Donnybrook Stout - Victory Brewing Company

GallowsThief

Florida

3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On tap at The House of Brews in Jensen Beach. Nitro.

A – Nice chocolate milk brown color with huge two fingers of creamy brown head courtesy of the nitro tap.

S – Light smell of roasted malts and chocolate. Faint coffee and vanilla.

T – Follows the nose with again a very faint roasted malt, chocolate and coffee flavor. Nothing stands out in this brew. Its just there. It’s not bad but no flavor makes it memorable. Just a light bit of sweetness to finish it off.

M – Creamy with a thin mouthfeel. Flavors slide on and off your palate quickly.

O – This is an average brew to me. It is very drinkable for sure but there is nothing in the taste that grabs me and wants me to drink more. Not bad but not memorable.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-11-2012 23:03:35 | More by GallowsThief

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

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

Came to me quite striking in it's black beauty and fairly tall beige head.
Since it's on nitro aromatics were quite light but i definitly could smell roasted malts and anise. taste was bold and smooth with a good creamy texture. A desent malt backbone greets you with a gentle puckering in the aftertaste. I've been jones for this brew quite a while and was worthy of the wait.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-11-2012 14:44:34 | More by micromaniac129

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

merc7186

New York

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer on nitro tap at Remington Tavern in North Tonawanda NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark Opaque Hue, Passes No Light, Thick Off White Head, Some Lacing

S: Dark Roasted Malts, Mild Chocolate, Mild Coffee, Mildly Grainy

T: Roasted Malts, Mild Coffee, Mild Chocolate

M: Great Carbonation, Dry, Mild Roasty

Overall, a nice subtle tasting Irish Dry Stout but taste is a little too subtle even for a dry stout.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-05-2012 02:58:53 | More by merc7186

tobelerone

New Jersey

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

On nitro at the brewery. Pours a lovely deep and dark brown with a big cream colored head that has excellent retention. Lacing clings to the glass in sticky sheets. Great nitro appearance! Aroma is quite roasty, with bittersweet chocolate and a hint of smoke. Faint earthy and floral hops underneath.

Tastes of dark chocolate and bitter, earthy hops with a light roastiness. Charred malt and a surprisingly smoky flavor approaching a Rauch style; what was merely hinted at in the nose emerges prominently in the tasting. Finishes quite dryly. Moderately thin bodied with smooth carbonation. Very creamy, goes down extremely easily. Quite a good take on an Irish Dry Stout.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-13-2012 19:11:48 | More by tobelerone

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On nitro-tap 6/26/2012 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub, in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a large dense beige head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains milk chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and a very faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out very creamy with mildly sweet flavors of milk chocolate and coffee. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy. The hops presence is very mild as it should be in this type of beer and provides a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: A little crisp and very smooth, medium body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, very mild kick, very good representation of style, this is a nice sessionable stout to drink for a while.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-05-2012 01:45:35 | More by TheManiacalOne

jpro

South Carolina

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

On tap at Closed for Business...

A: Dark brown with mahogany highlights; velvety, one-finger, khaki head; good retention.

S: Roasted malts; charred vegetation; oatmeal.

T: “coffee-water;” has some oatmeal characteristics; a little thin on the taste, but it is 3.7%.

M: Thin; low (nitro) carbonation; not much.

O: A good session stout, but really not much else.

*from notes (5-25-12)

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-25-2012 02:24:32 | More by jpro

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served nitro tap in a pint glass at their brewery

A - Obsidian with 2 finger ecru foamy head with excellent retention and good lacing.

S - Coffee, spice, chocolate.

T - A more subtle stout characterized by many of the nitros with a smooth chocolate and coffee flavor at the front contrasted by a spicy tobacco smokey notes. Pretty subtle and some might say weak but this is an irish dry.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, smooth, a bit watery.

O - I have yet to fall in love with this style and this beer is yet another setback. I feel like the nitro version of these stout just come off as a little too subtle with a rather watery mouthfeel as well. I'll keep trying, but I wouldn't get this one again.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-13-2012 22:26:41 | More by williamjbauer

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I got to try this hard to find beer at Barcade in Jersey City, NJ. I like nitro beers, and I like Victory... so this should work out pretty well (surprise ending, it does. I'm doing the review from notes earlier in the day.).

You gotta love the cascading foam on the glass as the nitro settle. The good looking irish stout, where it is surprisingly dark for the low ABV.

I like this example of an irish stout. It is incredibly easy to drink. I like the complex flavors, but the drinkability is very easy. The texture is kind of velvety on the tongue.

This is far and away the best irish stout I have ever had. Much props to the great brewers at Victory.

Serving type: nitro-tap

05-25-2012 21:52:05 | More by ummswimmin

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Tap at prezo

Big creamy nitro looking head 1.5 fingers fades slowly plenty of lacing, semi clear molasses reddish brown colored beer, more like brown ale or even darker reddish ale than stout.

