Mean Old Tom - Maine Beer Company

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.96/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was given to me by a friend for Christmas, with the intent that this would be the first time I gave it a go. I had never had anything from the Maine Beer Company before and after having this, I'm surprised that their beers aren't more readily available. While this wasn't a knockout, this was a great example of the style that quietly grew on me as I worked my way through my pint glass.

Naturally, this beer poured dark - not quite black but very brown with a head that looked like it solidified once I let the liquid settle. It did dissipate but it took and while and what was left ended up clinging to the sides of my pint glass. The aroma wasn't terribly strong but the taste more than made up for it. Coffee grinds, espresso, and milk chocolate all combined for a pleasing taste coupled with just a hint of carbonation that kept this from being too heavy. I could only taste the vanilla in the aftertaste but it didn't have that boozy, overpowering nature that it takes on so often in a beer of this style. The consistency of this beer was that of milk chocolate as it went down smooth from start to finish and felt like a liquified version of a nice chocolate mousse cake.

This may have been one of the lightest Stouts that I've ever had, when it came to the alcoholic content. Downing this 1 pint, 9 ounce bottle was a joy and had I had the time, I could have had another in a sitting. Anyone who's new to this style would be well-versed to start out here, as this is strong enough to easily fit into this category while being easygoing enough to offend no one. A great example of why beers of this style are desserts unto themselves.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 08:17:25 | More by JerzDevl2000

EkimGram

New York

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4

Taken from my beer journal dated 2/24/12

Appearance: 16.9oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. Colour is a very dark brown with a finger-thick toffee-coloured head that fades slowly leaving a nice lacing.

Smell: Rich, roasted, and toasty malts are strong and bold. I also pick up a slight bitterness in the mix.

Taste: Mild, dark, and balanced. Malts are burnt, roasted, and have an almost butter flavour - probably a sweetness passed on by the vanilla beans.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, a little watery, and mild level of carbonation.

Overall: I had feared the vanilla beans would be too much but I really enjoy the subtle nuance they add. A solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 03:56:51 | More by EkimGram

sevenarts

New York

4.09/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown, towards black, opaque. Big tan head, very fluffy, with strong retention and lacing.

S: Coffee and chocolate followed by some hints of mild citrus hoppiness.

T/M: Smooth coffee and chocolate malts gradually give way to more of a burnt, roasted, slightly bitter taste. Some nuttiness, and a bitter hop followthrough. Creamy with good body.

O: A really good and tasty stout, nothing fancy, just a nice mix of flavors. Great looking and good tasting.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 23:31:07 | More by sevenarts

Suds

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Astringent, chalky, black, and bold...this is a fine American stout. It's utterly obsidian, with a light brown head. The smell is of highly roasted, but not quite burnt, grains. The vanilla also comes out nicely in the smell. Dry...very dry taste, which accentuates the grain. Full in body and very drinkable. Enjoyable stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 21:46:52 | More by Suds

Groulxsome

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Inky black with a slight white-brown head. Smells like sweet malts, light brown sugar, fresh coffee grounds, and a little bit of lightly toasted vanilla marshmallow. It tastes like coffee, light chocolate malts, and roasted grain. The vanilla is very subtle, sometimes I get a hit of it other times I don't. Sometimes I get a little almost homebrew flavour. Fairly creamy mouthfeel. Overall its a little lighter than I expected, but its still a very nice little stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 21:55:02 | More by Groulxsome

brewtus

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pour dark dark brown with a frothy two finger head. The smell is great, fresh ground coffee, roast malt, earthy tones. Taste starters with some ground coffeeness, some bitterness from it. The vanilla isn't as prevalent as I had hoped but you can taste it throughout. This was pretty good, great mouthfeel and smell were what stood out for me. Worth a try. We don't get this in Columbus so I'm glad I got to try it during a trip.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 01:15:55 | More by brewtus

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a deep midnight black. Completely opaque. Two fingers worth of beige head which fades to a thin film.

S - pronounced grainy and roasty notes. Like finely ground coffee beans. Sweet notes of chocolate sauce. Faint hints of vanilla beans. As it warms the aromas become more like dark bread almost chocolate cake.

T - very chocolaty. Surprisingly low amount of roast character. Just hints. More of an herbal hop flavor for balance. Slightest tinge of vanilla, but could be just a hint of alcohol peaking through. Smooth chocolaty finish.

