Steelhead Extra Stout - Mad River Brewing Company

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured almost pitch black from a 12 oz bottle, with ABV on the label. Couldn't find a freshness date anywhere on the bottle.
Nice one finger mocha colored head that dissipated very slowly. Always pleasing to see a darker colored head.
Aroma is a pleasing blend of coffee and chocolate malt. The aroma had the feel of chocolate in various forms blended together with coffee. Easy on the nose.
The taste, similar to the aroma, is slightly sweet upfront. In the middle there are hints of bitterness which are akin to dark coffee and dark chocolate. The bitterness doesn't linger after the finish.
Very tasty and very easy to drink. However, it is a shade lower than a medium body.
Overall, I think this is a very good stout and glad I tried it. Has all the makings of a good sessions beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 03:40:11 | More by CaptDavyJones

Swim424

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured into mug

A-dark dark brown. not much light gets through this one. no head at all.

S-like a bit of coffee and a good amount of chocolate.

T-like coffee with lots of chocolate. really good.

Mf-medium-thick. thinner than expected. nice feel, smooth, perfect carbonation.

O-really good. this is very well balanced. a bit light feeling but very very good flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 12:14:58 | More by Swim424

cps98

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My buddy got me a bottle of this for Christmas and I was pleasantly surprised. Poured into a fresh pint glass.

A – Nice midnight black with a rocky 2 finger mocha colored head.

S – Light hints of coffee and chocolate.

T – Nice coffee and chocolate flavor.

M – This was a nice smooth stout with very little bitterness. Medium to full bodied, with decent carbonation.

O – Overall a really nice smooth stout nothing really stood out but a good brew none the less.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 01:02:06 | More by cps98

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark deep brown like a stout should be
S - Nice caramel and coffee aromas, medium sweetness and a slight hoppy bitterness to folllow.
T - Great roasted barley, coffee, dark chocolate flavors
M - Full body, medium carbonations
O - everything an extra stout should be!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 20:27:51 | More by williamjbauer

barczar

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque brown black with a one finger dark chocolate brown head that dissipates quickly into oblivion.

Toast, roasted malt, burnt sugar, chocolate comprise the aroma. Very minimal hop presence, as expected. Perhaps a slight earthiness. Vanilla surfaces as it warms

Citrus and herbal hops are surprising in the flavor, with roast malt and chocolate providing backbone. Coffee and burnt flavors finish out the profile.

Body is medium, with moderately high carbonation accentuated by sourness.

Definitely different taste than expected, given the aroma. Lots of american hop influence, and a decent stout base.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 07:09:24 | More by barczar

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours black with only a sliver of light able to penetrate the very edges of the beer. Thin head that is barely even a consistent layer above the liquid. Leaves minimal lacing.

S-Wreaks of chocolate syrup. Smells like I am about to make a chocolate milk. Lighter whiffs of coffee, and molasses. Very sweet with almost no hop presence.

T-Again like the nose syrupy chocolate. Hershey's syrup. Molasses and brown sugar. Coffee is less prominent but is the secondary flavor. Hops are actually pleasantly noticeable here. Finishes quite roasty which is nice because I wanted a bit more coffee in the initial flavor.

M-Fuller bodied. Carbonation is very much there. Slick and smooth. Slick and smooth, like a stout should be. Light enough to have more than two of these.

O/D-Ridiculous deal ($4.99 a six-pack). This is actually a very good stout. A great non-Imperial/Double stout. No glaring flaws. A textbook stout with nothing to complain about.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 07:22:42 | More by VelvetExtract

cmq103

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-oz. bottle into a Duvel Belgian Tulip glass. I picked up a six-pack of this from the Beer Store in Southampton PA. They have an outstanding collection of craft beers if you haven't been there yet and live in the area.

Appearance: An aggressive pour got me maybe a half inch of dark brown head which quickly diminished to a thin ring. A thicker, syrupy looking pour that was pitch black. Lacing was almost non-existent.

Smell: Coffee, caramel, a little vanilla and chocolate at the first inhale. A gentle swirl of the glass brought out the roasted malt and oatmeal in the nose. Very nice. Not earth-shattering, but worthy of an inhale between sips.

Taste: Light coffee, mild unsweetened chocolate with a mild hop bite. Roasted malts, hint of oatmeal, with a moderately bitter lingering finish. The taste it top notch in my book. By far, this category will get my highest rating.

Mouthfeel: A light to moderate body for an extra stout. Carbonation was perfect. All of the flavors blend well as they meet the taste buds. Creamy, with a nice roasted bitterness in the finish. Thinner than expected from what I saw in the initial pour.

