffee mixed with dirt. Surprisingly appetizing given that description.

T: Coffee not nearly as strong here, thankfully. Very interesting. Up front there's lots of hearty grain, most of which I can't identify. There is definitely oatmeal, it's got that typical creaminess that I associate with it. Coffee mixes into the middle a bit, providing an extra layer of complexity. Coffee turns a little bitter into the finish with sweet toasted grains, almost pretzel-like in a way. Get a bit of wheat in here too. Very unique, wish I had more experience with these grains to pick them out. Definitely a nice variety that works together well, especially when combined with the coffee. A little coffee lingers between sips.

M: Medium bodied and smooth. A touch drying in the aftertaste.

O: What an interesting brew. Lots of exotic grains that balance well and combine into a surprisingly decent flavor. Coffee is very strong in the aroma but it is toned down in the flavor portion quite a bit, such that it melds with all the grains instead of overpowers them. Don't expect a normal stout with this one, it's basically got lots of toasted, borderline roasty grain notes with coffee mixed in. Like a malt-heavy brown ale with coffee in a manner of speaking. Sort of a hybrid beer. Still very tasty, complex (especially for 5.3%) balanced and smooth. I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 05:16:43 | More by Dope

axman

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

12-10-2012 06:49:40 | More by axman

4ster

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1.2%

12-09-2012 03:15:31 | More by 4ster

CJS

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A Dark and a bit thin on the pour. Tanned head that turns into a tiny lacy collar. Non coating on the glass. Looks like a less carbonated soda.

S Very earthy smell. Almost like dirt. Caramel and bitter coffee.

T The earthy smell matches the taste right off. Very grainy. Malty with a dry bread-like body. Lastly a toasted cocoa appeal.

M Think and dry. Goes down easy enough though.

O The organic aspect is appreciated. I wish it had more of a variety in the flavor profile to balance out the earth tones. Really reminds me of a cold carbonated cup of coffee. Not a bad thing, but not what I expected. Would go great with a granola bar.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 00:55:19 | More by CJS

Murrhey

Montana

3.33/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Reviewed live.

A- Three finger mocha colored head. Thick and creamy. Long retention. Nice lacing. About as dark a beer as you can brew. Wonderful looking stout.

S- Strong coffee notes. Roast malts and toffee form secondary aromas. Coffee is strong and the aroma definitely reflects that.

T- Surprisingly watery flavor. Has a smack of roasted malts to it. I thought it might be richer, but the roast flavors are secondary to watery, light flavor in the first sip.

M- Not nearly as thick as expected. Watery, with a dry finish. Not bad.

O- I had higher expectations for a beer that looked so good, but unfortunately it didn't hold up.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 03:21:53 | More by Murrhey

danwho

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

10-31-2012 03:01:29 | More by danwho

beerhorn12

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +17.3%

10-27-2012 15:00:14 | More by beerhorn12