Mill Street Cobblestone Stout - Mill Street Brew Pub

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

20oz. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours totally black with a thin mocha head that retains pretty well. Leaves some nice lacing.

S - Maybe some mild roasted malt. Probably one of the most mild aromas I've ever gotten from a beer, let alone a stout. This smells like almost nothing.

T - Light roasted malt with some coffee like bitterness in the finish. Things are kept pretty mild here overall. A bit creamy, with some hints of dark chocolate coming through slowly. Nothing exceptional.

M - Quite creamy, full bodied. Feels nice and smooth like a beer in this style should. Definitely reminds me of a Guinness in this department.

D - An enjoyable brew from Mill Street. For what it is, it's alright, but I thought there was definitely some room for improvement. Maybe I'll review a bottle if I can find one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 04:51:15 | More by Converge

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A creamy and satisfyingly tasty stout.

Beautifully clear and dark, opaque except red highlights at the edges of the glass when held up to light. Head is thick and coffee-coloured, with impressive lacing. Mouthfeel is delightful, creamy and thick without being cloying.

Aroma of dark roasted malts and hints of chocolate, are further developed in the well balanced taste. The finish is pleasantly dry and lingers for a long time.

Enjoy this on its own, or to add body to a blend with any fruit beer. One of my pub favourites that I've been negligent in not reviewing until tonight!

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 21:40:47 | More by hopsolutely

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a one finger head with great retention and plenty of lacing ringing the side of the glass throughout. Nearly black with some brown highlights.

Smell is light malt, some hops and coffee notes.

Taste follows the nose with a metallic note. Some dark fruit and bitter hops.

Mouth is on the light side for a stout with some carbonation. Relatively smooth but not creamy.

A beautiful looking stout with an average taste.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2011 19:18:56 | More by Stocean1

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint at Arrow and Loon. From notes.

A - Poured with a thick, reamy beige head that sat at one finger for the duration of the pint. Black in colour with just a bit of light coming through. Great lace.

S - Roasty with chocolate and a touch of coffee. Very nice and inviting. What I look for in a lower strength stout.

T - Smoky, coffee, roasty malt in a big way and a little chocolate. Typical but spot on the way it should be.

M - Good low carbonation, medium creamy body with a nice dry/bitter finish.

O/D - Really nice, smooth, good, proper stout. Sessionable to the highest degree. Well crafted.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2011 15:08:42 | More by tbeckett

MAB

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Something new in this neck of the woods! On tap at Hop-In Brew (Calgary).

A very nice stout.
It doesn't have the sourness of Guinness but it doesn't have the full mouthfeel of one either.
The slightly thin body is offset by a robust coffee-like roasted barley flavor (yum!) and a surprising amount of hop bitterness, not that this is a hoppy beer by any means.
A pleasant surprise and worth another pint or two before it goes away.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2011 20:07:17 | More by MAB

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Was very surprised to see this on tap at a local bar, and was super stoked to try it out.

A - Pours a nice dark black, with a solid thumb of smooth mocha coloured head with cascading carbonation, solid retention and some thick sticky lacing. Great looking stout!

S - Scent was much sweeter than expected with chocolate and expresso notes coming through. Only the slightest metallic hint present, which was nice as well.

T - Absolutely delicious. The chocolate malts come through nicely off the top, a touch of vanilla and espresso that lingers on the tongue. Much more favourful than a Guiness.

M - This stuff goes down like a Guiness with nice smooth carbonation that keeps your mouth watering.

D - I could drink this stuff all day. I will definitely be taking every opportunity to order this stuff on tap when I'm out because it was fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 22:27:32 | More by andrenaline

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Pilot in Yorkville. Was expecting to have nothing interesting here, but I was glad they had Cobblestone on tap because it has been a couple months since I've had it.

Pours an opaque dark brown with thick tan head. Lacing down most of the glass. Smells of mild coffee, chocolate sweet butterscotch with some roasted malt. Very sweet flavour with a mild amount of bitterness. Very smooth mouthfeel. This is one of my favourite stouts from Ontario and I wish more places in Toronto would replace their Guinness tap with this.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2010 15:39:11 | More by kwjd

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Victory Cafe.