M - velvety texture. Medium bodied. Lower carbonation.

O - a nice stout. I was hoping for a bit more vanilla but was pretty much what i expected. plesant but i was expecting something a bit more aggressive overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 05:05:30 | More by Teleweizen2

Rukasu

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours impenetrable blackness. Literally, a halogen desk light could not penetrate it. Thick, long lasting, creamy brown head, about three fingers.

S: Very little smell, some roasted nuttiness with faint cocoa.

T: Roasted malts with mild vanilla hints and an acidic finish. Earthy and complex, cigar tobacco, apple skin bitterness.

M: Tart and a bit astringent. Not as smooth as I expected, but fairly light. Little carbonation makes it a bit syrupy.

O: Agree with some of the previous reviewers that something is a bit off with this. It's quite bitter, almost sour at times. Maybe aging would smooth it out a bit, but for something similar, I thought King Titus was better.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:30:56 | More by Rukasu

deebo

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled aug 10 2012
A-very creamy dark tan head. Black and clear. Laces nicely
S-weak aromas clean toasted dark barley malt
T-strong vanilla taste blends well with the chocolatey malt
M-soft mouthfeel- rich bodied with a pleasant chocolate/vanilla finish
O-a good dessert beer-clean and flavorful

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 17:19:27 | More by deebo

popery

California

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black with a creamy head, light brown, about the color of coffee with a splash of milk. Lots of fine bubbles. The aroma is a tad weak, but the flavors present are very nice. Light cocoa with some coffee and roast. A very well-integrated and strong but not overbearing shot of vanilla. Some of the sweetness is almost lacto in character, or perhaps I just expect that in vanilla stouts. Definitely tends toward the sweet milk chocolate side of things. The taste could be quite good, but it just lacks the necessary depth. Kinda washed out. I'm mostly getting a sorta watery vanilla milk chocolate flavor. It's nice and I appreciate the thought behind it, but this beer could be a lot better if the same flavor profile was just turned up in intensity. Mouthfeel is actually pretty creamy despite the somewhat watery flavor. It's a nice beer and doesn't diminish my excitement for MBC, but I'm a bit disappointed after trying Lunch, Zoe and Peeper.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 04:30:23 | More by popery

BeerLover99

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: onyx body, finger khaki head, splendid lacing

S: vanilla, roasted oats, mild dark chocolate

T: vanilla bean, dark chocolate, creamy roasted oat finish

M: med body, smooth mouth

O: Maine does it again. Lots of flavor
and nose for an American stout.

QUITE NICE; GIVE IT A GO!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 19:03:24 | More by BeerLover99

SColl

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Date Dec. 6, 2012
Type/ Style Porter
Package 22 oz
Location Home
ABV 6.5%

Aroma: Chocolate, Vanilla, Alcohol

Appearance: Black, Brown Head

Body/Texture: Thin Mouthfeel, Slight Alcohol burn

Aftertaste: Coffee, Chocolate, Oak, Wood

Overall: 3/5 Ok beer, I expected more and was a bit underwhelmed, none of the flavors really stood out and the mouthfeel was a little thinner than I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 17:49:46 | More by SColl

beastmammoth

New York

4.55/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Especially as it warms, this is a great beer. Intense overwhelming roast bitterness couples with harsh unsweetened chocolate. Waves and waves of bitter tempered by some delicate vanilla. A little light on mouthfeel but smooth and not lacking. Light sweet vanilla on the nose.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 01:12:33 | More by beastmammoth

C20Percent

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark brown with a nice tan colored bubbly head on top. Can actually see some pretty decent bubble action in the body. Head seems to be holding rather nicely. Nothing super here, but nice nonetheless.

S: First thing coming through is a nice roastiness. Some definite coffee notes mixed with vanilla bean. For me though -- main thing coming through are the roasted malts. Swirling the brew seems to bring out the vanilla.

T: Vanilla bean and roasted malts mostly coming through in the flavor. There is a strange finish -- something that taste flat. I don't think that's the intent, but... There's a lot of complexity in the taste. All the flavors are there though. Solid.

