Foreign Style Stout - Upslope Brewing Company

tswater

Colorado

4/5  rDev +12%

01-25-2013 00:26:38 | More by tswater

Jeckel

Colorado

3/5  rDev -16%

06-02-2013 01:07:17 | More by Jeckel

Huffaroma

Montana

4.25/5  rDev +19%

04-23-2013 03:07:19 | More by Huffaroma

MarkyMOD

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5%

04-12-2013 00:09:41 | More by MarkyMOD

spoony

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 12 oz can into a snifter.

A-A slightly aggressive pour produces a black, opaque brew. There is no real head, only a thin ring of brown foam.

S-Dark roasted malts dominate the nose giving the aroma of baking chocolate, espresso, and a touch of smoke. This is not a coffee or a bourbon barrel stout, but I still get a decently complex aroma here.

T-The taste is also full of bitter dark chocolate and cold coffee. There is a little char and a touch of raisin or prune. A warm punch of alcohol also pokes through. The taste is a little harsh and simple.

M-The feel is medium to full bodied with a little prick of carbonation. I could have used less intrusive bubbles.

O-This is not my favorite Upslope offering. As noted above, the whole package is a bit simple and the taste is a bit metallic and hot. Perhaps this is the true export style, because I think some time in a cargo hold (or cellar...) might mellow the harsh aspects of this beer.

Serving type: can

03-23-2013 20:46:24 | More by spoony

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Relying on heavy roast and burnt sugars to carry the session, Upslope dives into the taste of Ireland that's build far to strong even for those of their own homeland. Let's see if this ale does what those export versions are meant to do...

The Foreign Stout decants with the darkest brown hues without turning decidedly black. Nearly glass-like in its sheen, the beer is opaque and only slightly translucent. A sheet of foam releases from the beer with excited fashion but only amasses a skirt upon the beer. A collar of foam retains, allowing only spotty lace adhering upon the glass.

High coffee aromas project onto the nose; and does so in the form of French press, bold roast blends. Lightly scorched toffee, twangy malt, grape, and milk-like starch brace against the coffee notes for a latte-like effect. Cocoa, walnut and mild earthen peat offer a damp soil scent that grounds the aromas in rustic character.

While bold coffee roast, chicory, cocoa, and root beer set off the taste, there's a sweeter and softer underpinning that sets in- doing so with powdered sugar sweetness, malted milk, and toffee. Stopping shy of aspartame, the taste takes a turn toward tangy alcohol complements of grape, cherry, and Parmesan. Campfire-like burnt embers are somewhat reminiscent of liquid smoke but is more a testament to roasted barley that commands the taste in finish.

Strong roast commands the balance in body as much as it does at any part of the taste. Near Turkish coffee allows astringent grain compounds to complement scorched earth for a full bodied but medium-dry finish to govern the beer. Alcohol warmth is strong and keeps the beer lightened and dry throughout.

Upslope's Foreign Style Stout does a reasonably good job at replicating the asserted roast character that's displayed in similar version such as Guinness Foreign Extra Stout but it is a little softer on the roast than is expected. Even with the gentle hand, it makes for a very tasty stout that will appease all lovers of the devoted black beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 07:45:16 | More by BEERchitect

BooNoodle

New Jersey

2.25/5  rDev -37%

03-08-2013 23:10:07 | More by BooNoodle

RudnicsMEB

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5%

03-05-2013 01:47:54 | More by RudnicsMEB

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5%

02-24-2013 05:47:22 | More by MinorThreat

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks again to the creator of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of roasted malts, some coffee. Taste s slightly sweet, chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, a hint of hops. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

Serving type: can

02-14-2013 00:49:05 | More by tone77

claspada

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a extremely dark roasted coffee bean brown color with a small creamy egg shell head that recedes almost immediately; almost nitro-esque.

Aromas begin with some roasted espresso malts, some dark bitter cocoa and some burnt barley maltiness. It lacks the sweet and chocolate malt presence you get in some American/sweeter stouts which is a good thing fotr this style. There is some fruitiess that does emerge as is warms which is hopefully from some English yeast strain.

