2X Stout - Southern Tier Brewing Company

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From a 12oz bottle into a snifter.
Typical pitch black with a small, clingy off white head.
Some roasted barley, lactose sugar and a little hops.
Sweet malt, some roast, lactose, burnt coffee and a slight metallic after taste. Just seems overly sweet like the other Southern Tier stouts. The flavors don't mesh well for me.
Creamy mouthfeel with adequate carbonation.
Wishing I would have tried this before buying a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 01:06:57 | More by IdrinkGas

kbutler1

Minnesota

2.83/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Bottle. Poured into a tulip glass a dark brown color with a thick light tan head. Slight roast and chocolate in the nose but nothing over the top like some of their other beers. Medium, velvety mouthfeel. Slight roast with a dark chocolate sweetness. Almost has a little smokiness to it as well. Ends with a lingering bitterness and leather taste. Overall, not as good as I expected from them.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 16:30:04 | More by kbutler1

Fadefury

Maryland

2.85/5  rDev -25%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark black color with the standard white head

S - Roasted chocolate with the hints of cappuccino

T - Chocolate is up front, but the bitterness of the high alcohol takes too much away from the sweetness and silky texture that should be there in any milk stout

M - Very thick, high carbonation for a milk stout

O - Overall, I wouldn't really consider this a "milk stout", or what I think of when I hear the name. The bitterness takes away from the silky smooth texture and taste I love about milk stouts.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 01:06:51 | More by Fadefury

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into an imperial pint glass.

A: Pours a transparent black with red highlights. Has less than 1 finger of white head that dissipates quickly and thin webbed lacing.

N: Coffee & cream along with milk chocolate and marshmallow.

T: Cola and watered down chocolate upfront. Some bitterness comes through mid-palate with cocoa nibs and a splash of black coffee. Finishes bitter with charred earth along with hints of lactose. There are some subtle hints on lemon citrus in there throughout.

M: Light-medium bodied, semi-creamy, smooth and dry.

O: This is actually kind of bitter for a cream stout. There is a good roasty quality to it along with some light tones of milk. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 22:17:10 | More by justintcoons

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Purchased a single. I like a few other of the Southern Tier darks, so wanted to give this one a try.

Poured very black color with a nice frothy head.

Smells of cocoa and sweetness.

Overall, it was cocoa, sweetness, and little body. No alcohol taste at all. Carbonation minimal and a little minor bitterness at the end. Not complex at all. Not one of my favorite Southern Tiers. Considering I enjoy milk stouts, I was just not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 21:02:50 | More by righthereisay

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Saw this for the first time recently, have always enjoyed Southern Tier for the most part.

A- Poured into a tulip with a pitch black body. Mocha tan head forms to about two fingers with low-end retention. Big bubbly cloud and ring leave a few spots of lace.

S- Dark cocoa powder, cereal grains and roasted malts up front with dark fruit in the background.

T- A bit more straightfoward here. Roast dark chocolate and cereal grains are dominant with slight dark fruit. Something going on that reminds me of oxidation but also overly roasted burnt ash, it gets distracting. Slight earthy hops.

MF- Creamy moderately thick body with a high carbonation level for a 7.5% stout. Finishes with some roast and hop bitterness.

The nose had me excited but the flavor has a kind of burnt hoppy oxidized feel that just doesn't blend out to well.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 03:51:41 | More by cbutova

JK4Stout

Virginia

3.14/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A: Not too shabby. decent head, but not enough to send me into orbit. Great color. Makes me think of easter morning, but someone melted my chocolate bunny and put it in a tulip glass.

S: Meh...expected a bit more. Almost smells unfinished or just weak. I don't claim to know much about much, but I have drank my fair share of stouts...weak scent.

T: Average. Terrapin makes a way better product here. I was really excited to try this...even left a bottle of Chimay Blue chilling, but just didn't do it for me. Just not thick enough to justify the title.

M: Again average in every sense.

O: Try it if you like, but you've been warned.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 01:27:07 | More by JK4Stout

argock

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz brown bottle into a Duvel tulip. No obvious freshness date. Purchased as a 6-pack at Market Street Wineshop (Charlottesville, VA) for $10.49.

A: Black with dark brown edges, beige-oatmeal colored 1-2 finger foamy, frothy head with good retention and lacing.

