Leon - Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company

GuinnessAtRogerWilco

New Jersey

3.91/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber poured into a Chimay goblet. Neshaminy Creek Brewing has just started distributing to NJ this month and this one they didn't have at the AC Beerfest and being a fan of Stouts I was too curious about the description of this one.

AP: 1/4" tan thin bubbly head that quickly dissipates to a thin ribbon around the glass and a silver dollar sized patch in the center. Colour is deep rich dark brown.
AR: Chocolate is the main aroma with hints of marshmallow, black bread and very faint graham cracker. Inviting.
T: Chocolate at first with the marshmallow following up. Don't really get the graham cracker as it seems to get lost or drowned in the other flavours. I get some of the 11.6% ABV heat mixed in there, but not too much to put me off. A little of the black bread is there and at the end the chocolate turns more bitter like baking chocolate with a note of espresso.
M: The best part of this beer, I think. A bit crisp at first from the carbonation, which fades and then it's creamy and silky with an almost oily smooth finish. Not chewy like you might expect from a RIS, more like an Imperial Milk Stout if such a thing existed.
OV: A solid brew that while it doesn't have a complexity of flavours, the ones that are there are pretty tasty and enjoyable. Body could be a bit heartier.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:42:31 | More by GuinnessAtRogerWilco

ForkAndSpoonOp

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bomber, poured into a pint glass because I am having a really, really terrible work week.

Pours opaque black with a fairly minimal tan head. I think I pour beers wrong or something. Dissipated quickly, left a really light design that was shaped kinda like Greece. Held on FOREVER.

Smells roasty and chocolatey. I'm getting more of the graham crackers than the 'shmallows. This could be really beetus.

Tastes roasty, chocolatey. Sweetness and char, like burnt marshmallows, but much less of that graham from the nose (maybe a little bit of honey or something, but it could be the power of suggestion). Really effing roasty. Alcohol is hidden pretty well. Did I mention roasty? Because it's really roasty, you guys.

Texture is medium to full. Rather creamy. Mellow carbonation, but appropriate. Not as viscous and chewy as some other RIS I've had, but it's nice.

Overall, a nice beer that could have been great. I really wanted to like this more, and I think the s'more aspect being more pronounced would have helped make it more memorable for me. RIYL roasty-ass stouts.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 23:34:09 | More by ForkAndSpoonOp

claspada

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours thick jet black color with decently well-retained tan head that recedes to leave some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin quite roasty and dark chocolate forward. As it warms I get a little more chocolate maltiness and some toffee/coffee as well. Really not getting much of the advertised lactose or marshmellow sweetness.

The tastes follow the nose with roasty dark maltiness, cacao beans and some emerging dark bitter baker's chocolate. Once again I am lacking the marshmellow or much sweetness at all even as it warms. There is a bit of bready maltiness and some more lighter toffee/coffee with some hop bitterness in the background.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is pretty dark roasty, dry, bitter with some emerging alcohol as well.

Overall for a beer advertising itself as a sweeter stout with marshmellow added, there really isn't much sweetness or creaminess. It's a very good to style Russian Imperial Stout but it left me wanting more with the Smore advertisement.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2012 17:01:14 | More by claspada

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark cola brown, big dense cap of brown head. Good retention and lacing. Scent leads with heavy roast, moderate coffee bean and chocolate notes, hints of dark fruit, sweetness, mild dark fruits. Taste brings components of scent... Roasts, lightly boozy. Missing notes of grahmn cracker, marshmallow sweetness only hinted at. Fuller side of medium, a touch more heft would be welcomed. Solid stout, lacking in qualities that would make this unique.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-05-2012 17:58:40 | More by rfgetz

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

This beer didn't deliver quite as much as the Smorter I had from Equinox. Looked fine, dark brown-black pour with a small beige head that receded to a ringlet. Smell of roasty dark malts, sweet, with a bit of chocolate in the mix. Taste is notably roasty, ashen, some sweetness, light notes of cocoa, and a bit of burnt marshmallow coming through in the finish. Mouthfeel was on the thinner side for a stout, about medium-bodied, low carbonation and well-hidden alcohol. Not too bad, but a little too burny, and kind of missed the mark overall.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2012 08:51:48 | More by Rifugium

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Draft at The Perch Pub in Philadelphia, PA.

