Donnybrook Stout - Victory Brewing Company

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: ?
I'm sure I've had this before, but this review is from a recent tasting on nitro at Victory, Downingtown, PA.

A little disappointing right from the start. Poured into an imperial pint, a weak little tan head that lacked the creaminess and cascading beauty of a typical nitro pour. Bad line? Otherwise, typical dark opaque brown-blackitude of an average stout. Aroma of dark malts, notes of coffee and a dab of solvent. Similar taste, roasty, dark malts, touches of coffee and chocolate. Mild and a bit thin in body. A decent stout, but nothing to write a review about. ... D'oh!

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-19-2012 14:24:37 | More by Rifugium

DoubleJ

California

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On nitro at the source itself in Downingtown, PA. On to the beer:

Opaque appearance with hues of red highlighted at the bottom of the pint glass it was served in. The head is a mix of bubbly and smooth in texture. Smells like....a little bit of chocolate malt, and a little bit of coffee. In the mouth, the beer's profile starts off with unsweetened chocolate at first. It slowly become sweeter. Faint hop flavors mix well with the beer, and a kick of ground coffee notes become noticable. Very light in the body, slightly creamy, and dry.

This was the lightest beer offered at Victry Brewing on 8/7/09. An enjoyable one to say the least.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-11-2009 01:05:43 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at the Porter in Atlanta.

Pours what looks to be black until it's held up to the light and it's actually a very dark ruby color. Head is one-finger of foam that's not quite as nice as Guinness, though this is not from a nitro-tap. Lacing is solid.

Smells lightly of roasted malts and nondescript sweet fruits. Not a whole lot going on here.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Mild roasted malt flavors up front followed by some sweet fruit flavors as the beer warms. Nice bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is what really sets this apart from Guinness - it's got a lot more carbonation and it's a bit thicker. Very smooth.

Drinkability is good, especially at under 4%. I could drink a few of these on a rainy day.

Overall this is a good Irish Stout. I'm still not 100% sure if it was a normal tap or if nitrogen was used, but judging from the carbonation it seemed like a normal tap. This is worth a shot if you see it around.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2009 15:43:41 | More by glid02

plaid75

New York

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a deep black hue with a one finger off white head. There was very good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a light burnt grain with some coffee elements.

The taste featured a light burnt grain with a suprising citrus hop presence.

The mouthfeel was a bit thin for the style.

Overall a nice dry stout. Good drinkability.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-06-2007 17:01:32 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

With Paul Pendyck of UK Brewing Supplies, Ltd. at the helm, the General Sutter Inn in Lititz, PA has become a once-monthly outlet for cask-conditioned beer. This was the first offering and I got the second glass, pulled by Paul himself.

It began with about a half-a-finger of deep tan head with decent retention above an utterly black liquid. The nose had a mildly smoky quality. The mouthfeel had a very pleasant silky quality and a chocolaty/charcoal-y flavor on the tongue. The finish had the return of the dry, smoky bitterness that I had noted on the nose. Good lacing throughout.

Serving type: cask

01-03-2008 01:07:34 | More by woodychandler

Brad007

Vermont

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black color with a two-finger head.

Aroma is full of roasted coffee that isn't too overpowering. Seems to be the only flavor I can tell apart.

Taste is full of light roasted coffee and finishes dry. Very sleek. Chewy.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering roasted coffee notes. Dry. To the style.

I like it. If it came in bottles around here, I'd buy it over Guinness. I'd prefer a good local example but it's certainly worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2010 03:56:58 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Nitro pour at the Warwick. Big bonus points to this establishment for serving this in a matching Donnybrook nonic. The brew pours dark brown with a khaki, silky finger of topping. Some ruby coloring is seen around the edges. The typical nitro look here with a head that lasts until the last sip and produces a webby pattern of lace all over the glass.

The aromatics are quite phenolic almost like burning plastic at first. As it settles, pete smoked malts emerge along with a faint roasty aspect. Some suggestions of coffee and plenty of earthy tones fill out the void. Overall, despite having that pete quality, it is a mild smelling brew.

The flavor has a minor smoked aspect like pete mixed with a mineral element almost like chlorine. A little bit of herbal hops character and hardly any roasted maltiness to be found which is a bit of a let down. However, overall it fits the style in that it is very mild flavored.