M: The body is much lighter than your typical stout, which is a bit unfortunate. Carbonation is flat -- light. Not much chewiness. Not really feeling the body. The worst of the features. It is smooth -- not really creamy. Oily feel.

O: The label says you can age this. This particular brew is 7 months old. When you start drinking you can tell that something is off. It comes through in the finish. Then it really comes through when you begin to analyze the feel. This is an above average brew, but just barely. For $7.70, which was what I paid for this you can find much better stouts.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 20:17:11 | More by C20Percent

brother_kenneth

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter glass.

A - Very dark, but not quite black. Nice amount of light brown/tan head, decent lacing.

S - The most noticeable thing is the vanilla. There are also hints of coffee and some smokiness.

T - Mouth is rather thin, but the taste is pretty good! Lots of vanilla up front, along with a nice smoked, roasted malt flavor. There is some dark coffee here as well, but it is not very strong.

O - This is a pretty good stout and the vanilla beans certainly add a nice touch. It is a fairly straightforward brew that is easy to gulp down. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 18:31:01 | More by brother_kenneth

argock

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 16.9 oz grey-brown bottle into a clear glass snifter. Bottled on 111912 on side of label. Purchased at WIne Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $6.99.

A: Nearly black with ruby/chestnut edges and 1-2 fingers of light beige head with good retention but minimal dots of lacing.

S: Strong aromas of maple-vanilla, like those Brachs candies you stole so many times from the grocery store bin when you were a kid shopping with your Mom. The roast also comes thorugh pretty strong but not much on the dark fruit or malt side of the ledger.

T: The flavor is also mostly vanilla with a hefty roast component that fades with warming. There is a fair amount of sweetness to balance with the roast. Unfortunately there is not a lot of soul to this beer, as it tastes as undermalted as the 6.5% belies. The flavor is very thin and artificial tasting without the sufficient malt backbone.

M: Reasonably creamy and smooth but the body feels thin for the style.

O: Maine Beer should turn this into an imperial stout -- even as a porter this would seem thin and short on character. More base malt to carry the roast and vanilla more as accents would be step in the right direction. Pretty disappointing for the price and especially compared to MO and Zoe (and even Peeper Ale).

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:39:36 | More by argock

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 082612 08. So, August 26, 2012. Poured in to tulip.

A -Black with half a finger of medium brown head.

S - Big sweet vanilla aroma up front with roast and hints of coffee in the background.

T - Vanilla up front that immediately gives way to a huge roast profile and some bitter coffee flavours. Fairly sweet overall with some balancing bitterness.

M - Medium body, Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 22:12:41 | More by TheSevenDuffs

sarajayne

3.63/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look- Black in color, no transparency

Smell- This beer is aged on natural vanilla beans, but I can't really pick up on much vanilla in the scent. I smell a really great smokey scent, roasted malt, and maybe even a little hint of coffee!

Taste- This was so much better than the first time I tried this on tap. Perhaps it is best served from the bottle. I really love the smokey flavor and the way the roasted malt and vanilla comes together. The vanilla is very subtle but in the perfect way-just enough to compliment the other flavors! It is somewhat hard for me to distinguish was else I'm tasting; maybe some maple, coffee, and cocoa? It is just so good and that is not just Mean Old Tom talking!

mouth feel: lighter than a typical stout, but regardless it still has a ton of flavor!

Overall: I'd recommend this for sure. Maine Beer Co. is a solid brewery and always puts out a great beer. I'm really happy I gave this another try.

Collage girls GOOD drink beer:
www.brewreviewboston.blogspot.com

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 22:49:55 | More by sarajayne

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Coffee black with a pretty tall head. Due to my particular glass the head was slow to form looking quite similar to a stout on nitro. An excting event as it flowed down my glass. As i drink the foaminess lingers withs lots of lacing.
The aroma boasts a good amount of roasted malts and barley but the vanilla is quite restrained and weak.
Taste is awsome as one might expect from these brewers with lots of roasted goodness some coffee and vanilla. the vanilla is not as strong as i would have expected. It does serve to boost up the other flavors.
Drinks smooth with an ashen or charcoal feel but with the amount of roast I detect in this brew it's perfectly accetable for me.
This is another quaility brew from the boys up there in Maine. As this beer warms the flavors and feel become more pronouned. Definitly worthy.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 15:07:07 | More by micromaniac129

apintofknowledge

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle dated 10/07/12 - simple, clean label design - minimalist look stands out!

