Exit 8 - Flying Fish Brewing Company

Huffs

New York

3.55/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip glass, nice thick tan head developed. Lasted and laced extremely well. Appearance was a dark brown with slight red hue. Aroma was malrty with caramel and chocolate notes. Taste had a pronounced chocolate with hints of coffee and slight alcohol taste. Mouthfeel was full and creamy with a dry / malty aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 02:14:53 | More by Huffs

oline73

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Pours a murky dark brown color with almost a finger of thick, creamy tan head. The head sticks around nicely. The smell is full of caramel and dark fruit notes along with some mild toffee. The sweet aromas are nice, but there is a hint of tartness that doesn't belong if you ask me. The baste is very smooth and reminds me of a British brown ale that is just a little bit tart. I would have liked this to be less tart and to accentuate the malt more. The finish is bitter. The carbonation is smooth and fluffy, almost reminds me of a nitro pour. I wish the sweetness was more dominant but I still enjoyed it enough.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:33:16 | More by oline73

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice take on a Belgian dark with a nutty/sweet edge.

Presentation: 750ml brown capped bottle. Brown background label with brewery identity and a highway exit illustration naming the ale. Side paragraph notes intent, limited release, ingredients, main characteristics and food pairing. Shows 8.3% Alc. by Vol. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Deep dark brown pour with a nice creamy head, medium retention, good surface memory with a lasting surface ring, and some splashes of lacing.

S - Sweet and malty nose, plenty of caramel, slight nutty insinuation with a touch of yeast...

T - Nice expansion on the palate, caramel and sweetness with a light Belgian touch, soft nutty sense in the bitter punctuation towards the finish.

M - Medium to medium/full body, medium carbonation, Rather creamy and smooth.

O - Nicely flowing ale, almost a bit too sweet at points, and maybe best suited as an after meal brew.

Notes: Curious differences during a comparative tasting with a similar homebrew that happened to share plenty of the departing characteristics but whereas this one shines on its sweet edge, "Castaña Supreme" had a more pronounced fruity, yeasty edge… None of the two really showed off the chestnut. Maybe more so Exit 8 around the sweet/hoppy edge...

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 13:07:24 | More by Daniellobo

Etan

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml.

A: Pours a very dark brown with a nice light mocha-colored head.

S: Yeasty, some raisins, a bit of honey sweetness and roasted malt.

T: Starts with some muted bready yeastiness, light honey, bitterish grain, brown bread, somewhat nutty, roast, some cloves. A bit more sweetness comes out as it warms.

M: A little more than medium-bodied with fine carbonation. Very nice.

O: A hefty and solid brown ale, with some nice influence from the yeast and honey.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:27:35 | More by Etan

ckollias

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this large bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a dark brown with a thick, frothy, light brown, 2-finger head that slowly dissipates down the side of glass, leaving a nice trial and ending in a solid persistent lace.

S: Sweet and tart Belgian yeast scent at first followed by a smooth roasted malt aroma with a caramel background. Lots of complex aromas here.

T: Smooth and slightly tart fruity Belgian flavor up front. Roasted malt middle and finishes smooth.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Amazing Belgian Brown ale. Perfect balance.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 02:22:26 | More by ckollias

KajII

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Dimpled Mug]

The pour was a very dark mahogany brown with an average (1-2 finger) light brown creamy head, which reduced to a medium film with a medium collar and had fairly good streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a toasted dark bread malt, light resin hops and a leathery Belgian yeast with notes of molasses, caramel, dark chocolate, honey and a pronounced nutty odor.

The taste was malty sweet and a tad roasty with hints of molasses, honey and caramel at first, progressing into a slightly bitter yeast taste with a bit of chocolate, a nice chestnut presence and a little more than slight alcohol tinge at the end. The flavor lasted an average time proceeding the swallow, with a dark bold yeasty taste left behind to fade away slowly.

Mouthfeel was medium in body and dry, yet thinly oily in texture with a medium carbonation.

Overall this was a very well rounded Belgian Brown with all the components working together rather well, creating a very appealing brew that was nice and roasty yet still possessed that Belgian Ale drinkability...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:18:53 | More by KajII

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL poured into a 2012 SAVOR snifter. purchased several months ago. kept at cellar temps.

A: hazy dark brown body. brownish tints to the white tight bubbled head. retention is terrific as is the huge amount of lacing left behind.

S: plums and figs. some yeasty notes as well. there is the linger of heat, but you can tell this has calmed down. roasted barley is there as well.