Poured a dark black colour with thick white head that stuck around for quite a while.

Nose was somewhat sweet roasted malts.

Taste was roasted malts with a nice toasted flavour to it - almost like some toated pine nuts or something (difficult to pinpoint the toasted flavour exactly but it added such a great element to the beer). Some coffee in the roasted malts, but not enough to suggest that there was an abundant coffee flavour.

Amazing mouthfeel. Thick, smooth, sikly, elegant.

This is one of the best stouts I have had. 4.2% ABV is a little light, but it is probably the most drinkable stout I can think of.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 14:23:07 | More by TheSevenDuffs

eat

Quebec (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This stout is almost black and almost opaque. Ruby highlights shine through the bottom of the glass and the body is more of a very dark brown. Pours with a great cream/light-mocha head and almost looks like it's on nitro-tap...but it's not. Great head retention and lacing. Quite a nice looking stout.

A very bready smelling stout. Smells mostly of whole-wheat bread and yeast with some chocolate, minerals and dark malt. Nice smell but I'd like it to be more powerful.

This kind of reminds me of a (North American) Guinness with some improvements made. The focus is on the bready roasted malt. Bits of chocolate, minerals and coffee grinds appear but aren't featured. Light, earthy hops balance everything out with a subtle bitterness. The flavour is mostly of some smooth, dark roasted malt. No alcohol at 4.2% ABV, obviously. I didn't know it was 4.2% actually, I had assumed it was closer to 5%, not because of any alcohol showing but because of the nice big flavour. Almost no complexity but it seems that's what they were going for. Just a simple, tasty and accessible stout.

Good creamy medium body and a light carbonation. Pretty nice feel, though it could be a little creamier. I'm sure nitro-tap would do the trick. Slightly drying finish, just enough.

I find the Cobblestone Stout to be as smooth as St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout but it isn't as complex or interesting. Extremely drinkable, though, and shows no faults. At 4.2% this would obviously be a great session stout. My second favorite Mill Street so far, behind their Tankhouse Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2010 05:42:18 | More by eat

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewpub in Hogtown.

This beer appears a solid black, with very slight reddish tints, and one finger of thin creamy tan head, which renders a ring of surface lace after it melts away. It smells of dry chocolate, and toasted malt. The taste is more roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, a bit of orchard fruitiness, and some earthy hops. The carbonation is soft, the body medium weight, smooth, creamy, and silky, and it has a dry, clean finish.

A pretty decent session stout, just a enough sweetness, but not overwhelming.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2010 04:58:34 | More by biboergosum

MasterSki

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at Chancey Smith's. Served in a pint glass.

A - A finger of tan foam over top of a dark brown body that shows transparency and ruby highlights when held to the light. Very similar look to Guinness, but without the head volume. Still, the retention and lacework are superb - it settles to a cap that lingers throughout the entire pint. Almost looks like a nitro beer.

S - Roasty, light cocoa, licorice, and biscuit. Somewhat understated - could use a little more oomph, even when it's warm.

T - Tastes like you'd expect from an English stout - dry roastiness, light cocoa, a touch of coffee, and mild amount of bitterness in the finish. Reminds me of Cadillac Mountain, but not quite as complex.

M - Smooth and creamy, with light carbonation, and a medium body that keeps things from getting to watery like some other English/Irish Dry Stouts that I've had.

D - A little too roasty to be a super drinkable beer, even though the ABV is perfect for sessions. Still, I had no problem downing a pint, and I'd consider having more than one depending on context.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2009 04:37:44 | More by MasterSki

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pint at the brewpub, arrives a dark brown almost black, nice creamy head on top. Leaves sheets of lacing down the glass.

Nice balanced roast, certainly no RIS but a well malted English stout that's easy to drink at only 4.2%. Hints of cold coffee, anise, biscuit, grain husk. Thinner body but that's what you would expect. Dry, lightly hopped hop bitterness in the finish. Would gladly drink multiple pints of this one, for what it is - it's well done!

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 15:12:56 | More by ritzkiss

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint at the brewpub.

