8 Ball Stout - Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe

menkros

Illinois

1.88/5  rDev -51.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Pours dark black, smells of oak and wood. Taste of very high carbonation it needs to age a lot more. Bitter burnt coffee beans. Not good. Aroma- slight roasted notes, chocolate, metallics pitch black, no real head Taste- lactose, cream, slight chocolate, roasted notes Palate- decent body, nice mouthfeel,but not special either.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 03:41:42 | More by menkros

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Mad Elf tulip.

A: Poured as black as can be, with about a finger or so frothy mocha head that died down into a mere ring around the liquid within minutes.

S: Mild, yet candy-like, with malted milk balls leading the way. This had a very lactose heavy disposition overall.

T: Very chocolatey without being sweet, and with a nice deep, rich addition added by the oats. There was a mild bitter finish, but overall, I just got chocolate milk.

M: I think the carbonation was way too much here and it really detracted from the creaminess. That was its only flaw to my mind. The lacing was non-existent.

O: This was a really nice, tasty stout that I'd try again... even in the summer.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 21:22:42 | More by Chaney

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - solid black, thumb of head retained okay, left some lacing
S - milk chocolate and cola aromas dominate with some roastiness
T - semi sweet chocolate, cold coffee, cola, mild smokiness
M - decent carbonation, a little on the thin side for a stout
O - characteristic are more porter than stout, tasty none the less and worth a try but not something i would drink regularly

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:20:36 | More by joemcgrath27

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Got this one at Premiere Gourmet in Amherst, NY.

From a bottle into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: A brown pour yields a small, medium looking, light tan head with decent retention. Head quickly fades to a faint wisp and ring. Black body, relatively transparent, with medium levels of carbonation evident. A swirly wisp remains until the end and leaves dots of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Roasted malts, roasted coffee and dark chocolate on the nose. Some vanilla cream notes as well. Medium strength, and nice enough.

TASTE: Roasted malts, oats and coffee flavors up front, then some dark chocolate and burnt flavors at the finish. Bolder and lingering aftertaste of burnt malts, roasted coffee beans, and nice notes of sweet cream. Flavorful and enjoyable for sure.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Note quite as creamy as hoped, but goes down fine and finishes slightly dry on the palate.

OVERALL: A solid, flavorful, and enjoyable stout beer. Something definitely worth checking out if you come across it somewhere. Glad I found this one. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 15:29:09 | More by Jeffo

Josiah2729

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into pint glass...

Appearance: Dark black with thin one finger light brown creamy head, minimal lacing.

Smell: Chocolate and coffee, slight hop presence.

Taste: Coffee and dark roasted sweet malts, bitter english hop presence.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium body, warming presence.

Overall: A delicious oatmeal stout full of flavor and a pleasant aroma. Satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 04:50:01 | More by Josiah2729

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle with 04/17/12 on the neck written in super hard to read black ink. Pours a very dark brown, basically black color with a thin layer of tan head. Minimal lacing. Aroma is sweet, almost like an oatmeal cookie. Caramel, malts, chocolate and coffee. The taste is sweet malts with some chocolate and coffee. Earthy. Mouthfeel is a bit light for the style. Overall, decent Oatmeal Stout. I'm interested in trying the Imperial version now.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 03:26:57 | More by PicoPapa

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown appearing black, Light tan dissipating head that leaves light lacing. Light aroma of dark and roasted malts, chocolate. A dark stout, but light on flavor. Flavors that are there are very nice and well balanced with nice toasted malts, but the taste is very light and tame. Mouth fell is surprisingly light, but still has some creaminess. A pleasant, but not remarkable low ABV stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 23:27:06 | More by LiquidAmber

JWU

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle poured into a snifter

A- Deep black, no hues coming through when held to the light. Khaki head that dissipates fairly quickly.

S- nice notes of coffee, dark chocolate, deep roasted malts, and a touch of earthy hops. I can pickup on the oatmeal on the nose as well.

T- Eh, a bit of a letdown after the nice nose, but it's overall good. The nose pretty much sums it up, no one taste note dominates over the others, so it scores well for balance, but the intensity of the taste is just a bit lacking.

M- Seriously? This much carbonation on a Stout? It totally ruins the use of the oatmeal, as the smoothness of the oatmeal is just cancelled out by the excessive carbonation. It's also thin for a Stout. We're talking Guinness thin.

O- It had the makings of a great stout, but a few trip ups downgrade it to merely good.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 00:25:25 | More by JWU

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours very dark brown, with large bubbles rising to form a solid 2-finger head of toasty-brown froth. Lingering was good, although lacing unimpressive after the head settled.

S: Burnt coffee and molasses were all that really came to me.

T: Sweet and acrid malt up front. Dark raisins and dried apricot notes are there in the middle, but end up getting drowned by surprisingly strong (for a stout) hops bitterness.

M: Not bad for a beer -- moist, but with good carbonation -- but lacking in the richness and smoothness I expect from a stout.