Nose has a bit of nitro gas aroma, then toffee, caramel, toasty brown malts slight aged like, light nutty syrupy aroma, hint of cocoa, but pretty light and most of the nice aromas live in the shadow of the nitro.

Taste again starts with creamy nitro, then moves to light stout, very light, hint of brown malts, light caramel and toffee, light syrupy malt flavor, touch of nutty brown malts, slightest hint of chocolate, light bitterness from slight earthy hops and from light char. Finish is a bit more bitter, not dry but also sticky syrupy, hint of malt and nitro left.

Mouth is thinner, light nitro creaminess and light carb with little nitro bubbles.

Overall not great, way too light, very little malt or stout flavors at all, thin and watery, and what there is for flavor is overpowered by the nitro. at least I can drink this like chocolate milk and pound it.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-16-2012 12:31:49 | More by jlindros

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On nitro-tap at Rustico - Alexandria. Served in a pint glass.

Pours a very dark brown with a very impressive reverse-cascading mocha head and good retention. The nose carries some very light roast and a touch of chocolate. Nothing too complex, but I wasn't expecting too much. Flavor falls a bit flat after the nose, with just a bit of roast and not much else. Medium body with a nice nitro feel. Pretty good, though below Victory standards for me.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-17-2011 14:26:26 | More by Thorpe429

Offa

California

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

I had this on nitro-tap at La Jolla Public House in La Jolla, CA, and it is an excellent, characterful stout that packs in a lot of character for the low alcohol, making it a great session and food beer.

Black, it had a creamy, medium-big tan head slowly shrinking and leaving some nice lace.

Aroma was mild but nice, very toasty and lightly fruity with faint hint of dark chocolate.

Taste was great, a light roasted barley and charcoal with hint of dry dark chocolate, light woody bitterness to balance a very light sweetness. It had nice well-rounded body, and a great, solid feel, esp. for such low abv, etc.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-27-2011 18:45:39 | More by Offa

dontspookthehors

New York

4.72/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Outstanding in every aspect. This dry stout coming in @ 3.7%ABV is everything I could ever want for this style. Very high whole hop flavor (EKG I assume) for style, without the typical roasted malt bitterness normally present. I can't say enough about this offering from Victory. They are my darling East Coast Brewery, and they should be yours too!

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-30-2011 03:19:06 | More by dontspookthehors

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The pour reminds me of Guiness, thick and viscout looking. Pours a deep dark brown almost black color with a thick off white foam head. There is some moderate lacing.

S: There is a mild amount of dark chocolate, lightly roasted coffee and toffee. Nothing overlly potent.

T: Starts off with ample amount of roasted coffee. In the middle there is some roasted coffee along with milk chocolate. On the back end, more of the same, not ovely complex but still tasty.

M: Leaves a really dry,creamy taste on the palate. Nicely carbonated.

O: One of the better Dry Stouts I have had. Not an ovely complext beer, but a great session beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-30-2011 23:52:08 | More by IronCitySteve

OutFox

New York

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at Barcade Jersey City, NJ 9/15/2011. Reviewed from memory

A - Dark, almost black, with a seriously thick and creamy head. Reminded me of Guinness (it is a Irish Dry Stout after all). Good retention since it was poured on nitro and lacing.

S - Truly not a lot of nose to this but you can pick up small tones of coffee and malt. It even smells dry.

T - Rich, smooth sort of toasted malts. Very thick and enjoyable. Dryish, I wouldnt really define it as all that dry but its a good expression of the style.

M - Fantastic. Once again stouts on nitro never seem to dissapoint. Thick, rich, creamy, just all over the palate.

O - Cant complain. Good Irish dry stout. Honestly havent had many but Guinness but this one doesnt dissapoint. I enjoy it more than Guinness. Well done Victory.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-16-2011 03:59:03 | More by OutFox

Agold

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours with the characteristic cascading head of a nitro tap. It is a bit light around the edges though which is not too great. Aroma is mildly roasty with a nice little bit of coco. Pretty nice. Flavor is a bit on the light side, but the coco comes out s bit more with a mild bitterness. Mouthfeel was pretty on point for the style, maybe a bit more dryness, but is good nonetheless with the creaminess from the nitro. Pretty good enjoyable approachable stout.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-08-2011 22:18:37 | More by Agold

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

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out like a Guinness. The surge took a little while to finish. The head is creamy and thick, the color of the beer is a deep brown. The smell is light, not much on the nose just a slight roasted aroma. The taste is very smooth and has a nice light chocolatey flavor to it. The mouthfeel is light and slick, nitro makes this brew very smooth. Oveall it's a good Dry Stout, typical for the style, really nice.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-12-2011 03:55:32 | More by Knapp85

Northsider

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at The Fountainhead Chicago. VERY drinkable stout here. I can hardly taste or feel the alcohol. Definitely my kind of drink!

