Phantom Punch Winter Stout - Baxter Brewing Co.

Dope

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours black with a big fluffy dark brown head. Fades slowly with a wonderful wall of lacework left behind. Great head retention.

S: Decent bitter chocolate with some great creamy vanilla. A little bit of char and smoke mixed in.

T: Char, smoke and bitter chocolate up front. Lots of it. A little bit of vanilla mixes in to sweeten it up and adds a bit of a creamy texture. Bitter chocolate and char becomes more bitter in the middle as the vanilla fades. Touch of smoke and bitter baker's chocolate lingers in the aftertaste. Bitter smoke, cocoa and char become more prevalent as the beer warms.

M: Medium bodied, creamy.

O: Pretty decent stout with a nice touch of extra complexity from the cocoa and vanilla. Creamy with nice drinkability. A little bit more vanilla would have balanced out the bitter roasty flavors better and made this really good, IMO.

Serving type: can

12-07-2012 03:54:47 | More by Dope

ScaryEd

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

06-08-2013 15:46:54 | More by ScaryEd

RummyRedbeard

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

(copied from blog - written January 5, 2013)

Appearance – Pours black with a huge creamy tan head.
Smell – I can’t really put my finger on the smell of it, dominated by chocolate for sure, maybe some burnt/roasted coffee.
Taste – Dry, bitter, roasted malt upon first taste that quickly rolls into a mixture of sweet flavors such as chocolate, vanilla and caramel.

This beer is named after the 1965 Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston boxing match in which Louisville born Cassius Clay knocked Liston out within two minutes of the fight's beginning [link]. Appropriately so, this beer looks, smells and tastes so good but, man, if you drink a whole 6 pack, watch out cause you’ll get knocked out like Liston (har har). Really a delicious stout no matter you like dry stouts or sweet ones because it is the best of both worlds — it starts out dry and finishes smooth and sweet. Highly recommended!

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 00:47:31 | More by RummyRedbeard

KingHenry

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-21-2013 00:11:17 | More by KingHenry

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a snifter. Color was a very nick dark brown that was completely opaque. Had a nice creamy rich mocha brown head, that left a solid layer with a little bit of cling. A fair amount of sediment was floating around the bottom. Smell was nicely sweet, lactose with a touch of smoke. Flavor starts with some roasty biter dark chocolate, then becomes a bit more bitter. A bit of acid that balanced out as it sat, but not quite as mellow as I would expect. Felt great in the mouth. Coated very well, pretty much as it should. Overall, the lack of balanced mellowness, and what seemed to be excessive sediment took it down a notch.

Serving type: can

05-10-2013 23:34:47 | More by mountdew1

hopley

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-02-2013 00:09:55 | More by hopley

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.24/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to IPAkindaguy for this can in a recent trade!

Poured into a snifter. Pours a deep midnight-black, with a lustrous beige head on top. Good retention and lacing. As with most Export stouts in my experience, the aroma comes across fruity and sweet. Vinous wine-like aromas, chocolate, vanilla, fresh bread.

Decent girth to this dark beer, but a touch too slick on the finish. Carbonation level is alright, but it drinks a little thinner than I'd like for the style. Sweet chocolate and vanilla right off, with a wash of sweet maraschino cherries, alcohol. I don't know, something about this just doesn't keep me sipping.

I almost always gravitate well to anything dark when it comes to beer - especially anything Stout-related. But I keep trying these Export Stouts, and I just can't get behind them. Not sure what it is - the sweetness, fruit-quality - I don't know, but this is just not a style I will reach for often. I'll stick with the more roasted-forward stouts.

Serving type: can

05-01-2013 21:22:39 | More by Onenote81

flayedandskinned

California

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned on 11/14/12
received as an extra from trade with IPAkindaguy, Thanks, man!
Poured into a standard tulip.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown verging on black, a thick 3 finger beige head sprouts up quickly enough and lasts for quite some time, leaving some very nice lace down the sides of the glass as it slowly recedes. Nice looking brew.

Aroma: Huge, creamy notes of sweet milk chocolate, vanilla bean, roasted malts, lightly roasted coffee and a light herbal hoppiness manifests itself in the roasted malt profile very nicely. Wow, this really smells like a chocolate milkshake.

Taste: The stout opens with a whisper of light grassy hops before you're hit with notes of dark chocolate, roasted malts and some coffee. The beer finishes dry, but leaves you with welcome notes of creamy, yet bitter chocolate and roasted notes of malt, nuts and coffee left loitering on your palate.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and slightly creamy with moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: This is a very good, easy drinking, chocolate forward stout that I wish was made more readily available to me. The flavors are deep and rich, yet this stout is oddly refreshing. Really solid, although not knock your socks of flavor. Recommended for a fairly session-able, full flavored stout.

Serving type: can

04-30-2013 01:24:07 | More by flayedandskinned

trotnixon

Maine

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-24-2013 11:00:26 | More by trotnixon

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.74/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz can into a snifter

A: Pours a very dark brown, basically black with one finger of thick tan head. Retention and lacing are both excellent.

S: Cocoa nibs, light vanilla, some malted milk balls and a touch of roast.

