Steelhead Extra Stout - Mad River Brewing Company

elvisnj

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle.

Nice head. Dark beer that I cannot see through with but the lighting is poor inside my friend's basement bar.

Medium carbonation. Nose is espresso and chocolate mixed with hops. Smells very nice.

Taste is full of flavor. I get great coffee, with dark chocolate, and dark malts. Some licorice root and mild hop bitterness as well. I like it alot. It is smooth and well mixed. Pretty clean on the back of the tongue. A bit on the sweet side, and subsequently, there is a slight thickness to the mouth feel. However, it works fine with the strong mix of flavors of the coffee and malts.

The label says its "Rich & Robust" and I totally agree.

No single characteristic stands out as best but overall its a very solid stout that is worth drinking again.

Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 16:49:55 | More by elvisnj

grover37

District of Columbia

4.75/5  rDev +17.3%

05-22-2013 03:44:16 | More by grover37

buckyp

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-20-2013 00:56:59 | More by buckyp

kguard

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-19-2013 14:55:57 | More by kguard

buzzy

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-15-2013 02:24:22 | More by buzzy

Rathlord

Iowa

1/5  rDev -75.3%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I just wanted to throw up a mention on this beer that I got it from a HyVee in Iowa and the first one I opened (and all the others) have the inside covered with yeast (I'm assuming). It coats the entire upper portion of the bottle and is thick, dark, and gunky. I threw out immediately to avoid any kind of bacteria escaping. I know this isn't a proper review and obviously this happens from time to time, but I think it's worth noting that their quality team must be fairly poor. Even in the dark glass I could see it coating the entire upper portion of the bottle. I won't be buying their products again- this was both a (relatively, considering size) expensive beer and a well reviewed one and it was absolutely undrinkable.

Edit: I do realize that some beers (especially stouts) may have some yeast in them, but this was solid, thick, and absolutely coating the bottle. VERY unappealing.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 02:44:47 | More by Rathlord

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

BLACK, that's the coloring of this beauty. Thick viscous appearance accent a thin fleeting brown head.

The scent has nice balance with char, campfire ember, Graham cracker, chocolate malt and coffee aromas. Just a bit undertoned it is still diverse and aromatic.

The taste just flat great...dry chocolate notes, malt and smoky coffee flavors fill the mouth. Crackery crust and dry grain ease to the back of a flavorful stout. For as thick and viscous as it pours the feel is rather thin but it doesn't draw away from a simply well done beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 23:48:57 | More by KYGunner

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -19.8%

05-05-2013 22:24:56 | More by ejimhof

DukeofAle

Iowa

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This one surprised me a bit; it has all the flavor of a full-on Russian imperial, but with the body and alcohol content you'd expect of a more typical stout. Pours very dark - I expect there is some solids present here as well! Not much head. Aroma of, what else, roasted barley. Very full flavor, roasted barley and coffee, intense. How they got this much flavor into a fairly light-bodied brew I can only guess.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 02:49:34 | More by DukeofAle

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

04-29-2013 01:13:40 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

faulkster4

Virginia

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I poured this one into a pint glass and was impressed with the dark, beautiful brown pour with a beautiful dark brown head (and I generally don't care about the head but this one is really good looking!) This is a DARK beer. Very tough to get any light through it. A nice chocolately, malty scent that is just right. Everything about this beer is tempting. Poured it, looked at it, smelled it, and was dying to taste it. This is what beer drinking is about. A percentage point or two of alcohol higher would of made this a total winner but who's to complain? I guess I'll just have to drink more than one. aftertaste lingers a bit longer than i would like and gets a bit sour on the tongue but the taste is good enough to sustain the linger. well worth the price!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 00:43:02 | More by faulkster4

alysmith4

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -1.2%

04-15-2013 23:25:51 | More by alysmith4

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -1.2%

04-15-2013 02:08:36 | More by Sludgeman

JarMills

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

04-09-2013 05:02:11 | More by JarMills

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin tan head that died down, leaving some wispy patterns of bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of chocolate malts and cocoa are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of chocolate along with notes of cocoa, hints of coffee and roasted malts and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very flavorful and nice and easy to drink. It seems to have a very good balance between the malts and hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 14:01:08 | More by metter98

smithj4

New York

4/5  rDev -1.2%

04-07-2013 13:50:00 | More by smithj4

Smurf2055

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed Nov 2011

Poured into my Duvel Tulip.

Dark, think, luxurious with about two fingers of light tan head.

Smells of burnt malt, mostly coffee, roasts. Very rich.

Taste isn’t too bitter. It has a fuller body, and wow does the coffee hit you on the swallow. Not a complete stout, but that’s not really what I was expecting when I picked it up.

Palate is silky smooth. Leaves a bit of a bitter after taste.

Overall, for something I just randomly found at my corner market, this was a treat. It’s a great beer to have around. Not as complex as some other stouts, but certainly a step above the common ones.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 07:45:31 | More by Smurf2055

brheuer

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

03-24-2013 15:36:19 | More by brheuer

harrymel

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottled: unk, appears a time back provided the amount of yeast at the bottom...

A: black with a finger of light mocha which falls to a sheet of the same. Cobweb lace.
S: coffee, cocoa, astringency. Standard stout with a hint of chemical tones.
T: Nice and roasty with chocolately malts and some dirty coffee grounds that motion in at mid palate to take over and last and last as the finish line is long here.
M: Medium on thin with moderate carb. Semi dry finish.
O: Nose was off, and could appreciate some more body in the beer, but the flavor was quite nice.

Had again in March 2013. Much better. Roasty, full bodied and dry. Pretty decent stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 05:22:57 | More by harrymel

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

03-09-2013 23:52:26 | More by spycow

bcsbeer

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

03-04-2013 21:48:59 | More by bcsbeer

EigenBeer

Florida

4/5  rDev -1.2%

02-26-2013 02:16:02 | More by EigenBeer

plinythederek

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

02-25-2013 02:10:44 | More by plinythederek

wiscokid920

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz shortie poured into Snifter

A- Opaque jet black with creamy tan head. Decent retention and lacing.

S- Roasted malts with molasses, coffee. and subtle vanilla bean notes

T- Huge roasted malt profile! Sweet malts, espresso, woody charcoal smoke, with molasses and vanilla bean up front. Balances with a nice hoppy backbone then finishes with a delicious dark chocolate espresso finish.

M- Full bodied, smooth and creamy.

O- A fantastic stout. Very well balanced with roasted malts, dark chocolate/coffee, and citrusy pop of hops. Oh so drinkable. A very tasty offering!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 01:40:41 | More by wiscokid920

Steelcitynsouth

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

02-23-2013 04:55:42 | More by Steelcitynsouth