O: It seemed that it just didn't quite add up, as if the brewer started out to make a stout, but changed his mind and tried to make an ale halfway through. It was neither creamy nor complex. I didn't finish even finish it, so I'll pass on this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 02:09:40 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

Beerevity

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark with a light fizzy head. Pretty standard as far as stouts go.

Chocolatey with smooth notes of toasted nuts. A subtle yet very pleasing aroma.

Roasted malt, light chocolate and slight smokiness up front. Leaves with oatmeal and a bit of raisin beckoning the tastebuds.

One of the lightest feeling stouts I have ever tried. Carbination level was quite high but it grew on me rather quick. Extremely drinkable beer.

Overall:
In the land of stouts it isn't exactly complex. But it is a simple, to-the-point beer with admirable qualities. I'll definitely pick up more when I'm looking for something sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 02:33:04 | More by Beerevity

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into an snifter.
No date, ingredients listed, but no other info.

A - A tall but quiet pour releases a thin tan head. The loose foam fizzes away rather quickly leaving a little ring on top of the clear deep chocolate brown color.

S - Low notes of creamy chocolate and coffee subside to dry cocoa and surround the robust malt nose. Creamy oats give the aroma an inviting, smooth appeal that finishes out with an earthy American hop nose.

T - Rich roasted malts with potent notes of coffee and smooth dark chocolate give way to a drier, dusty cocoa flavor, mirroring the aroma. Stronger than the aroma lets on, it's creamy and smooth tasting with a very light earthy hop finish.

M - Smooth in texture, the dry roasted malt finishes the beer dry and lightly acridly bitter. An abundance of carbonation keeps the oatmeal from really adding a nice creaminess to it.

O - It's a solid stout offering but provides little depth; not much is alluded to but, still a fine beer regardless. 8-Ball Stout's real short-coming keeping it from greatness is the higher level of carbonation, obstructing the oats from fully participating in the mouthfeel. The creaminess is there in the nose but doesn't carry through to the palate.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 22:02:51 | More by BeerFMAndy

2814

California

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Roasted coffee up front, light maltiness in the finish. Very light in terms of the typical stout, light carbonation which adds to the drinkability. Not the smooth texture usually associated with oatmeal stouts, but an overall pleasurable experience. Rich, roasted malt flavors give way to an effervescent texture from the carbonation, and a smooth dry finish. Very drinkable as a session stout to those used to higher alcohol content Imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 04:38:40 | More by 2814

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of coffee and roasted malts. Taste is strong coffee up front, roasted malts, a touch of chocolate. I did not detect the oatmeal in either the smell or taste. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 14:58:37 | More by tone77

Duke

British Columbia (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: 8 Ball Stout pours a piceous colour, but it isn't the thickest stout. The head was bold and a beautiful cocoa colour, and it left no lacing.

Smell: The coffee was the first thing to hit me, with the chocolate and oatmeal coming next. It's all quite light - I don't thing the smells here are particularly rich compared with my experience of oatmeal stouts.

Taste: 8 Ball Stout is sweet at the front, before the roastier coffee notes take over. Like the smell, the tastes are quite light. It's not what one would call a party in one's mouth.

Mouthfeel: The body of 8 Ball Stout is medium, perhaps on the light side of medium, but still there's a creamy feel to it before the carbonation really kicks in. That carbonation is moderate, and it dies quite quickly, making the beer feel very easy to drink.

Overall: Not bad. Very drinkable. For me this beer is a little on the light side for me to actively seek it out again. This one can just be ranked as "good". As a side note, I've been fortunate to have also had Lost Coast's Bourbon Barrel Aged 8 Ball on tap, and that one is a superb imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 05:29:40 | More by Duke

TheSixthRing

California

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a deep chocolate brown with a thick, light cocoa colored 3-finger head which takes it's time before giving way to a thin, but sticky lace.

Smell - Very faint, but classic oatmeal stout aromas - roasted chocolate and coffee malt.

Taste - Again, classic oatmeal stout is the theme here - roasty chocolate and coffee notes. Fairly light. A bit of caramel in the finish. Not much else that stands out.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full body, and the carbonation is right on point. Goes down smooth.

Overall - Lost Coast plays it safe with a very traditional oatmeal stout; really no originality or creativity with this one. It's a good stout, but I can't call it great, not when it does nothing to distinguish itself.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 01:10:52 | More by TheSixthRing

flagmantho

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: extremely dark hue which lets only a few shreds of ruby through when held up to the light. Head poured a big 3 fingers of frothy tan foam which are subsiding nicely. Good looking beer.

Smell: rich, chocolatey aroma with coffee notes as well. A fair amount of vegetal hop aroma comes through as well, but this is nearly unavoidable in the style.

Taste: nice roasty flavor shows some of the chocolate and some of the coffee notes, but is overall qute balanced. There's a nice semi-sweet creamy character which I also rather like. A balanced and tasty stout.

Mouthfeel: medium body with an OK level of carbonation and a decent, if not great, creaminess. I would have expected a little more from an oatmeal stout, but it's not terrible.