T: sweet and savory. very fruity. grapes, strawberry jam. caramel and chocolate. malt starts to pick up and make a presence towards the finish. coco and figs linger long after the sip is gone. hint of coffee as well.

M: tingly, fine carbonation bubbles. full bodied.

D: this is a really solid belgian strong dark from NJ. not getting a lot of chestnuts in particular, but certainly a buttery sweetness that could be lent from the nuts. chestnuts or no chestnuts, this is a solid beer and worth picking up and throwing into the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 23:31:27 | More by Jimmys

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle. Pours dark brown with a long lasting beige head and good amount of lacing. Aroma is of barnyard yeast and toasted malt. Body is full and smooth. Taste is toasted, nutty malt, spicy hops, yeast, dark fruit and molasses. Finish is long and dry. Very tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 03:03:49 | More by mikeg67

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I didn't get a ton of Belgian character in this one but did find a really nice big, malty brown ale. Rich malts - warm bread, burnt sugars, caramel, and coffee cake. Despite the richness, not overly sweet with a nicely balanced herbal hop flavor. A bit of plum and pear fruitiness and a light clove spiciness works into the flavor profile well and is about the only hint of Belgian character I pick up. Really nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 17:11:49 | More by bump8628

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle - $9.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a very dark brown body with a medium-small, short-lived, light beige head.

Smell: Displays a wide range of notes, you've got chicory, dark caramel, molasses, baker's chocolate, ground cloves, plums, banana bread, and pine.

Taste: Roasty, toasty (whole grain bread), chocolaty malts with a full-on nuttiness and molasses tone throughout. Caramel and perceived honeybun sweetness. Amply malty throughout. Growing clove-like quality from the yeast. Faintly resinous pine in the background. Lightly bitter, with the spicy phenols and alcohol helping to balance the sweetness. Touch of dark fruits and an additional fruity hint of bananas. Spicy, sweet, and still with a nutty maltiness on the smooth finish with a bit of alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation. Smooth, not quite creamy mouthfeel.

Overall: This Exit is fairly good, not outstanding, but a beer that shows some real promise.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 22:55:26 | More by ChainGangGuy

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

- Belgian style brewed with honey and chestnuts.

A: Rich otter brown pour is pitch black in the chalice accompanied by a sturdy 2 finger frothy sandstone tinted head. Healthy retaining head shows small beads upon the build up turning to a creamy covering. Thick clumpy patches of foam cling nicely to the vessel with a very good rate of coverage.

S: On the nose was chocolate, roasted chestnuts, burnt caramel sweetness, with some wet coffee grounds. Light aroma level subtle complexity saves this from average regards. A hint of musky belgian yeastiness is present but again very subtle.

T: Big coffee roast, burnt caramel while the belgian yeastiness is much more dominate in the flavor then was on the nose. Roasted chestnuts, milky chocolate roast with some honey sweetness upfront shows wet coffee grounds on the close. Hop bitterness shows subtle fruitiness and pine while the malting is the real limelight here.

M: Creamy body, light void of much carbonation. A small alcohol warmth is accompanied by a light musky belgian yeastiness.

O: Nice flavor overall, sweet honey laced coffee roast has hints of roasted chestnuts and belgian yeastiness the comes together nicely at the end of the day. Intriquing flavor, very worth experiencing, and the addition of honey and chestnuts clearly worked out. Good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 22:40:25 | More by beerthulhu

Proteus93

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Every year that I come to Long Beach Island, I make sure to pick up the Exit series that is available at the time I'm on the island. To date, time has proven that Flying Fish makes some of the best beer I've come across in Jersey. Let's see if this continues that tradition/trend...

A: Somewhat murky deep brown, topped with an almost disproportionately white head. I would have assumed it would have had a little more of a khaki tone to it. It forms nicely, retains well, and has a nice creaminess that I appreciate, though.

S + T: The typical scents associated with an American nut brown can be found here... some roasted malts, a nutty quality, and a soft sweetness. The sweet side of it has a fruity quality thanks to the yeast. There's a little hint of toffee, however modest, and any honey notes are more notable in the flavour, towards the finish.

M + D: The body is the one point where this beer might fall a little short. It's just a touch thin. Nonetheless, the carbonation is appropriate, and the finish has a slickness that I find enjoyable. Another year has passed with another enjoyable Exit series brew that will play a role in next year's vacation!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 02:16:43 | More by Proteus93

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

not enjoying this little red coating on the top of this bottle.

