Steelhead Extra Stout - Mad River Brewing Company

mickeymac

California

3.88/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle with a twist-off cap, this pours inky black. It appears highly carbonated on pouring, but the head never really comes to life and it just sort of sits there. Espresso, chocolate, and just a touch of raisin combine nicely in the smell and taste. It has enough hops to lend a nice twang. The mouthfeel is fairly chewy. Despite the nice complexities, it runs its course after one or two.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2003 21:50:14 | More by mickeymac

Todd

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz short brown bottle. No freshness date. Unfiltered.

Pours an opaque black coloured beer with a creamy coffee coloured head with decent retention. Aroma holds a slight twang of roasted malts and background of molasses and suggestions of vanilla bean.

Oh so smooth ... creamy, somewhat chewy with a complex malt profile of overall malt sweetness, semi-astringent roasted malts, coffee grounds/espresso, wood, smoke, chocolate, hint of caramel, burnt raisin edges and molasses. Nice citrus hop twang breaks up the malts, then settles back in. Dry chocolate/coffee and grain finish.

So much flavour, and so damn drinkable. Oh yeah ... this is a damn tasty stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2003 10:24:28 | More by Todd

cokes

Wisconsin

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Black as a 3-mile deep ocean trench. Huge chocolate brown sponge-cake head.
This seems to teeter on imperialness in several categories. Most notably the nose: deep burnt raisin, ripe plums, charcoal and chocolate.
Cocoa bean right up front, mingling with a subdued expresso note. Seared dark fruits rush in from all sides. As the nose promised, blackened raisins and plums materialize. Just the slightest bit of drying hops are noticed, and they seem to have minimal effect on the taste. Impression of burnt paper late. Rides out thick and remarkably similar to fudge.
Seemed a bit over-charged up front, but settles into a hearty medium-full body.
Great stout here.

Muchas gracias to Bighuge for this trophy

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2003 20:42:25 | More by cokes

bcm119

California

3.83/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours opaque black with a thick, fine brown head that soon melts to a thin lace. Aroma dominated by espresso, with dusty roasted malt. I liked the lack of alcohol in the aroma. Nose is dry roasted malt and coffee, with a little dark chocolate, that thins to a surprisingly light mouthfeel for a stout that looks so thick. Hops are present as a muted, minerally astringent bitterness towards the finish, which is snappy. Nice coffee aftertaste. I wouldn't call this a deep or complex stout, but it has a great smell and aftertaste. Its lighter, drier and more drinkable than you'd expect. Worth trying but not seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2003 13:12:42 | More by bcm119

Jarod

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured into the glass a jet black color, no light penetration. The head was a medium brown color, but left fairly fast. There was no head retention and no lace visible. The aroma was of dark fruits and berries, malt, coffee and chocolate. The taste was creamy and semi thick. Hints of chocolate dominated, as well as coffee and chocolate and some alcohol peeked through. The flavors were fine while in the mouth and good while they caressed the tongue, but once swallowed the flavor left fast. Shame on this I was enjoying this beer up until this moment. Would like to have more lasting flavors after the last sip.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2003 13:50:31 | More by Jarod

maxpower

Missouri

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

Jet black color, huge thick tan head, roasty coffee aroma, roasty chocolate-smokey flavors, nice full and creamy mouthfeel, has a nice hop bite in the finish, a nice tasty easy drinking stout, I think I will have another.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2002 16:43:19 | More by maxpower

Dogbrick

Ohio

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

Dollars-to-flavor, you can't find many Stouts better than this. This was similar to Cooper's and Zonker Stout, which is definitely a good thing. Pours a near-black color with a thin dark beige head. Rather sweet with some chocolate and coffee in the flavor and aroma. A pleasant experience overall, my only complaint is that it could have been a little more rounded.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2002 09:32:11 | More by Dogbrick

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A Cracker this one, it reminded me soooo much of the Guinness Original Stout (or if you are "youngster" Extra Stout - I always remember the old names) that I drank from bottles behind bars in England that did not sell Real Ale in the late 80's. Pours jet black, opaque, the deep brown head soon disappears and coupel with the low carbonation, it sadly spoils the appearance. Has massive freshly roasted coffee and roast malt in the nose. Huge mouthfeel, chocolately start, roast middle and a very slightly sweet, hop-bitter finish. I got hints of dark liqourice as well. May be hard to drink more than a couple of these though, but I would love to try.
TIP : Next time you want to watch a Solar Eclipse - Pour Two pints of MRBC Extra Stout - strap them to the front of your head over your eyes - watch the Eclipse, then drink the beer. "Real Beauty" as the Crocodile Hunter would say.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2002 19:22:08 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Wildman

Ohio

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

Ah, when this beer pours it brings back memories. This beer is so dark, my old roommate who was a strick macro lager drinker(but drank coffee blacker than sin non stop, go figure)would have asked what swampwater I was drinking. Formed a dark head that subsided quickly but left some lace. Wonderful stong aroma of malt and coffee. The taste was strong but not overpowering of coffee and slight hint of chocolate. A lighter body then some other stouts. A definate keeper if your into stouts and worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2002 18:38:38 | More by Wildman

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

This beer is black. Seems pretty thick as it glugs out of the bottle. Nice brown head that is gone in seconds, however, this beer does lace the glass nicely throughout the drink. Coffee and bitersweet chocolate on the nose. Taste contains a very pleasant roasted character. Very low on the burnt tones. And there is a slight sweet taste here that I'm not familiar with in stouts. Nice bitterness in this stout. The beer is very creamy and easy drinking. Very Solid Stout in my book.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2002 21:30:30 | More by Bighuge

ZAP

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a dandy...My first experience with Mad River Brewing. I love this stout. It pours black with a slight amber hint to it. A creamy, lucious tan-reddish head caps this "liquid" of delight. The aroma is outstanding...strong chocolate, and breadiness...It is a beer of high character. It feels the way a stout should feel, and tastes the way I expect a stout to taste...creamy and easy drinking, this stout features a strong chocolate malt base, with just enough hopping to keep it from being too sweet. It is an excellent stout, in the same ballpark with all my favorite stouts from Kalamazoo, Mackesons, and Watneys.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2002 00:46:26 | More by ZAP

Murph

Arizona

4.83/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a great stout. They really couldn't do much to improve on it. It poured a deep black, not a trace of light coming through. I would have liked a better head on it. The smell coming off of it is licorice and strong roasted malts. Great taste. Faint licorice with roasted malts and a nice chocolate taste in the background. Very clean across the palate, in fact surprisingly so for a stout. I would have liked a little creamier feel to it, although this probably comes through with a proped nitro tap. Extremely drinkable. Probably the first beer that I had ever almost finished before I even thought to start my review. This is just one great stout. I love them and this is a beauty.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2002 22:37:19 | More by Murph