The beer arrives an extremely dark black with a creamy mocha head that's there for the duration. Great lace left in sheets on the side of the glass. Pleasing dry grain smell, as well as some roasted coffee. The grains reveal themselves in the flavour with a strong roasted barley taste. Hints of coffee and chocolate round things out perfectly and mellow a slightly bitter finish. Smooth mouthfeel with a moderate carbonation.

This is a solid entry in a style that sometimes struggles to impress, and I've marked it up as it compares very favourably to its peers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2008 15:16:58 | More by bobsy

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Castle

Tapped a deep black that defies light to pass through the glass. Great sticky mocha colored cap stays for the drink.

Aromas of French roast mocha and wet grass.

Taste is more like a rich Burton milk stout than dry Irish stout..which is good because I preffer rich stouts...cocoa, coffee, nuts light smoke against a creamy dark toffee-like malt backbone.

Rich mouthfeel, smooth, creamy without being sweet...I prefer this kind of malty stout...much like Murphy’s but better.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2007 04:48:43 | More by pootz

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Now this is a good stout.

Pours pure black with a robust rocky tan head. Lacing is expansive. Fresh roasted espresso beans and high cocoa dark chocolate explode in the aroma. The taste is equally rich with a deep roastyness and some smokey hints. Caramel and milk chocolate are noticeable in the middle. Astringent black malt flavors show in the finish. Hops are like throughout, providing some earthy flavors and a decent bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is thick and moderately carbonated.

This is a fantastic stout, it really puts mainstream stouts like Guiness and Beamish to shame. Thick and substantial stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2007 03:13:36 | More by CAMRAhardliner

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this at the Victory Cafe in Toronto.

A: Black with a creamy, off-white head; good retention, nice lace.

S: Dry roastyness & bread.

T: Bread, coffee & nut. Balanced bitterness. Pleasant, but a little plain (not surprising, considering the weight).

M: Dry, somewhat chalky but creamy; modest carbonation. Impressive for its weight.

D: Good drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2007 23:02:17 | More by Derek

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.65/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

on-tap at the new brewpub. A bit of malt aroma, tad of roast. Some sweetness, roast barley. Late kick of coffee and chocolate in mild dose. Kind of a mild Guiness, and no where near the thickness or strength of taste of the American stout I am so used to and fond of. Watery.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2006 17:57:37 | More by northyorksammy

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.29/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

From a 440 ml can, nitro-infused. So much so that I've yet to be able to open one of these without it being an explosive gusher--this stuff is under some serious pressure that wants to release as fast and with as much volume as possible. That aside what is left pours out an absolute pitch black opaque mass, impermeable to light, and crowned with a tall tight creamy beige head with excellent retention.

Burnt, roasty, somewhat sour aroma, a bit of espresso hiding beneath it all, along with some neutral sweetness.

Flavour is dry, and after that almost nondescript until it reaches a mild bittersweet finish, with a remarkably clean finish for any type of Stout.

For a nitro pour Stout the mouthfeel is on the thinner side, texture is slippery and watery for the most part, although some silky smoothness at time, while the carbonation itself is rather low.

Entry level for the style, and a little ambivalent in its own right. While the flavour is rather mild, if not completely nondescript for the most part, it is also completely inoffensive as there are no off flavours to complain about either--this is an incredibly clean tasting stout. Will make a good intro into Stouts for the macro crowd worried about "a meal in a glass" or a thick chewy dark beer, as this is neither.

Serving type: nitro-can

03-17-2013 06:38:42 | More by IronDjinn

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from nitro can into shaker.

A-opaque black with some red highlights. Big tan head with cascading nitro.

S-dark roasted malts. A bit underwhelming in the aroma department, but the requisites are there.

T-roasted malts with bitter charcoal.

M-creamy and full with smooth nitro carbonation. A slight lingering malt finish, but mostly dry.

O-a very drinkable if slightly underwhelming dry stout.

Serving type: nitro-can

02-09-2013 06:01:26 | More by Muhly

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 3

Appearance: Poured with two fingers of head that retained quite well, but did not lace. The body is opaque stout black with the barest notes of ruby red. Not a lot to really say here.

Smell: I think I'm catching the barest notes of well roasted malt, but it's very mild and warming doesn't help it's case. There's just so little going on here.