This is a super light bodied brew with a modest amount of that silky smooth nitro feel. But this is very watery in the feel even by irish stout standards. It is lacking quite a bit in body and character but was a pleasant unique offering that I would probably have again.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-22-2013 15:48:02 | More by stakem

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on nitro-tap at Deep Ellum back in early June. Nitro-taps are not usually my thing, but occasionally it will work really well with a stout. This stout is perfect for that treatment- light and very creamy, the nitro just accentuates what makes this beer so drinkable in the first place. Pours black with a creamy, thick head and great lacing. Smells creamy and a bit nutty. The taste is quite nutty with a rich creaminess and subdued cocoa notes. Delicious and so easy to drink you almost want to chug it- which I would never do, of course. One of the reasons I score this so high is that it is so sessionable. Such low alcohol beers are hard to find in the U.S. and this one sacrifices not a whit of flavor.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-08-2008 05:05:19 | More by Georgiabeer

thagr81us

South Carolina

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from nitro-tap into a standard pint. Pours an almost black with a one finger light tan head. Maintains decent lacing throughout. The aroma is comprised of earthy and nutty notes. The flavor is of light malt and nutty notes. It had a medium feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall I was not really a big fan of this one. It wasn't bad for a low ABV stout, but not good for being considered a stout. Basically everything needs to be a little more robust on this one and amplified.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-22-2010 23:46:33 | More by thagr81us

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Comes out of the tap a nearly opaque reddish sable with a thick, fairly persistent tan head. Aroma is richly of roast coffee and has just a hint of cinnamon. Flavor is surprisingly spicy and has a strong hoppy component, rather different from other stouts I have tasted. It has firm coffee and smoke components as well, plus a tiny metallic tinge - but the last may come from this particular batch. Texture is tingly and sharp, and just a teeny bit thin.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2009 23:31:42 | More by Cyberkedi

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.55/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

DonnyBrook pours a cascading dark brown with a creamy head, Guinnesseque. Lacing, sure. Looks good.

Smell: Bready, and something smells slightly off.

Taste: Bland, thin watery beer with little in the way of roast, coffee or chocolate. Bitter and a bit dirty and not in a good way. Still nothing as bad as the smell would indicate, but Donnybrook is nothing but a Guinness imitator.

Mouthfeel: Thin and lightly creamy.

Drinkability: I like stouts, I like Irish Dry Stouts, but this one falls flat for me. Victory can brew much better beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-28-2010 18:11:09 | More by Stinkypuss

gford217

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Nitro at Leon's Full Service served in a Donnybrook pint glass.

Pours dark, dark chocolate brown with a massive creamy nitro head that lingers for the duration and leaves good lacing. It's like a lighter version of Guinness.

The aroma is very sedate on this one with some dark chocolate malts and little else.

The taste is a slight step up from the aroma with a more noticeable chocolate presence and more sweetness overall. The finish is dry and roasty.

The mouthfeel is thin and slightly watery with soft carbonation.

This is a decent dry stout but it's nothing to write home about.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-11-2009 03:28:53 | More by gford217

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1.5 finger head with tons of circumferential lacing On a deep clear amber body.

S: roasted malt and dark chocolate.

T: roasted malt and very mild hops. Light chocolate note in the finish. Very good beer but not memorable for any one quality. Very drinkable and a good example of what I think an Irish dry stout should be.

M: full body and moderate carbonation. Relatively moist finish

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 03:16:12 | More by kylehay2004

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had a pint on tap at d.b.a. in Manhattan. It was pitch black color with a thin beige head, and smelled surprisingly rich (to me) for the style. There was some chocolate and coffee (!) which I don't normally get out of dry stouts. The flavor was nice, roasted malts and coffee, not really any bitterness except maybe a hint in the after-taste. It went down easily, and at the low alcohol level you can drink it for a long time. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2007 02:20:43 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at Maxs tonight. Listed at 5% ABV (someone?)

A: Black with dark brown highlights. Solid one-finger head with excellent retention (well, it lasted longer than my beer did) that leaves patchy foam and lace as I drink. Very pretty

S: Simple - heavily roasted barley, chocolate and coffee, each light and in balance, present at a level that's delicious, light and refreshing

T: Starts off with a moderate bitterness from the roasted barley before a mild chocolate flavor kicks in. Like Guinness, but only far superior

M: Excellent carbonation, light in body, long, bitter finish. Excellent, despite being a tad watery?

D: This lasted maybe 8 minutes in my glass

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2008 04:50:58 | More by DefenCorps

nickfl

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - An opaque, black body that is topped by a one inch, creamy and everlasting head.

S - Some light chocolate, coffee, and little else.

T - Light, black coffee/roasted grain notes. Nutty toffee in the middle that finishes with a light acidity and watery roast notes.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - This is a simple, balanced beer that one could easily drink all night. It is characterized by a flat, roasted note similar to that of cheap coffee, but this darkness is enhanced by a depth of chocolate and a light nuttiness that make it much more enjoyable than the more ubiquitous examples of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2010 07:57:46 | More by nickfl

blackie

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

a: Typical nitro head, high retention...khaki in color. The beer is a transparent black in color.

s: Lightly roasted malts, subtly hopped and quite dry.

m: Smooth, low carbonation with a light-medium body.

t: Smooth, dry and delicate roasts, light and a bit watery, make up the bulk of the flavor. A light roast astringency comes out in the finish. Lightly hopped.

d: an easy session for sure, which is respectable but reduces the aroma/flavor a bit

6 oz. taster glass at Rustico, Alexandria, VA

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-11-2008 07:29:26 | More by blackie

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at the Village Draft House.