Overall: a tasty stout, this could easily be a go-to stout for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 22:42:19 | More by flagmantho

Merkur

Tennessee

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

Beer pours almost pitch black with about a finger and a half worth of khaki foam that lingers.

Beer smells very roasty of coffee and a slight bit of earthiness.

Beer tastes very roasty. Chocolate notes start off and the beer finishes with some nice balanced hoppiness.

Beer is appropriately thick and a bit of carbonation.

Very drinkable stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 01:20:20 | More by Merkur

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Hyvee in Council Bluffs, IA
No bottled on date noticed
Poured into a New Belgium globe glass

Lost Coast's oatmeal stout features classic oatmeal stout pieces, such as the ultra-smooth body with some dark roasted flavors, smoke, and sweetness. While good, I felt the beer was a bit too lacking in the aromatic and taste components for my taste.

1.5 cm tan head descends to a thin ring around the glass with a single island in the middle. Some spots left around glass perimeter as lacing. Body is very dark brown to black, totally opaque.

Aroma of bagged, roasted barley; faint chocolate; smoke, with some licorice and menthol aspects to it; slight cumin. Interesting, if not a bit bland.

Taste opens with slightly acidic, but still quite sweet, roasted malt. Roasted flavors continue, with some milk chocolate, cola, faint coffee with cream, and subtle smoke. Closes out with mild roasted barley and some smoke flavors. Aftertaste is of roasted malt and some soy sauce, the latter of which is rather unwanted.

Beer is medium to medium-light in body, and is expectedly smooth. Carbonation is surprisingly modest, leaving this feeling decent, but a bit slow/sluggish moving on the palate. Finish is dry.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 08:11:34 | More by falloutsnow

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a mug.

This brew boasts a massive tan-colored brew that lasts and lasts. It is a very dark, deep mahogany colored brew that only shows the faintest amber/red along the very edges of the glass.

Smells of deep roasted barley, roasted chocolate malt, and some coffee with a bit of some earthy hops.

Tastes chocolatey, roasted malts, and a nice dose of some coffee bitters that lay down the finish.

Medium mouthfeel, silky smooth and creamy.

Overall, this is a very nice oatmeal stout. Definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 01:21:38 | More by ujsplace

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Purchased bottle in Halifax in November, so not cellared long. Tons of flavour, but a surprisingly thin mouthfeel on an otherwise delightful oatmeal stout.

Clear and dark colour only shows ruby highlights at the edges of the glass when held up to light. Coffee-coloured head dissipates quickly and leaves no trace. Aroma of dark roasted malts with some barrel tannin undertones. Taste is well-balanced, with flavours of roasted and toasted malts blending nicely with the cooked oats and some smoky oak notes, all with an underlying dry backbone. The aftertaste is sweet and lingers for an impressively long time.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 01:35:33 | More by hopsolutely

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into pint glass 11/2/12

A dark cola with some ruby red when held to the light, short lived two finger of tan foam leaves no lace, loads of sediment is just visible in the dark body

S sweet roasted malts, slightly fruity and lots of milk chocolate and little cold coffee

T along the same lines as the smell but a slightly darker roast with a little charred wood on the finish, slightly sweet and just a little nutty dark toffee

M medium bodied, enters silky and has enough carbonation to give it a creamy feel, long aftertaste remains strong for a while

O pretty solid oatmeal stout overall, solid smell and taste and the feel is right on, big flavors in something I could session

I did like this brew but its quite overpriced here in Alberta at 18$ a 6er, with St Ambroise on the shelf for 12$ I doubt I'll drink it again

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 21:03:09 | More by wordemupg

RedBiddy

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Stouts are my favorite. And this stout was surprise. On sale at Albertson's for only $2.99!!! Dark enough to to use for protection while watching a solar eclipse. Nice head...three fingers on a rapid pour. Nice lacing. Chocolate. Not as bitter as many stouts. Not as smokey either. Very enjoyable. Mouthfeel is such that you are in no hurry to swallow. Swish Swish Swish...enjoy...swallow - only if I have to. Ahhh...tasty! I can't think of a better bargain.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 21:38:42 | More by RedBiddy

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Pours an almost opaque super dark crimson brown with a 1 inch foamy dark khaki head that settles to a thin cap. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt and some slight cocoa and coffee aromas. Taste is of dark roasted malt, toasted oats, cocoa powder, and some ground coffee bean flavors. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good solid stout that is very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 22:25:30 | More by UCLABrewN84

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Clear brown with light on edges and red hue. Two finger head with good head retention and good lacing

S - Caramel, malt, coffee, oatmeal.

T - Follows smell, moderate bitterness, good body, dry finish.

M - Medium carbonation, med body

O - Decent Oatmeal stout, but I want more toasted flakes and more oatmeal flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2012 21:12:34 | More by williamjbauer

RappAttack

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: nearly opaque with a red tint to it, thin tan head
S:smells very rosty and nutty
T: roated coffee and chocolate nice dry finish
M: decent amount of carbonation, with a creamy up front with a dry finish
O: agood off-dry stout, good price point i would buy again

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 07:10:32 | More by RappAttack