Off white sticky head atop a clear deep chestnut colored ale. Very subtle nose of earthy hops along with some strange scents of plastic and soap.

Pretty moderately sized body actually, more reminiscent of an American Brown ale then a belgian but i can taste the belgian influence as well. Roasted malt on the tip of the tongue, copmlex layers of endless flavors. Dark fruit, raisins and plums, touches of cherry, soothing honey, molasses, light earthy notes and pine, and even a slight vinous character. You definitely can that nuttiness that the brewery was aiming for as well. An overall pretty sweet beer with what tastes like belgian candy sugar. But just enough hop bitterness to balance. Both the hops and malts linger in the mouth. Another beer with a slightly tannic quality. A genuinely unique beer that tastes totally awesome. I'm not the biggest flying fish fan but this beer is something else. It took the best of american browns and dark belgians and somehow married them together, with honey.

Complex, layered, flavorful, and proportioned. In your face yet reserved at the same time. Not just one flavor overrides everything. You palate goes on a rollercoaster of a ride each time.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 01:38:51 | More by jtierney89

avalon07

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a dark brown color and a cloudy consistency. There was an inch of tan-colored, foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: An interesting aroma of chocolate, a nutty quality, and some fruit.

T: Tasted of dark fruit, a bit of yeast, a hint of chocolate, the nutty quality, and light grassy hops. A decent flavor, but not pushed far enough.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A solid, but not spectacular beer. Drinkable enough.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 12:05:47 | More by avalon07

jwc215

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours brown with a lasting thin head. Lacing sticks.

The smell is of chestnuts with molasses. It smells of a rich brown ale with a "Belgian" earthy, spicy touch.

The taste follows through. A brown, nutty (chestnut) flavor with a "Belgian" spicy touch. Malty with spicy yeast and minimal hops. Sweet, but not sticky.

Velvety smooth and creamy. Slides down "too" quickly.

A very nutty, sweet-ish, treat! A nice, nutty brown ale with a Belgian-inspired background. Alcohol well-integrated. Very nice!

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 10:42:31 | More by jwc215

pburland23

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 25.4 wine bottle into my Great Divide tulip.

Appearance: Beer pours a very deep, dark brown. When held to the light there are some hints of a lighter chestnut brown around the edges of the glass. Two fingers of light mocha head. Very long head retention and moderate lacing.

Smell: Some nutty notes, roasted malts and a definitive hint of sweetness from the honey. Perhaps a little too sweet in the nose for me.

Taste: Sweet and chocolaty. Good roasted malt notes. The chestnuts and honey are both present but they aren't the biggest tastes. Finishes with some Belgian yeast, mild hops bitterness and a touch of warmth from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a low level of carbonation. Some heat from the alcohol.

Overall: Another interesting beer from the Flying Fish Exit Series. A lot more roasted malts than I was expecting. The Belgian yeast isn't as prominent as I was expecting either. It drinks more like a straightforward brown ale than a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 00:59:51 | More by pburland23

scottyshades

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque brown color with a tightly knit creamy cap. Retention is excellent

S: Lots of nuts, caramel, and a smooth graininess. I would put this somewhere between a Belgian Dark and a rich Brown Ale...Belgian yeast notes are there but definitely restrained in a way that give this beer more balance.

T: Nuts, caramel, and a smooth oat character. Belgian yeast lend a little spiciness but don't overwhelm like some of this style. Balanced by a slight earthy hop presence

MF/O: The oats give this beer a smooth and velvety feel to it. Carbonation is low. Alcohol well hidden. Nutty finish. Overall an easy drinking beer, especially for 8.3%. Great for a hot day like it is down here in South Florida

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 21:22:29 | More by scottyshades

TheFightfan1

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip, a murky,cloudy mahogany color with a nice finger tan heading. Some decent lacing stays throughout the tasting.

Decent roast aroma with a touch of fruity yeast. Heavy toasted chestnuts , slight brown sugar as well.

Very similar to the aroma, toasted chestnuts with a belgian yeasty finish. Nice brown sugary alcohol kick. Subtle earthy hops balance this out.

Light-Medium bodied, decent carbonation in the mouth. A little bit on the thin side for my liking but not really all that boozey for an 8.3% ABV.

