The Butcher - Societe Brewing Co.

Nugganooch

California

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap @ Societe

12/08/12
10oz pour

A: Pours damn dark. Totally opaque with a shiny luster and hardly even a thinning edge to it. Light khaki cream head with sufficient stay power and some nice tracks of lace down the glass.

S: Nice coffee rich aroma. Firm use roasted barley evident. Toasted cereals with some dark cherry and mixed dark fruits. A faint chocolate nuttiness. Pretty nice nose with roast coffee at the forefront.

T: Flavor has a big roast coffee influence with some dark fruits and blackberries coming through. Roasted barley with nutty toasted oats. There is some sweet toffee that rounds out nicely with a smooth chocolate note. Has a light prickly bitterness to the beer with a tart edge towards the finish. Like dried black cherries covered in chocolate. Some mild anise noted. Alcohol is incredibly low key here. Flavors and balance really come together nicely on this one. Quite delicious.

M: Moderate body that doesn’t bear down on the palate. Very smooth and silky feel with a bit of lingering sticky sweetness. There is a consistent carbonation with a sharp bite towards the finish that is kind of welcoming here as it cuts through the sweetness. Creamy overall.

D: Surprisingly good for their initial Stout offering. Falls more in the Double Stout territory. Incredibly drinkable and complete. I had a hard time letting this one get to temp. Deep rich roast flavors with such a smooth balance

Nitro offering should be nice and I can only see good things putting this one through a barreling program.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 22:43:59 | More by Nugganooch

claaark13

Indiana

4.39/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thank you, my friend.

A - Thick, creamy tan head that looks fantastic, dark body.

S - Lots of roast, mild hops, sweetness comes through after a bit.

T - Much like the aroma upfront, with lots of roasted malt. Bitter yet chocolate takes a sudden grab of the flavor with what seem to be some light hops, then some earthy woody flavor hits (almost like it was in a barrel). Finishes well with the early flavors, which seem very favorable. Maybe a slight hint of heat in the finish, but I'm stretching to detect it.

M - Medium yet creamy.

O - I really like this, especially for a non-BA RIS. On par with something like Darkness.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 18:31:42 | More by claaark13

StarRaptor

California

4/5  rDev -5%

05-14-2013 16:43:03 | More by StarRaptor

warnerry

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 23:49:28 | More by warnerry

ste5venla

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-08-2013 20:15:37 | More by ste5venla

CoolEthan

California

4/5  rDev -5%

05-06-2013 03:21:23 | More by CoolEthan

Cazlo

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-06-2013 00:14:32 | More by Cazlo

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Societe. Black. Smell was pretty damn great. Thick black malts, roasty and dense. Really just a great aroma. The flavor was aiight but didn't really hit the notes suggested by the aroma. Alcohol was not well disguised but it is a Russian imperial stout so what do you expect? I'd buy this again to smell it and hope that the taste would live up to aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 02:39:36 | More by ArrogantB

RaulMondesi

California

3.36/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Nice oatmeal imperial stout nose (that you want to see) but the flavor is such a letdown. All the beers here show promise; there is an initial excitement (like in the 8th grade when you find your grandpa's Jenny McCarthy playboy) but in the end, of course you want more! It's 2013; Jenny McCarthy is a busted old floozy and we expect more! Can a playa just get a Barbara Palvin beer now?

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2013 08:06:50 | More by RaulMondesi

gshak

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

04-15-2013 04:19:16 | More by gshak

swetsastonic

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-12-2013 05:45:41 | More by swetsastonic

Irrationalist

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-06-2013 17:59:11 | More by Irrationalist

BAsbill

California

4/5  rDev -5%

04-02-2013 20:29:28 | More by BAsbill

AlexChillton

Arizona

4/5  rDev -5%

04-02-2013 09:01:17 | More by AlexChillton

monitorpop

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-30-2013 22:47:26 | More by monitorpop

grilledsquid

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

03-28-2013 17:22:26 | More by grilledsquid

LegalBrew87

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

03-27-2013 04:04:15 | More by LegalBrew87

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

03-25-2013 01:20:58 | More by t0rin0

ScottO

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-10-2013 01:57:54 | More by ScottO

jeff1973

California

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

03-09-2013 02:56:35 | More by jeff1973

mcdonald422

California

5/5  rDev +18.8%

03-08-2013 00:30:35 | More by mcdonald422

sdpaul

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-06-2013 19:54:18 | More by sdpaul

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A nice middle of the road black color, substantial 1.33" head on the chalice. Sure is pretty. Retention solid. Lacing very good. Aroma was pretty simple, heavily roasted malt, no alcohol discernable, smelled like virgin oak. Straightforward.

Taste, wow, chewy, big malt base eats up all the alcohol perceptibility. Serious bitter notes. Not very sweet, we're talkin' that dark baker's chocolate that offers just as much bitterness as it does sweetness. The liquid fits the description of "coating" the mouth. Silky and bitter at the same time. Carbonation is spot on, a little lower than other offerings at the brewery.

Just a massive straight up stout with tons of two row, and keeps the chocolate and coffee to a minimum. Never picked up on any wood in the taste. Pretty substantial stuff, and yet, enjoyable to drink throughout.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2013 18:23:48 | More by Beerandraiderfan

UCLABrewN84

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap for Churchill's Renaissance 2013 at Churchill's Pub & Grille in San Marcos, CA.

Vintage batch 1 keg.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and slight coffee aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa and char flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is tasty and has aged fairly well in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2013 18:04:54 | More by UCLABrewN84

drewone

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-04-2013 07:57:04 | More by drewone