The tastes begin with some caramelized dark malts, hints of roast, and a bit of dark baker's chocolate. Some light fruity esters emerge but the flavor profile is quite English and clean lacking any abbrassive roasted malts; almost minerally profile.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side of medium bodied with medium to low carbonation. Finish is clean and crisp which is important for this style but still has the dark roasted malt presence to know your enjoying a quality stout.

Overall this was a solid offering and example of an overlooked style in America. A more drinkable and flavorful version of the most popular example in the world Guinness Foreign extra stout and it's in a can, so I approve.

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 19:53:31 | More by claspada

Koralin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -2%

02-07-2013 22:48:41 | More by Koralin

wlevando

Colorado

3.71/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

First half of a shared can into an 8 oz. chalice.
Vigorous pour.
Slurps alternating with mouthfuls of a poorly done Chicago-style pizza.

Appearance: Nearly opaque, deep, deep brown. Beautiful, creamy-looking head fades over ~2 minutes, leaving a murky rim of off-white ~0.1 mm bubbles.

Smell: Toffee on freshly baked, hearty bread, with pressure-brewed coffee coming up on the other side of the kitchen. Subtle, but welcoming and complex, like familial idiosyncrasies. These subtleties beg from calm enjoyment and immediate reflection, however.

Taste: Initial flavor of milky espresso fades to a mildly sweet, woody dryness. Dryness persists, leaving a bitter aftertaste. Swishes nearly renew the flavor cycle.

Mouthfeel: In the same way as the flavor does, creaminess fades to desiccation. After a swish, the decay of that pleasant initial touch is faster than the flavor decay.

My take: Another great showing by Upslope. I would love to try this beer on nitro; a hardy head seems important to the conveyance of the flavor and mouthfeel of this beer. I look forward to a less bready accompaniment to this beer. A mild cheese (bad provolone? good mozzarella?) would go well with this, as would low-garlic hummus.

Serving type: can

01-25-2013 03:19:39 | More by wlevando

Stoutamus-Maximus

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +19%

01-25-2013 00:10:45 | More by Stoutamus-Maximus

drink-when-dry

4.5/5  rDev +26.1%

01-24-2013 16:10:36 | More by drink-when-dry

Twal

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -2%

01-02-2013 00:02:48 | More by Twal

bootsandbeer

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +19%

12-02-2012 16:22:47 | More by bootsandbeer

Hoptologist

Michigan

2/5  rDev -44%

11-22-2012 02:20:39 | More by Hoptologist

PEIhop

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +19%

11-04-2012 02:30:56 | More by PEIhop

JordanPP

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +12%

10-25-2012 22:59:58 | More by JordanPP

cosmicevan

New York

3.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to pokesbeerdude for this one.

a - popped the can and filled my glass. beer poured a shiny watery black with virtually no head.

s - very nice roasted char malt. chocolate with an irish twist.

t - char malts. some powdered chocolate, but mostly roasted char.

m - char. soft bodied.

o - overall, nice export stout nothing crazy, but nice representation of the style.

Serving type: can

09-23-2012 00:11:52 | More by cosmicevan

Ispeakforthetrees

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -2%

09-14-2012 03:33:52 | More by Ispeakforthetrees

stampfler07

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +26.1%

09-06-2012 03:07:01 | More by stampfler07

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a balloon glass.

The beer is an espresson bean black, with a cream colored head that recedes to nothing. No lacing.

The beer smells of black licorice.

The taste is of a russian imperial stout. It's got that oily, licorice taste, and not much else.

The mouthfeel is oily and dry.

Overall, just not fun. Not enough taste profiles, and way too heavy.

Serving type: can

08-25-2012 23:09:38 | More by JuicesFlowing

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received this as an extra in a trade, poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a deep, dark brown almost black with a quick two finger mocha head that fades rather quickly to leave a thin mocha blanket and light side lacing.

S - Hmm, some slightly watery roasted malts, light chocolate. Very soft and light with some slight nuttiness.

T - Taste is rather sweet on the finish. Soem roast upfront along with some like bitter coffee (minus the coffee) though. Not getting much chocolate and there is a slight metallic finish. Almost too burnt.

M - Relatively thin and standard for the style. The roast comes through nicely.

O - Overall this was an average or so beer. Pretty straightforward execution here.

Serving type: can

07-09-2012 04:00:20 | More by rudzud