Not a bad beer,nothing really bad about this one at all just not my style.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 20:03:29 | More by TheFightfan1

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a nice looking brown color with a light tan head on top. The head settles and leave just a light ring around the edge of the glass. The smell of the beer has a really nice sweet aroma of bready Belgian yeast with some honey in there too. The taste of the beer has a sweet start to it, the flavors of fresh tabacco mixed with the sweet honey and the yeast make this beer really quite nice. The mouthfeel of the beer was gently carbonated, with a clean drinkable dry finish to it. Overall it's a very nice beer. I found this enjoyable and I could see myself drinking this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 02:08:31 | More by Knapp85

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an opaque dark-chocolate brown with a thick and rather persistent light tan head. Strong aroma has a malty core and notes of cloves and cinnamon plus a hint of molasses. Rich flavor has malty, molasses, caramel, nutty and earthy notes plus a honey-sweet undertone and hints of cloves and woody hops - or is that chestnut? Thick body is fairly fizzy and leaves a nice tingle with subtle earthy, honey and hoppy tones. Excellent! Be sure to get off at this exit.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 03:35:34 | More by Cyberkedi

yamar68

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to leftmindedrighty for tossing this in my box!

Poured from 750 to Duvel tulip:

Pours deep, dark, ominous brown/black. Very minimal clarity and a big swelling light brown cap. Frothy at first but receding to a neat, dense lid. Perfect lacing.

For some reason I often think "hard water" when I smell brown ales. I get a bit of that here. Also, the use of nuts really translate nicely to the nose but I think walnuts instead of chestnuts. Fresh cream, light cocoa, honey, very subtle alcohol.

Ooh, that's smooth. It's hard to think of mouthfeel and taste as two distinct aspects of the beer in this case. So creamy, it really does wonders for all the chocolate milk type notes on the tongue. Light hop presence does a nice job of drying things up. The nuts again have shown themselves in appropriate modesty. Very tasty indeed.

Overall, very grateful to have had the chance to test this one out. Thanks a ton Aaron!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 02:53:43 | More by yamar68

oberon

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a large tulip glass deep dark roasted chesnut brown with a decent sized tan colored head atop.Aromas were awsome with the chesnuts used in the beer along with sweet honey and mild yeasty notes,very appetizing and rich.Rich is a good word to describe the flavors with sweet honey and roasted chesnut notes,slightly cakey, mild yeasty phenols,and light earth round out the flavors.What a great rich beer,it's sweet but not overy so with a nice drying effect in the finish,easily the best Flying Fish beer I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 13:43:12 | More by oberon

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Extremely dark brown with a slight reddish hue on the sides. Nice khaki 1 finger head. Not much lacing. Head dies quick on this high octane beer.

S: Caramel sweet, alcohol, Belgian yeast phenols, slight pine, slight nutty, slight toffee, hint of molasses and currants.

T: coffee, toffee, nutty, slight cocoa, currant, little bit of alcohol, suppressed bitterness, more on the sweeter side. Molasses at the backend. Hint of honey.

M: Relatively thick and slick but not a stout. Still has some thinness. Finish is sweet.

O: This is another good beer in the exit series but I'm not a huge fan of Belgian Strong Ales...so I'm biased. I'm sure the Belgian folk are raving but I was left bored and uninterested. Would drink again if offered but wouldn't buy in a store.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 01:50:10 | More by JerseyKirk

Immortale25

Florida

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Sierra Nevada tumbler. No freshness date.

A- Pours a semi-opaque black color with a 1/2 inch tan head that retains a good while before becoming an 1/8 inch of head. Slippery lacing is just OK.

S- On par with most dark Belgians. Sweet malt nose with rich Belgian yeast notes. Is indeed nutty and has a distant booziness. Also a small amount of glass smell.

T- Much more roasty than expected. Alcohol plays a big role in the overall profile bringing about a nice kick along with the powerful yeast flavor. Notes of banana, raisin and a bit of chocolate and caramel. Not much honey as the roast is the dominant taste and doesn't allow the sweetness to have as much of an influence as expected.

M- A bit creamy and thick. Also a tad dry. Medium-high carbonation and a body full of presence.

O- The Exit Series is, generally, a great set of beers. All the ones I've had have been great, except for one that was just OK (Exit 9).

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 01:31:09 | More by Immortale25

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a solid dark brown color with a smallish brown head that shows moderate retention. Smells of caramel, chocolate, a bit nutty with little to no hop presence. Taste is sweet and malty with a caramel earthy chocolate flavor to it. Medium body and carbonation level with a sweet almost sticky mouthfeel. Nice brown ale with a nutty edge. I'm glad I got to try this.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 23:35:02 | More by johnnnniee