A - Dark black, perfect head that lingers forever

S - I can't say the smell is all that great...that is there isn't much smell at all to me

T - Very creamy with little to no bite due to low alcohol content. Perfect for me who doesn't like high abv.

O - Great stout! I'm glad it's on tap 1/2 a block from my house. Very drinkable, very smooth...I could drink this all night long.

Serving type: nitro-tap

05-06-2011 02:35:37 | More by Northsider

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - An absolute stunner of a pour... Cascading foam settles and provides a fingers worth of rich creamy light tan colored head... Excellent retention as this one never quite fades before finishing the glass... A deep dark brown that allows some light to leak in around the edges... An occasional carbonation streak can be seen climbing the sides of the glass...

S - Faint roasted malts... Subtle chocolate... Some distinct smoke notes...

T - Lightly roasted malts... Touches of chocolate... Caramel... Toffee... Butterscotch... A subtle nuttiness...

M - Light to medium bodied... Smooth... Sleek... Creamy... Goes down very easily... Very muted carbonation... Perhaps a tad thin...

D - This one is uber-sessionable as this one packs a lot of flavor into 3.7% ABV... Great appearance with nice flavor and aroma all while being able to drink several glasses... Another nice job by the folks at Victory... I'm shocked it took me so long to sample...

Serving type: nitro-tap

05-06-2011 02:13:03 | More by philbe311

jocosa

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nitro-tap at Taco Mac - Newnan, GA.

This is a session stout all the way. Nice to have such from Victory with out the usual extra hop profile. Dark, beautiful pour - settled into a classic creamy nitro head. Great aroma of roast grains, hint of coffee and cocoa. Taste of the same, slight sweetness, and all at 3.7%. Nice to have a stout with lunch and not feel wiped out afterwards. Very drinkable, wish I could find this more often.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-15-2011 18:38:28 | More by jocosa

philosobeer

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had at Binny's in the South Loop. Nitro-tap into a tulip pint. About 40-45° on serving, and warmed slightly (a very acceptable thing for this beer.)

A // Nice, bright frothy head that emerges over the cascading nitrogenated beer. A dark body with highlights of garnet at the edges, but overall looks dark enough brown-to-black where you won't see much of that

S // Mostly roasty, some malt sugar sweetness seems to be in the nose

M // Mostly dry roasted barley on the palate with those roasty notes reminiscent of coffee or, well, roasted grain, but has some balancing sweetness. British style hops (EKG a likely suspect) also hit the tongue (however lightly) and help to dry the finish.

M // Light, and very light at that. I find this acceptable for the style, but feel the body could be slightly more full. Slightly.

Drinkability & c. // I'd love to have a keg of this in my own home on nitro, I really would. Have two with lunch and three with dinner. I really wanted more after the first one. And this light alcohol, nice flavored beer brings to the table what so few American brewers ever manage to make. I hope to see plenty of session ales* follow the example it sets here.

*note for nitpickers, this is indeed less than 4% and I do mean I'd like to see more <4%abv beers like this.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-09-2011 03:35:05 | More by philosobeer

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nitro tap poure into a pint glass.

Pours a very dark black with a nice big super fine and creamy light brown head. Nose is tame and mellow, the nitro subdues it.

Taste is very creamy and smooth, the mouthfeel is phenomenal. Very toasty and a bit grainy. No hoppiness but perfect for the style. Surprising good.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-07-2011 00:27:22 | More by kingcrowing

womencantsail

California

3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On nitro at Beachwood BBQ

A: Dark brown, almost black, in color with the anticipated creamy tan head to go with it.

S: Smells pretty off-putting at first--a lot of vegetal aromas. Once you get past those, there is some coffee and chicory with a good enough roasted malt character.

T: The flavor is disappointing as well in that it's highly watery. Coffee and coffee grounds, along with a touch of roast and dark chocolate, but a lot of water in there, too.

M: Thin and watery with a the usual low but smooth nitro carbonation.

O: Overall a real let down. The watery nature of it just ruined the beer for me.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-27-2011 05:17:33 | More by womencantsail

Halcyondays

California

3.48/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On nitro-tap at Beachwood BBQ, good to try another true session beer,

A: Pours black with a medium off-white to tan head, good lace and head retention. Has the great nitro look.

S: Roasted malt with a hint of smoke, intriguing.

T: Some roasted malt and coffee, dark chocolate, but a very light flavour overall. Tastes good but nothing to grab your attention.

M: Medium-bodied, still has a decent carbonation in the nitro serving type, frothy.

O: In the old drinkability category this would get a solid 4.5. Overall it's a good beer, I think the serving style is hampering the impact of the flavours, give me this on cask or even regular draft and allow the flavours to come out more. That being said it's still a very easy drinking pint, but there's not a lot to differentiate it from Guinness at this point.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-25-2011 00:12:35 | More by Halcyondays