Mephistopheles' Stout - Avery Brewing Company

brentk56

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 3 - bottled Nov 2007

Appearance: Pours a mysterious black with an unsurprisingly modest mocha head that manages to leave lots of dashes around the chalice despite a quick decline to a ringlet

Smell: Rich, almost tar-like roasted aroma, with dark fruit and licorice, but there is a dramatic grapefruity bitterness in there as well

Taste: After an initial flirtation with all the usual big stout flavors (espresso, dark fruit, licorice) plus oddly enough, cherries, this one turns incredibly bitter by mid-palate; the alcohol joins the fray after the swallow and, after it settles down, the flavor is very bitter but also very roasted, with an espresso character in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, with moderate carbonation and lots of warmth in the aftertaste

Drinkability: Despite a year of aging, this beer remains aggressive and should be cellared for some time to come; best suited for a nightcap at room temperature

Note: I tried Batch 4 within six months of bottling and it was almost undrinkable; this is clearly a beer that needs several years to settle down and reach its full complexity

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2008 23:25:49 | More by brentk56

jl28r1

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-21-2013 20:27:21 | More by jl28r1

gkozeny

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-21-2013 18:24:23 | More by gkozeny

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-19-2013 17:07:26 | More by Whiskeydeez

vcoggins

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

05-19-2013 16:50:21 | More by vcoggins

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-18-2013 20:53:18 | More by Photekut

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-18-2013 12:55:01 | More by FUwolfpacker

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +15%

05-17-2013 03:11:24 | More by ElizabethEleanor

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-17-2013 01:26:29 | More by SmellsofMahagony

MinorThreat

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +15%

05-16-2013 00:22:56 | More by MinorThreat

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-13-2013 16:47:25 | More by Bonko_the_sane

drummermattie02

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-13-2013 14:24:11 | More by drummermattie02

HKUSPC40

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-13-2013 08:30:46 | More by HKUSPC40

InfernoBoss

California

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-13-2013 05:51:18 | More by InfernoBoss

ewhugh

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-13-2013 05:44:18 | More by ewhugh

mookihouse

California

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-13-2013 02:49:56 | More by mookihouse

SFACRKnight

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 12:52:06 | More by SFACRKnight

HopBrain

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-08-2013 20:27:53 | More by HopBrain

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-08-2013 01:43:42 | More by Dave_Treat

Lledd

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Black, little to no head fading quickly. This stuff is pitch black, no exceptions.

S: Amazingly it doesn't smell boozy at aver 16%. Nice brown sugar smell. Very faint cocoa. Roasty malts. It smells really good.

T: Wow, surprisingly smooth. I can taste "campfire", a smoky wood flavor. The turbinado sugar is noticeable and works nicely with the aggressive flavors in this beer.

M: Heat. The taste is smooth but this beer definitely leaves you warm in the mouth. Moderate to mild carbonation.

O: Excellent. Bold and smooth, smoky and sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:00:20 | More by Lledd

PaulsBrew

West Virginia

5/5  rDev +21.1%

05-06-2013 02:13:54 | More by PaulsBrew

JoninVT

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-05-2013 05:22:38 | More by JoninVT

BrewmanCapote

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +15%

05-05-2013 03:55:59 | More by BrewmanCapote

jsulko

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a snifter.

Had this bottle over a year. Finally decided to break out before it gets too warm around here.

Pours a dark oily black. Small chocolate colored head that fades rather quickly.

Smell is roasty with some of the dark fruit smells. Hint of the Belgian yeast strain.

Taste is dark fruit and malty with a little chocolate bitterness in the finish.

A very unique beer. I think the chocolate notes that others describe have faded. Time seems to have somewhat smoothed out the beer. The alcohol burn is slight which is a bit crazy with the high alcohol content.

Something I would have again. Would like to try it fresher next time.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 03:11:38 | More by jsulko

blknikon

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +15%

04-30-2013 19:26:19 | More by blknikon