Taste: Awfully tame for a stout, roasted malt is the dominant flavour, with notes of grassy hops near the end with maybe some light coffee notes. That's it, and for a stout I expect something a bit more robust.

Mouthfeel: How on earth, with a nitro can helping out does this end up tasting watery and not creamy? It's like the carbonation is only found it the head, and is completely absent from the body.

Drinkability: This is a stout that drinks like a lager. It's so tame that I'm pounding it back, but not because it's good, but because it's got just enough flavour and it is thirst quenching. A good quality to have in some cases, but not for a stout as the malt doesn't taste well roasted and it's incredibly light bodied.

Final Thoughts: This is a Mill St brew that I looked forward to for the longest time, I tried it on tap once before this and was shocked at what it was. I thought maybe there was something wrong with the tap, but no the nitro can has not fared even remotely better. I'm not quite sure why this beer is so well spoken of.

Serving type: nitro-can

01-27-2013 01:17:35 | More by TheHammer

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I have enjoyed this on tap several times, but this is my first good chance to review
A - annoyingly the can erupted when I cracked it even though its just been sitting in the fridge undisturbed .... after cleaning up it poured like a good stout should with a pitch black colour and two fingers of creamy head
S - big on roastiness along with some coffee and mild cherry aromas
T - roasty and nutty up front, some espresso bitter flavour, and some whole grain to round it out
M - chewy, creamy smooth, lightly bitter
O - this is rock solid english stout, given the on tap choice of this or Guinness, i'm probably taking a Cobblestone

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 05:11:06 | More by joemcgrath27

ecoastman

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm pleasantly surprised by this beer since I wasn't expecting too much. Overall it's a very drinkable stout. I'll probably look to keep this in my beer fridge as an regular drinking go-to stout.

Pours opague from the nitro-can and provides a dense draft-like head. Nice aroma of toasted nuts (some burnt almond in the background), chocolate, coffee and molasses. Very nicely balanced and not extreme on any given flavour and the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.

Worth a try if you're looking for a good drinkable stout.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-31-2012 02:44:48 | More by ecoastman

pieman25

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found a tallboy of this stuff at the LCBO, apparently it's nitro, I bought it because I've been craving a nice dry stout, and it hasn't let me down!

Appearance - nice mocha head on top of a near pitch-black body when held up to the light - it had only a few hints of red at the bottom. I have to say, this is stout porn.

Smell - some burnt-toast roasty malts, some grassiness, can't complain much here either.

Taste - pretty good, plenty of roasted malt character to be found, but also had a bit of sourness near the end of it. It finishes by coating my mouth some some nice sweet maltiness.

Mouthfeel - a near absence of carbonation, with a nice medium body, it also coats your mouth a bit as well. Better than guinness, but I haven't had many other stouts, especially not in a while.

Impressions: I got this beer because I've been on a bit of a pale fizzy lager kick, and I've been REALLY wanting a good stout that isn't guinness. I have to say, this is certainly better than guinnes, with a bit more body but still light on the alcohol, and I have completely enjoyed this pint. If you're on the lookout for a nice non-heavy, no-nonsense sessionable stout, this should be it!

Serving type: nitro-can

12-21-2012 04:09:34 | More by pieman25

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours black as night after the cascading subsides. A creamy cream colored head of about two fingers adorns. Retention is epic. The aroma is slightly toasty with a roasted malt note and light sweet chocolate. Taste is roasted and toasty, some bread crusts, light bakers cocoa. The feel is excellent. It's creamy, rich, with a full feeling body. Goes down smooth and clean.

This is a great, sessionable stout and one of the best I've had from a nitro-can. I'd pound these during football games in a heartbeat!

Serving type: nitro-can

12-20-2012 00:13:25 | More by EgadBananas

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

cool , a nitro stout at just above 4% ABV in a can from Mill Street. Pours jet black with a huge creamy tan head. The nose is roasty and slightly nutty and the flavours are quite big on the initial sip but fade on the finish. Better than regular Guinness though as I like the bite in the midbody which the Irish stout lacks. Would buy this if they releases it as single tallboys in the stores.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-13-2012 02:32:53 | More by canucklehead