Overall: This could easily become one of my favorite stouts under 7% ABV. I will seek this one out again. This is exactly what a stout should taste like. Well done Mad River!! You have a new East Coast fan…

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 00:33:16 | More by cmq103

dlbrockmiller

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Holy cow this is good! This is a very dark appearing ale. It almost looks black! It has a wonderful malty aroma with a touch of hops. The flavor was the most distinctive thing about it. It starts with an almost coffee flavor then moves on to a chocolate aftertaste. It has a good mouthfeel and I can almost picture this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream like a root beer float.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 21:56:45 | More by dlbrockmiller

chinchill

South Carolina

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

12 oz bottle served in a pint glass. Some black sediment remained on the bottom of the glass.

Appearance: Pours dark brown, nearly black, with a smallish creamy tan head.

Smell: Roasted malt with hints of coffee, licorice and prune

Taste: Starts out a bit sweet, butquickly becomes balanced. The roasted malt centerpiece is surrounded by hints of prunes, coffee and dark chocolate, along with some more obvious spicy hops. After the swallow, there is a bit of smoke in a toasty finish that lingers a good while.

Mouthfeel: full body with moderate carbonation; creamy smooth.

O: An exceptional and very flavorful stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 23:56:50 | More by chinchill

UCLABrewN84

California

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque black with a 2 inch foamy dark khaki head that settles to a thin cap. Random dots and streaks of foam form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, malt balls, and cocoa powder. Taste is of dark roasted malt, dark cocoa powder, and some slight coffee flavors. There is a nice roasty bitterness that lingers on the palate. This beer has a higher level of carbonation with a crisp yet smooth mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good stout with a very nice balance in the smell and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 03:59:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

shanblur

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

No freshness date on bottle. Poured from 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A - Dark pour with a dark tan head which leaves extensive lacing.

S - The standard roasted malts with chocolate and coffee aromas.

T - Much like the aroma, with a chocolate and coffee flavor. A bit on the acidic side.

M - Medium bodied with a light carbonation.

A nice stout. Would not go out of my way for one, but could definitely drink another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 00:23:45 | More by shanblur

BeerNutz324

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

bottle into a pint glass

Ap- deep, rich dark brown (almost black). Cinnamon head typical of a lot of stouts. Most of it dissapears pretty quick but the surface head has stuck around for a while.

Ar- Dark fruit (cherries, figs), some chocolate, some oats.

T- chocolate, cherries, raisins, roasty malts and some sweet malts too. Smidgeon of coffee.

M- smooth, creamy, medium body, perfect carbonation for this style.

O- this is an awesome stout. I just want to keep on sipping this stuff so the flavor is always in my mouth. I will be having another tonight :)

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 02:59:37 | More by BeerNutz324

bnes09

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ink black and completely opaque. Beautiful, metallic copper colored head. Poor retention but does leave a nice ring around the glass.

Complex dark aroma, coffee, dark chocolate, sherry and nuts.

Massive roasted malt attack on the palate with coffee, bitter chocolate, licorice, and roasted almonds. Underlying molasses sweetness mellows things out. Fairly assertive hop punch, pine and spinach leaves. Smoked maple character. Very well balanced.

Medium bodied. Drying. Malt seems to stick to the tongue and continue to deliver more flavor all the time.

A truly awesome beer. I love stouts and this one really hits the spot.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 01:52:11 | More by bnes09

MEsoJD

California

3.95/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Thick/syrupy black body, mocha head (fast dissipation), and minimal lacing(mild stick).

S: As expected, it smells of roasted chocolate/toffee notes. Not really picking up any dark fruits.

T: hmm.... not what I was expecting. It's quite watery for a stout. Despite that, sweet malt, taste of coffee, licorice, caramel, some raisin(?), possibly some vanilla and very settle hops/bitterness.

M: Boozy... for 6.5, the alcohol comes out even more than some 8 or 9s(defiantly makes it's presence known). The texture was lighter than expected, medium carbonation, smooth(despite what was said), and light(for a stout) to medium bodied.

O: It wasn't what I was expecting from the style, but it's enjoyable. This is a hard style to stand out in, and this does it by taking me off guard of my original assumption. Though it may not be amongst my top stouts, it has left it's mark. Sure if my options are limited and if it's set at the right price, I would buy again and share with friends.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 04:37:32 | More by MEsoJD

DUBinMIA

Florida

3.15/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours pitch black with about 3 in. head… not that foamy but decent. Ok lace.

Smell is of roasted malt and toffee. Light caramel notes towards the end. No real hop notes.

Roasted malt is dominant with coffee and piney hops toward the end. Not very complex.

Mouth feel is light for a stout. Could be thicker.

Overall an ok stout. Worth a try but I won’t pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 02:18:49 | More by DUBinMIA

CaptJackHarkness

New York

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

Deep black body, nice aroma reminiscent of French roast coffee, Head foams up nicely but doesn't hold up long. ( I always drink from Pilsener glass for consistency in comparision)
I think this is a good solid brew, exemplary of it's type and recommend.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 20:47:12 | More by CaptJackHarkness

Lerxst

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to chugalug06 for this extra

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip

A-Pours black, no light coming through, with a two finger coffee colored head that slowly recedes to a thin cap that leaves wisps of lace.

