Captain Swain's Extra Stout - Cisco Brewers Inc.

nomad

Kansas

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Black beer, well, almost black with loads of head from strong carbonation and a seriously dirty linen color. Three fingers of head, stacking clumpy like Ricotta and holed like Emmentaler, leaving nickels worth of foam clinging to hang perilously from every pint. If I could define formation and retention in a technical beer manual this might be example A or B.

Smells of big beany coffee, foremost, with a light grape about that grows in power but then diffuses flat as the beer warms.

Taste is dry, seemingly chalky, vinous, with a serious espresso bite in the finish - I'm talking just enough smoky char paired with a near-salty hop bitterness. Opens to just enough balancing sweetness, but not too much, and big grape flavors all over with a smidge of ethanol warmth. Mouthfeel is thinner than expected and perhaps a little over-carbonated, but not nearly as bad as others' reports.

Complex, dry, but easy to drink. The dark and dry onslaught is easier on the palate than description belies. A winner in a rare and under-understood style.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2006 14:25:42 | More by nomad

carnoustie7

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-10-2013 01:17:24 | More by carnoustie7

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-29-2013 06:21:25 | More by Kelp

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-07-2013 01:58:55 | More by thebouch01

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a clear but opaque very dark brown in color (almost black) with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some amber highlights. The beer has a half finger tall dark tan head that reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of roasted and burnt dark malts with some light notes of anise and spruce-like hoppiness.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of roasted and burnt malts with some heavily roasted coffee. That is followed by some lighter flavors of dark chocolate and anise along with a light note of hoppiness (spruce/pine). Light amounts of earthy hoppiness that lends to the already moderate bitterness which lingers for quite a while.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly creamy with light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: This is an interesting though fairly big foreign/export stout which significant amounts of roast and char flavors/aromas. The hoppiness really starts to become more apparent as the beer warms up.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:04:21 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

3.89/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color-only traces of red are visible near the edge of the glass when it is held up to a bright light. It poured with a quarter finger high mocha covered head that died down, leaving a large patch of bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of burnt and roasted malts are present in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell, except that it also has hints of licorice. All flavors linger through the finish. Little if any bitterness is perceptible.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and extremely dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and nice and dry, burnt and roasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 23:58:16 | More by metter98

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-10-2013 03:04:21 | More by DrunkinYogi

stoppertb18

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -35.6%

02-17-2013 22:08:09 | More by stoppertb18

ESeab

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

02-04-2013 15:51:55 | More by ESeab

AnitaBrewski

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.1%

01-21-2013 23:44:13 | More by AnitaBrewski

Beeradelphia

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

12-26-2012 02:14:48 | More by Beeradelphia

SLeffler27

New York

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Builds a three-inch dark chestnut froth that leaves a creamy coating of lace on the inaugural use of my Cicso fisheye pint glass. The head slowly settles to a pancake batter consistency over a black beer. The cascading action was, as always, mesmerizing.

The aroma is dominated by espresso and dark chocolate, with crème de cocoa in the background. Warmth brings out pinesap and rum.

There is a strong coffee flavor which oscillates between sweet and bitter, while dark roasted chocolate is countered by rum and a sharp, bitter finish that mellows with time. Warms very well, bringing out mint, light acid, with molasses.

Warming alcohol mellows as this beer comes to room temperature. It has a medium body with a creamy texture and soft, prickly carbonation.

Captain Swain’s is good on its own, with deep conversation or a juicy ribeye.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 21:38:06 | More by SLeffler27

oldedog

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

11-22-2012 04:46:45 | More by oldedog

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brought down from New England to share with my family:

In a pint glass:

A: pitch black colored body and leaves a nice foamy one finger mocha colored head, it gently dies to concave lumpiness. Beautiful spotty spiderweb lacing is left.

S: smokey and roasty with the coffee up front, some really light vanilla enters in as the beer warms.

T: light and gives quite a bit of hops and burnt bread, some coffee, pine and hops enter gently in.