T: Similar to aroma, but roasted malts come out a bit more. Roast is supported by quite a bit of cocoa nibs and a hint of vanilla. I get some nice caramel to add some sweetness, though the beer stays on the dry side.

M: Medium thickness with nice carbonation.

O: Not overly complex, but a nice tasting stout. Strong chocolate flavors mixes with roasted malts and a bit of sweetness to creat a nice beer.

Serving type: can

04-17-2013 01:25:15 | More by coreyfmcdonald

slim2043

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.7%

04-15-2013 02:01:19 | More by slim2043

raffy313

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-12-2013 03:50:58 | More by raffy313

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.1/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Pours half jet black body, half thick coffee colors head with good lacing. Looks really good.

Nose has a lot of odd piney winter spice character, some vanilla and milk chocolate, not a lot of roast...fairly mild aroma overall and a little odd.

Flavor opens with vanilla, then more of the odd green spice character but less than in the nose, then chocolate, then some nice roast I didn't get from smelling it. Definitely tastes better than it smells. Enjoyable overall, would be way better without those odd flavors.

Mouthfeel is strong, very thick and creamy, rich and well carbed.

Strange beer--looks and feels great, smells kindof off, tastes good but a little off. Enjoyable overall.

6.3/10

Serving type: can

04-09-2013 03:35:44 | More by AlexFields

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

12oz can. Black with a smooth and creamy looking mocha colored head. This stays rich and frothy with some thick lacing. Smells of roast, cocoa, vanilla and weird hop presence that I guess is coming off like a kind of Noble hop? It definitely has spiciness to it. The taste is similar but does seem to do a little better, with a decent balance of roasted malts, a sweet combo of cocoa and vanilla and then a tingle of earthy and spicy citric hops. Dry and bitter on the finish with some lingering smoke. The feel is medium bodied with a crisp creaminess in the mouth that flows well. Just a smidge of warmth is present and this is overall pretty smooth. This was decent but the weirdness of the aroma kind of put a damper on things. I’d maybe check a can out of this but it really isn’t worth picking up multiples of.

Serving type: can

03-29-2013 19:27:49 | More by Kegatron

Hopstronaut

Maine

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-25-2013 21:57:14 | More by Hopstronaut

kell50

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-24-2013 04:35:31 | More by kell50

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-22-2013 21:11:57 | More by Damian74Shensky

Bendurgin

Maine

3.23/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a pint glass. This one pours a dark cola brown with two fingers of light tan head.

Hints of milk chocolate and charcoal on the aroma. Seems a bit boring but not bad. Dark roasted malts in the pallet with a bit of a sweet finish. Hints of coffee and some cocoa.

The most is medium with sharp carbonation. Overall not bad, nothing special though.

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 18:51:42 | More by Bendurgin

PriorDoubleDark

Maine

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

03-06-2013 23:40:59 | More by PriorDoubleDark

mmosey

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-05-2013 01:30:25 | More by mmosey

MikeHRayn

Maine

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-02-2013 12:40:11 | More by MikeHRayn

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

canned on 12/11, about 10/11 weeks old. 6$ for a 6pack what a steal!

A: Big thick root beer like head. Thick/opaque black. Leaves nice lacing.

S: Roasted barley, coco nibs, some espresso notes, marshmallow, honey,

T: Coffee and chocolate notes up front. Lots of dark semi sweet coco ad vanilla notes. A little bit of floral/citrus hop kiss. a lot of roasted flavors in malt profile, definitely English style. Has a dry-ish finish too from bitter chocolate.

M: Has a nice silky body like an oatmeal stout. drinks smooth. Higher carbonation than many stouts.

O: This is awesome, kind of like a session RIS. Flavors of a big stout (oatmeal stout) without the super boozyness and heavyness. Right up there with Ipswich oatmeal stout as my favorite stout purchases. Highly recommended.

Serving type: can

02-28-2013 02:18:29 | More by BigCheese

Mullen2525

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

02-24-2013 21:29:32 | More by Mullen2525

Durge

Connecticut

4.14/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Absolutely opaque black with an impressive brown head that settles to a sturdy top layer with serious lacing. Looks promising. The aroma delivers a nice deep chocolate malt with hazelnut coffee and some vanilla and some light herbal hop edges. I think it smells terrific. The first taste offers a bit more coffee heavy flavors, roasted coffee, almost burned grounds with a somewhat sharp edge yet the mellow, deep malt holds it together nicely for something that invites the big gulp approach. There's some subtle seaweed sort of grass hop in the background that makes it interesting along with a charcoal finish. Perhaps more notable is the near full body and thick, silky feel accented with a bit of fine carbonation sparkle for some contrast. I don't know, this seems like a pretty damn good stout and one I could drink a few of easily when in a malt-bomb mood. It's interesting without being especially complex and delivers the nice dark punch I look for in a stout. I'm quite pleased by this nice stout to ride shotgun to my favorite IPA, Stowaway. Nice work Baxter!

Serving type: can

02-21-2013 03:46:34 | More by Durge

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

02-15-2013 18:45:04 | More by Mikecap