Pours pitch black with a one finger beige head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Sporadic streaks of lace left behind.

Slightly roasted dark makt aroma with silky chocolate, toffee and roasted oats.  There's a subtle marshmallow presence but I'm not picking up any of the graham cracker.  Doesn't really smell like a s'mores, more like a regular sweet stout.

Medium bodied but thinner than expected for the style with a balance of roasted and sweeter malt notes.  Dry and slightly smokey up front countered by boozy sweetness, dark chocolate and caramel.  Not much marshmallow fluff but there's a very subtle grainy graham cracker presence. After a while the sweetness overwhelms making it a bit one dimensional.  The ABV is well masked making it easy to drink but it's lacking complexity and could be a bit more viscous/full-bodied.  Overall it's a decent sweet stout, but it doesn't really smell or taste like s'mores.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 22:58:48 | More by corby112

57md

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks like a dark chocolate milk shake instead of a beer. This offering also has the same creamy texture of a milk shake as well. I guess that this is the kind of consistency one should expect from a beer brewed with marshmallows.

Not much of a nose to this one - surprisingly bland. Not sweet like I expected, but actually rather bitter, like roasted unsweetened cocoa. No hint of S'mores or graham crackers. Interesting, but I'm thinking that I'll pass on this if I see it again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2012 21:28:53 | More by 57md

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a jet black color with a fluffy brown head on top. The lacing and retention were minimal. The smell of the beer is not nearly as sweet as I was hoping for, the aromas were much like a traditional imperial stout. It was roasted and burnt on the nose. The taste of the beer is heavily roasted up from with a minimal sweetness in the mix. The flavors of the graham cracker and marshmallow are very minimal. I was able to get either of them till the distant aftertaste. The mouthfeel was decent, I think it could have been thicker or more oily. Overall not a bad beer, but I feel the flavors need to stand out more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2012 16:26:53 | More by Knapp85

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Leon is Neshaminy Creek's Imperial S'mores Stout brewed with marshmallow fluff, bittersweet bakers chocolate and graham crackers.

Poured into a Chimay chalice.

Appearance
Pitch black with 1-2 fingers of light brown head. Great retention for the 11.5% abv.

Nose
Vanilla, lactose, milk chocolate, mashmallow and some graham cracker. Smells like a really nice Milk Stout.

Taste
Milk chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow and prune. Some dirty espresso notes. Very earthy and smokey. Light notes of graham cracker and honey.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, creamy, sticky and dry.

Overall
Lots of marshmallow and vanilla. Very earthy and smokey. The 11.5% abv is hidden extremely well. This is a very well done Imperial Stout. Keep your eye out.

NCB is also currently aging some of this to put out a Bourbon Barrel version of Leon sometime next year. :)

Serving type: growler

08-27-2012 12:35:59 | More by justintcoons

TheFightfan1

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter,black with some lighter brown edges. Intense two finger heading that leaves some nice lacing throughout. Very alive looking.

Nose starts out with a little mocha upfront and sweeter molasses takes over. Then fades again with chocolate goodness. A tame nose overall nothing really taking over.

Taste starts out with a mocha bang, quickly taken over by a hot boozey kick but just as fast as you taste it its gone. Lactic powdery notes along with a slight vanilla pops its head up then finishes with a nice heavy hop bite.

Silky smooth mouth, full bodied and excellent balance with great carbonation. A slight chew but perfect with that higher abv.

A beer brewed with marshmallow, graham cracker and chocolate very creative and complex beer. Neshaminy creek brewing is making a helluva name for itself already and its only been open two months.

Serving type: growler

08-26-2012 13:20:23 | More by TheFightfan1