S-Nice roasted malt aromas greet me first, followed by hints of molasses, coffee, chocolate and dark fruit. Smells nice.

T-Slightly charred malt and coffee, dark fruit, a touch of smoke, bakers chocolate with just a bite of citrusy hops.

M-Medium body with crisp carbonation. The carb bite is a bit distracting here, but it still manages to coat the palate fairly well.

O-A good, solid American Stout that I enjoyed and would have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 18:07:47 | More by Lerxst

dwilson01

California

4.45/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from a bottle into my arrogant bastard pint glass, the body is a midnight black tinged with dark brown around the edges. the head is a thin dark caramel mocha coloration which sits on the top of the brew dissipating slowly.

The smell seriously makes me think dark chocolate mocha. It's thick and drowns your scent of anything else in there.

The flavor follows directly from the nose, a dark chocolate comes out in the beginning fading to a roasted coffee flavor and then combining in the end leaving you with a slightly bitter choc/coffee aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is full but surprisingly not too thick, it's got a huge amount of flavor without being a syrupy consistency.

Overall this is a must try brew if you haven't already indulged.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 02:51:45 | More by dwilson01

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Really nice pour, very typical for the style with a deep dark black look to it and a nice head of maybe two inches that came up and over the top with some ease. Settling down it left a decent amount of lacing on the sides, but nothing spectacular though it did retain a good bit of the puff of tan on top. The aroma was nice, well blended mix of chocolate and roasted malts, hints of light coffee notes and a decent bit of dark fruit note carrying over. This was pretty much par for the course with the flavor. Started out very smooth with a rich and well defined chocolate note that dominated early before mellowing with a nice but of vanilla and coffee notes. Small touch of hops catching up right there at the end were enough to make it just slightly bitter, but overall it was a smooth, creamy and very session able stout.

I would have no issue with trying this one again as it went down quite nicely and really left a soft, sweet note in the end. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 02:33:43 | More by mikesgroove

felipe2toes

California

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out of the bottle like black syrup. Not much of a head, and whatever head there is quickly recedes into thin ring.

Smells great. Hints of bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, and lots of coffee.

Tastes darned good too. Bitter and dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, and some sweet molasses/brown sugar notes.

Not as viscous as I initially thought it would be, but still decent mouthfeel and good carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 04:00:41 | More by felipe2toes

jsh420

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

pours dark dark brown with a 1 finger fizzy tan head that left some spotted lacing

smells is faint but i do pick up some roasted malts and milk chocolate

taste is along the same lines as the nose - those same roasted malts chocolate a little dark fruit and some nuttiness - pretty dry overall -

mouthfeel could be better - overcarbonated and thin

overall - while i dig the flavor i dont dig the body and this beer is a ltttle pricey to boot - would rather have a SN stout or founders porter

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 03:47:28 | More by jsh420

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured out an oily black whit a slight amount of head that quickly went away. A bite of bitter bakers chocolate in the nose with a lot of booze as well. The taste is smoother than expected but it still has a sharp bite that has a pungent bourbon alcohol aftertaste. I was not too impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 00:10:21 | More by DrinkingDrake

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours jet black with a light brown head. In the aroma, big roasted malt and sweet notes are in there too. In the taste, dry coffee and a big roasted maltiness. A small hop bite and medium to bigger bodied mouthfeel, with a dry coffee flavor in the aftertaste. Nice coffee note and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 20:47:55 | More by OWSLEY069

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Steelhead Extra Stout

Stubby bottle into a snifter.

Pours a thick oily black, small brown colored head and little in the way of lace or retention. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and some smoke. In the flavor, black coffee, dark chocolate and a hint of vanilla. Moderately sweet with little to no alcohol presence. Smooth and full bodied. A nice sessionable stout with a moderate ABV. Quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 04:33:38 | More by Stinkypuss

chugalug06

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Blackened caramel color with taupe colored "soapy" looking head. Not too much lacing kisses the glass

S - Smell is very burnt and low odor. Super dark chocolate and roasty... Not quite what I was looking for

T - GREAT! Definitely a must try, I've been looking for this brew for sometime now... Thank you for distributing to CO!!!!

M - As close to perfection as i've had in quite sometime... Smooth and light carbonation

D - Super rich chocolate and delicate hop balance mellows out the flavors leaving you with a ver enjoyable ending mouth feel

Great Job Mad River!!! Congrats on your small brewery of the year award too!!! I will definitely be purchasing a lot of Mad River brews in the near future, keep em' coming!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 00:03:27 | More by chugalug06