Pours a deep walnut hue with a nice creamy, frothy mocha colored head.

Aroma is faint, mild roasted smell with hints of bourbon (likely from the vanilla beans).

Once you get past the nice creamy head, the mouthfeel is somewhat thin... a little more body would go a long way.

The taste is initially roasty (think coffee beans and toasted walnuts) with a touch of the crisp, slightly burnt caramelized layer atop a creme brulee. Gets somewhat bitter after this, with notes of charcoal, over-roasted coffee beans (a.k.a. Starbucks) and a chalky mineral-like finish. I find the vanilla very subtle, but a good contrast to the burnt notes (helps smooth out the harsher flavors). The vanilla and slightly buttery notes come through more as the beer warms, but still subtle allowing the roasted flavors to come forward.

Let this one warm a little before drinking. I started drinking this a little too chilled, and the harsher flavors dominated. As it warmed, it became more balanced and had more depth. Not a complex beer by any means, but nice and very drinkable overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 23:46:01 | More by apintofknowledge

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is my first review here, so I'll do my best.

Bottled in August 2012. Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a Guinness 250th anniversary imperial Pint glass.

Appearance- Beautiful pitch black with a light caramel head of about two fingers. Head took about thirty seconds to dissipate leaving a nice ring around the top of the beer.

Smell- Not over powerful, but I do get aromas of coffee, baking chocolate, licorice, and very faint vanilla bean.

Taste- Coffee. Bitterness, probably from that bakers chocolate. I tinge of alcohol at the back of the tongue. Vanilla at the very end. Coffee at aftertaste lingers around for quite some time.

Mouthfeel- Perfect amount of carbonation. Its is certainly not light in body, but it also does not coat my mouth. The alcohol content is not very strong. I'm drinking this at noon and it's a perfect beer with lunch.

Overall- So far from Maine Beer Company I've only had this and the Peeper ale and both have been very good for such a small batch brewery. I will certainly buy this again and I look forward to other beers they make. Im glad I tried this stout and I'm glad I reviewed it.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 16:58:15 | More by Seanniek91

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Looks like it was bottled August 20, 2012.

Beer is jet black with a moderately-sized tan head. Good retention.

Nose contains vanilla and chocolate predominantly. Some roast malt as well.

Taste is quite similar to the nose. Vanilla, cocoa and some roast malt. Vanilla is quite strong.

Medium bodied, a little thinner than expected, moderate carbonation level, quite smooth.

Overall, quite tasty. Nothing spectacular but certainly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 00:52:16 | More by jrenihan

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 10/7/12, poured into a Founders snifter.

A: Pours a dark brownish black, nice creamy brown finger of head. Nice spotty lace.

S: Roasty sweetness, cocoa and some vanilla. A little bit of tobacco, some figs and mild coffee. Vanilla is there but not overbearing, very subtle but nice.

T: Very roasty, cocoa powder, good amount of burnt notes. Some tobacco and earthy, woodsy flavors. Not a whole lot of vanilla, but its there and works off the roastiness. Theres a nice lingering bitterness and finishes on the drier side.

M: Medium bodied, very soft, creamy.

O: Another tasty brew from MBC. Not overly complex but very easy to drink and very pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 21:24:48 | More by Dools9

Boto

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle: This one pours an opaque, inky dark brown. There was a small tan head on it that doesn’t leave much lacing. Nice nose. Chocolate, some roastiness, vanilla, coffee. Nice taste. Medium bodied, but still has a lighter feel even though there is a lot of flavor. Milk chocolate, hint of coffee, faint vanilla. Balanced well to have almost no sweetness and a hint of bitterness in the finish. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 21:15:30 | More by Boto

Gavage

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a black color with a dark tan colored 2" head that hangs around a while.

Smell: chocolate, vanilla, and roasted malts are most detectable.

Taste: roasted malts, dark chocolate, mild vanilla flavors, and some prune sweetness. Bitterness is nicely balancing here as some hints of citrus tones show up late.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp to start, smoother at the finish. Aftertaste is long lasting here.

Overall: this was a tasty beer that was nicely refreshing for the style. Easy to drink, and the vanilla is mild enough here. Defintely worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 18:06:43 | More by Gavage