Noble Stout - Standing Stone Brewing Company

cbarrett4

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown/black hue with a generous oatmeal hued head. On a funny note, it took at least 3 minutes to pour mine since the line had partially frozen. I let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes to come up to a good temperature.

Smells richly of french press coffee and roasted espresso beans. Has a hint of a mocha character with some smoke, burnt sugar, and roasted nuts. Very roasted character. Very welcoming aromas nonetheless.

Taste is a little more simple than the nose suggests, but still very nice. More coffee and a hint of the oatmeal coming through.

The texture is nice, albeit a little light. This is traditional stout strength (5-6% abv), not the cranked up 8-12% you sometimes see from many NW brewers. I appreciate them keeping the alcohol in check. Though the body is light, and a touch thin, the finish is lovely and lingering. Body and texture remind me more of a porter I guess. The oatmeal doesn't really add much to the texture, sadly.

Overall a very nice stout that really showcases the addition of the Noble Roasters' coffee. Since I was also drinking quite a bit of the Noble iced coffee during my visit to Ashland, I doubly appreciated the brewery keeping that heart in the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2011 21:36:53 | More by cbarrett4

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown, almost black, but looking rather thin. Minimal medium-tan head that recedes fast and leaves little lacing. Doesn't look like it has much carbonation.

Smell is really nice, a great blend of coffee aromas, sweetness and fullness of oats, and some solid dark malts. Sweet and rich coffee beer... yum.

Taste is weaker than the smell; the coffee comes through clearly, but not as well as the smell. Same for the oatmeal. It's decent, with good flavors, but they're just rather thin. A bit of bitterness comes on near the finish, but it's gone quickly, leaving a slightly sweet finish.

Mouthfeel is likewise rather thin. Medium-light body, very low carbonation. I find it quite thin for a stout. Finish is rather watery.

Everything about this beer is good, but not quite enough. The appearance, taste, and mouthfeel are all just a little thin. Solid, but not outstanding.

Serving type: growler

06-30-2011 07:03:32 | More by zeledonia