S: Strong tobacco almost ashy aroma off the bat but settles into more chocolate, lactose, and coffee tones.

T: The flavor, unfortunately, plays on more of the ashy and less of the milk chocolate and coffee notes. There is some lactose milk stout sweetness, but it is not able to overcome the tobacco, earthy, and ashy components.

M: Medium-bodied but drinks thinner.

O: Not one I will be going back to -- sweet but not much depth of flavor and the tobacco/ash really has no place in this style.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 04:00:08 | More by argock

busterthecat

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle dated 12/12/11 poured into SA perfect pint glass. Served at 50 degrees and allowed to warm a bit.

A- Pours a translucent deep garnet red hue from bottle. A small mocha head forms before quickly reducing to a light ring and island of foam.

S- Pretty light aroma overall. Sweet dark malts and chocolate upfront. Hard to pick out much else.

T- Decent blend of chocolate and sweeter roasted malts. Simple overall. A slight bitterness from the roasted malt and gives the sweetness something to play off.

M- A bit thin for a stout of this size. Should be fuller and creamier for a bigger milk stout. Roast lingers the longest on the palate.

O- A decent offering from Southern Tier. Was hoping for more having tasted several of their other stouts. Perhaps I am judging this brew to harshly.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 02:35:46 | More by busterthecat

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Southern 2X Stout, on cask at Pony Bar, Hell's Kitchen, NYC.

Appearance: Served in a 14-oz glass, this is a nice-looking brew, with a big foamy head and seriously dark looks. Great temperature- warm as it should be. Low carbonation and some lacing.

Smell: Mild roastiness, chocolate powder. Bitter in the nose but not in the mouth. Dark sugar, cheap cocoa.

Taste: Follows nose without the hop/bitter profile. Cheap coffee, alright roastiness. Dairy, barnyard funk. Dirty puddles. I'm not a fan of the hemical/artificial chocolate taste, like they just dumped Nestle powder in the keg.

Mouthfeel: Good for the style, but not stellar. Low carbonation, medium body and flavor. Could use more body and flavor and robustness.

Overall: Very drinkable, so the score goes up. Nothing spectacular but fine. Like it better in a bottle.

Serving type: cask

05-14-2012 03:05:16 | More by DoubleSimcoe

ReelBigwigFish

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into hoegaarden hex glass from bottle

A: Almost black with minimal frothy light tan head. Minimal lacing.

S: Sugary lactose sweetness, mild coffee, milk chocolate, minimal hints of sweet alcohol and grassy hops. Very sweet.

T: Sweet lactose sugar up front with a fair amount of cocoa. There is an earthy/grassy hop component battling with a smoky flavor in the finish. Good flavors separately, but I don't feel like they're blending together that well.

M: Full bodied, with a good amount of carbonation for how thick it actually is. I know that might contradict itself a bit, but really, this beer is heavier than you first think it is.

O: Not a bad offering, but really not my favorite representation of the style. I preferred terrapin moohoo and riverhorse oatmeal milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 03:02:26 | More by ReelBigwigFish

tut2528

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: pours black as night with no transparency whatsoever. Minimal head formation, but a thin film hugs the side of the glass.

S: big roasted malt, dark chocolate and coffee grounds dominate the nose. Not getting much sweetness on this one. Nothing else is coming through other than a mild alcohol burn.

T: very robust coffee notes and roasted malt completely dominate the body on this one. I pick up on a bitter dark chocolate as well. I honestly am not picking up that much milk/creaminess as I thought I would….its actually very subtle and I find myself reaching for it.

M: medium bodied, not as big as I expected. It leaves a mild touch of alcohol and roasted malt on the palate after the finish.

O: it’s a nice brew, very basic, decent drinkability but dont think it resembles this style very well. the milk is very subtle as well as the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:08:14 | More by tut2528

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Opaque black with a mocha colored head. No lace nor retention. Boo, hiss.

Dark roast coffee and char aroma. Some burn sugary something in there as well.

Bold, grainy and full o' roast malt. Surprisingly, very little lactic sweetness. Char and slightly nutty.