M: light and bitter, close to watery, there is a good dry finish and a bitter and dry aftertaste. It is fairly drinkable.

O: not bad, however, there are some other foreign/export stouts that I think I like more, perhaps because the hops came out to play more so than other foreign stouts. My dad and brother thought the same.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 11:46:56 | More by kangarooAdam59

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

2/5  rDev -48.5%

11-06-2012 16:38:57 | More by cfalovo97

seplo

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.1%

10-29-2012 20:29:26 | More by seplo

sendbeer

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

10-27-2012 16:02:04 | More by sendbeer

muskiesman

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

10-16-2012 23:43:43 | More by muskiesman

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thick beer, chocolate up front and coffee and lots of roast in the finish, to burnt parts. Appearance of a chocolate ice cream soda. Much more bitter than sweet, despite mollasses,but consistent with the style. Spot of wood.Big mouthfeel. Good drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 03:52:13 | More by northyorksammy

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours goopy black. Clearly full bodied by how the liquid looks as it cascades into the glass. Powerfully dark in the glass. The best fight the light can do is make the outermost sliver of the body seem brown. Tis' a dark beast, Captain. Head is big and mocha-colored. Head retains its impressive stature throughout the session and boy does it lace. Quite a handsome liquid.

S-Char, smoke and roast. A mammoth of an Export Stout in the nose. Below the burnt bread and coffee is a dose of piney and soapy hops. Almost smells like tar. It is an intense nose. I am not sure how enamored I am with it but I respect its power.

T-The hops really come out for battle. Sudsy, soapy and piney. All that roast and over-toasted dark bread is there but the hops really manage to counterbalance. More like an Imperial Black Ale in some regards. Bitter Dutch dark chocolate joins forces with the bitterness from the pine. Sometimes these flavors don't mix well, but within Swain they do.

M-Full bodied but not incredibly viscous. Shockingly easy to imbibe. Bitterness is pretty high and it finishes dry. Oh yes, high and dry. Booze masked with some expertise.

O/D-Could this be my first Foreign/Export Stout review? Shocking. This was pretty kick-ass. They made naturally contradicting flavors come together quite well. This brew deserves more publicity. I got it for $5.99 per 22 oz. and I find that to be a decent exchange. Far hoppier than anticipated. One of my favorite Cisco brews.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 01:56:20 | More by VelvetExtract

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%

09-15-2012 22:15:45 | More by t0rin0

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from Sammy, 650ml into a tulip.

Black with a light brown head, pretty thick retention and quite a bit of lace/retention. Nose is almost black IPA-like, lots of dark chocolate and roast, with quite a bit of piney hops. A bit of citrus in there too, a hint of smoke. taste has more dark chocolate, strong roasted malt character and again with a bit of sweetness, a hoppy piney finish. Drying finish and bitter coffee grains linger. Medium body and medium carbonation. Would revisit on a colder day, bomber is a bit much for one person - nicer to share I'd imagine.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:28:07 | More by liamt07

Nickfellow007

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

08-14-2012 20:52:02 | More by Nickfellow007

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.23/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, ruby-brown color with a light brown, thin head. The nose is roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight hops presence that all blends together into an intoxicating, dark aroma. Roasted palate, with bitter coffee highlights and cocoa nib characteristics. The aftertaste is smokey and roasted, with a smooth, bitter finish. Great lacing on the glass as you go, making this an all-around great drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 18:47:58 | More by GarthDanielson

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This beer pours very dark with 1 inch caramel colored head that leaves some nice lacing.

S: Smell is of dark chocolate, cherries, and molasses.

T: The taste is very bitter to start, which to me would be a combination of the molasses and some fig. Has a dark chocolate finish with a bready after taste.

M: A very smooth and creamy beer, very dark bodied, but easy to drink if you can tolerate the bitterness.

O: Have not had too much from this brewer, but am always down to try and extra stout bomber for $4. Not bvery disappointing, has all the characteristics of a stout, plus a few extra ingredients. I give it a solid thumb up!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 01:23:59 | More by SouljaSaia17