Pours a dark black with a reddish hue when seen in the light. There is a thick, soft, off white head that sits atop the brew that has has great retention. The nose smells creamy and mildly roasty. The taste is very faint but has notes of chocolate, roasted malt, and yeast. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and smooth with little if any carbonation.

This is a nice Irish Dry Stout but overall it's underwhelming. If it were St. Patty's I could see me putting in work on this beer. Otherwise, I'll pass.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 02:18:42 | More by tdm168

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Not very dark for a stout. Color is a dark ruby amber with a 1/4 inch of opaque colored head.

S - Smell is of mild roasts, tingle of coffee, sugary chocolates, and mild smoke.

T - Well it's fairly balanced, kind of watery, but not bad. Flavors are a mix between chocolates and sweet coffee flavors and a touch of smoke. Like a better bodied Guinness.

M - Light to medium yet creamy.

Overall even though this was not on nitro I believe it was still quite a good session stout. Worth the 3 bucks.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2012 00:41:53 | More by DrDemento456

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On nitro-tap at Victory on 10/13/08.

A - Extremely dark chestnut color, bordering black, with burgundy highlights around the edges. The thin tan, sandy-looking head retained quite well and left some nice foamy lacing around the glass.

S - Dry roasted malt with hints of mild coffee and chocolate as well as a touch of vanilla and some nuttiness to the aroma. Faint earthy hops creep out, but are way in the back.

T - Much like the aroma, the dry roasted malt comes out in the flavor with hints of very mild coffee and some chocolate notes. Also, a tinge of earthy bitterness emerges in the finish.

M - Very thin body for a nitro pour, resulting in a watery texture with soft carbonation. Finish is on the dry side with only a touch of bitterness. Body is a bit lacking, unfortunately.

D - This easy drinking, low ABV Irish stout is pretty tasty, but falls a little short in the mouthfeel department. I like my stouts a little more full-bodied and robust. Still, this is a solid Irish-style stout, no doubt about it.

Brewslut's Quote of the Day:
"It smells like suede... tastes like if you licked my purse."

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-14-2008 17:04:53 | More by ffejherb

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed this beer at the 2007 Victory Chili Fest.
It was served as a black beer with creamy tannish head that easily escaped the confines of the glass.
Smell was notable for toasted malt.
Taste was also toasty, with strong notes of bitter coffee present.
Rich and creamy mouthfeel (from the notrogen)
Very drinkable. Was excellent to session on a long day of chili eating.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-03-2007 02:03:09 | More by tgbljb

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a firkin at the Zeno's Real Ale Festival

A - Black....with the slightest hint of ruby tint at the edges. Now head...but it was from a firkin, not expected.

S - Nice full roasty malt scent.

T - Chocolate malt and more chocolate malt. This is a very nicely flavored Irish Dry Stout....not your fathers stout!

M - Nice and light without giving up body; Slight bitterness in the aftertaste and a lovely chocolate malt backbone.

D - A wonderful beer from Victory. Fantastic that it is only 3.7% ABV! This makes Donnybrook a wonderful session beer, the anti Storm King in ABV but not in flavor. Well done in making an Irish Dry Stout with flavor and not just another lame attempt at duplicating Guinness, which isnt that great to begin with!

Serving type: cask

11-13-2007 13:51:09 | More by Deuane

ehammond1

California

2.78/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On Tap (Nitro)

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Black in color with a thin and creamy head after the cascading nitro pour. Decent lacing--I couldn't expect anything more from this beer.

Faint aroma. Some slight roasted malt and grain presence.

Not a lot of flavor going on either. Some slight malt, a touch of roasted malt, and a bit of sweetness. Goes away quickly.

Thin mouthfeel.

A simple, undefined, uninteresting dry stout.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-18-2011 20:27:25 | More by ehammond1

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rich, dark brown letting just a touch of light through. Weak, thin stip of khaki colored head. Smell is of dark roasted malts, sweetened condensed milk and roasted nuts. Taste follows scent with a sweet creamy roasted grains and nuts charachter. Body is very chalky and dry and lacks carbonation, not very pleasent in the mouth. Decent flavor, but not a very pleasing body makes for a beer that could be much better then it is.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2009 14:20:01 | More by rfgetz

atsprings

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Keep the glass night at Flying Saucer, served a typical jet-black with the usual foamy nitro head. Because it was keep the glass night, mine and many others had been poured in advance, so I was not able to enjoy the waterfall effect. As the head slowly diminished, only spotty lacing was left on the glass. Aroma was the usual roasted malts, just not quite as abundant as I hoped for. Taste was pretty much textbook for the style, as was the mouthfeel; crisp carbonation and a smooth dryness. This is what it is, a good American made alternative to Guinness.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-22-2009 16:31:35 | More by atsprings