Pretty monotone. ST says 2 hops and 2 malts and it shows. Simpler is not always better, I'd like more depth.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 18:20:12 | More by donkeyrunner

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

i want to love this beer i want like this beer i read the reviews , man im in a slump , ita a milk stout why does it leave a boozy aftertaste in your mouth . oh but what a frist taste and going down is mighty fine dont know what else to say at 7.5 that too high , drink and enjoy it dark nothing finer then that

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 02:02:53 | More by wac9

Swim424

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A-Pours a dark brown with a small head java colored, that fell quickly, leaving a partial layer on top.

S-Weak scent, smells of a hint of mocha and thats about it.

T-Tastes a bit sweet upfront, that sort of hangs in there till the end, with maybe a hint of mocha in the middle. Also has a slight taste of alcohol mixed in on the finish.

MF-Medium body, on the thinner side of it. Leaves a sweet coating taste throughout your mouth.

O-This is pretty good. Nothing exceptional. Nice sweetness to it, lacking a bit of flavor, but nice to sip on.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 03:33:01 | More by Swim424

jmarklan

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. This is the first beer i've tried from southern tier so i'm kindof excited.

A: Pours a deep black color that lets very little light through it, a little red around the edges, nice color. Not much of a head though, quickly dissipating and virtually no lacing.

S: Slight chocolate, dark fruit, molasses? Touch of alcohol as well. Smells good, just a little weak.

T: Roasted malt throughout, chocolate up front. Dark fruit and some molasses in the middle with the roastiness rounding up the finish with some sweet, fruity alcohol as well.

M: Pretty smooth, nice feel, nice carbonation, but for a stout of above average stregnth i'd like something a bit heavier.

Overall:Not as sweet as i'd expect, not as thick as i would have liked. Not what i hoped for, but still good. I've heard really good things about this brewery so i'll keep trying their brews out.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 01:36:59 | More by jmarklan

joebeerdude

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm expecting the sweetness to come through loud and clear with a milk stout but it's not happening for me. It's got more hopiness taste than what I'd expect in a milk stout or maybe that is alcohol coming through . I'd call it a 'big' beer and I pretty much like anything in that category. I'm not picking up what I'd call a refined smell. Kind of rawness about it to my nose. Contrary to some other posts I'm not finding this to be high in smoothness. I'm getting a lingering hop / bitterness aftertaste. If this was a style that would get better with age then that is what I'd recommend to make it better. Bottled on date 12/29/2011

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 22:59:47 | More by joebeerdude

confer

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown and opaque. Not a hint of light gets through a pint glass.Almost no head at all.
Light roasted malt smell.
Good mix of the bitter roasted malts and a touch of the sweet lactose.
A good stout that is on the lighter side of stouts. I'd drink it again but like the Blackwater series much more.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 02:05:31 | More by confer

tkarsies

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Having tried many of Southern Tier over-the-top flavor beers (Creme Brulee, Chokolat), I thought it would be worth giving this a try, especially as the weather cools.

Served at cellar temp and allowed to gradually warm. In standard pint glass.

Small tan head over black. Leaves lacing throughout. Looks as I would expect.

Smell is a hint of roasted malt and hops. A bit of a disappointment.

Taste is better. Roasted malt, a bit of sweetness beside the malt. Hops are more prominent than I was expecting with a milk stout. Would have liked a bit more of the roastiness.

Mouthfeel is too thin for the style and strength. Carbonation is light.

Overall not what I was hoping for. While not bad, it is a bit lacking for style or for the expected ST strong-flavored brews. Alcohol is a bit evident in the taste and is noticeable by the end of a couple. Will finish the sixer but not sure I will be hunting this down again any time soon.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:31:58 | More by tkarsies

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Super dark brownie brown. Quick head and no residual foam after a few sips.

Dry chocolate cream with some black coffee bean. Strong roasted malt presence in the nostrils, but always with creamy undertones.

Milk chocolate and heavily roasted malts. Burnt coffee beans mix with the milky chocolate in the middle of the palate. I think the alcohol thins out this oily palated beer. Their's some warmth, but it seems to go along with teh flavor pretty well. Not a bad sipper.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 16:52:56 | More by scruffwhor

Pahn

New York

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Free pour yields a 3/4 inch frothy light tan head that dissipates quickly, leaving a tight semicircle of lacing. Pours black with brown highlights. Leaves several thin lacing arches.

Smell: Not much aroma. Some malty sweetness, maybe some vaguely Willamette-esque hops. With time, a nice sweet coffee note emerges. Remains too muted, but the character of the aroma is nice.

Taste: Sweet up front with some roasted malt, then a long roasted malt aftertaste follows the dry finish. Further sips reveal some coffee and cola flavors up front, with the malty sweetness blended with husky roasted malt staying strong. Dry, roasted malt dominated finish remains satisfying.

Repeated the phrase 'roasted malt' four times in the last paragraph--appropriately, really, since that's the main story here.

Mouthfeel: Full side of medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Great dry finish as mentioned above (keeps the beer at a 3.0). Lactose seems to only be adding sweetness; this beer could use some more body and creaminess. Bit watery. Especially disappointing for a style defined by its creamy mouthfeel.

Overall: Honestly, the dry finish, inoffensive sweetness, and prominent roasted malt flavor makes this a satisfying stout fix. It's nothing spectacular, but if someone showed up at a party with a 6pack, I'd be happy to have one.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 23:24:06 | More by Pahn

JWU

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle poured into a snifter

A- looks like coffee, with a fizzy an head that dissipates quickly. No lacing.

S- I pickup a lot of the lactose on the smell, with a mild mocha character.

T- Starts with a hit of lactose sweetness, with a bit of a coffee bitterness. There's a hop bite mid sip as well. Transitions into a mild mocha flavor before a big lactose/sugary sweetness on the finish.

M- Thin for what a double stout should be, with a medium carbonation. oddly dry and sweet at the same time on the finish.

O- I love Southern Tier, but this isn't their finest effort.
Needs more roasty-ness and a heavier dose of dark chocolate for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:38:26 | More by JWU

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Thin, almost non-existent head. Black as night in terms of color.

S - Mostly chocolate with some hints of coffee and roast.

T - I tasted more roasted malts and bitter chocolate than anything. There was some sweetness in there, but I didn't pick up on it as much as others have in previous reviews. Still a tasty stout, though. The hops are definitely present in this one, and I think their bitterness may have overpowered the sweet aspect a little.

M - Pretty smooth, for the most part. Filling as well. I think that this aspect of this beer would improve hand-over-fist in a nitro-tap.

O - When I drink a milk stout, I expect creaminess, sweet, and a lot of chocolate. This one didn't deliver quite as much on the creamy side as I would've liked. Left hand milk stout, to me, is the comparative piece for a solid milk stout, and I think this beer falls short of LHMS. Still a well-done stout though, and I highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 14:31:26 | More by RWLawman

sommersb

Tennessee

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 03-20-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Tulip pint
Purchased: Single from Frugal MacDoogal, Nashville

A: Black and opaque color, with a finger's worth of tan head. Retention of the head is fair and lacing is good.

S: Aromas have chocolate malts and a light coffee-like roasted smell. Some earthy hops as well.

T: Tastes of bittersweet chocolate and roasted coffee grains. Also has some woody/earthy hop bitterness. It's not as sweet as other milk stouts, which kind of surprises me since everyone says how sweet ST beers are. Has some alcohol warmth.

M: Carbonation is on the low end and the body is medium. I don't get the creaminess you'd expect from a milk stout. Finishes dry and has chocolate aftertastes as well as bitterness of toasted grain.

O: Overall a good beer, but seems to miss the marks of a sweet/milk stout. Seems closer to an American stout or perhaps an RIS to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 04:24:28 | More by sommersb

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.49/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 2/20/13

Appearance: Dark, dark brown - clarity around the edges - tiny, borderline nonexistent head - manages to leave some spots of lacing, though

Smell: Roasty sugar - caramel, sugar, and lactose sugar - roasty coffee (with cream) - dark chocolate and milk chocolate - typical Southern Tier level of sweetness, but it seems to work here - some lightly burnt, chocolate malts

Taste: Somewhat like a milky mocha - roasty coffee, with some light roasty bitterness - sweet, with caramel, sugar, and lactose sugar - somewhat creamy (the lactose) - some dark chocolate, but mostly milk chocolate - some dark fruit as well

Mouthfeel: Medium body, minimal carbonation, smooth, sweet finish

Overall: Very good, could use a better name

This is a good milk stout. Nothing about it screams "2X" in any way, but I guess I felt the same way about Southern Tier 2XIPA. It's sweet, which should be expected, and the 12oz format works for this reason. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 05:22:22 | More by angrybabboon