2X Stout - Southern Tier Brewing Company

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pitch black with a modest mocha head that laces well and sticks at about 1cm in height.

milk chocolate, day-old dark roasted coffee, maybe some slight fruitiness. kinda bland smelling.

dark roasted coffee comes first, with a bit of alcohol heat, then some lactose sugar and milk chocolate before a slight hop bitterness that gives way to a nice charred finish.

velvety body with a subtle, yet prickly carbonation and a slight syrupy finish that makes the flavors linger.

nice, easy drinking yet flavorful milk stout. would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 05:36:59 | More by silentjay

9InchNails

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not much of a head. Spotty lacing as its consumed. Very dark, opaque some ruby red at the bottom.

Caramel, coffee roasted aroma and a hint of booze.

Dark chocolate, dark fruits, coffee, alcohol a sweetness that mixes with bitterness for the end result.

Noticeable but slight carbonation, dry feeling in the mouth and it leaves the lips slightly sticky. Pretty easy to throw a few back although the abv. is up there.

Some things are lacking like the aroma and appearance. The taste is good, quite complex missing a little something, can't put my hands on it. Otherwise, not a bad brew at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 10:42:46 | More by 9InchNails

gabedivision

New York

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass.

Pours a pours a deep brownish black, with a 1 finger head that thins to a tiny white lace around the top. Sweet black licorice on the nose with bitter bitter coffee bean aroma. Toasted robust malted scents with a a sweet chocolate and toffee on the finish. Sweet chocolates, toffee, caramel and a touch of vanilla on the tongue, followed by a roasted nut and coffee bean touch that ends the sip on a bitter finish. Smooth and creamy in the mouth, medium to full bodied, bitter sweet, complex flavors all melding well together. At first sight i was weary about this beer, But wow what a taste. This has big nut and coffee elements to it that just explode in the mouth and a sweetness that only Southern Tier can do right. Im a big fan of this beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 03:56:54 | More by gabedivision

vicsju1991

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass
A - dark dark black, small white head dissapears quickly
S - chocolacte, coffee, very sweet
T - starts out with coffee, then comes chocolate, pretty good, but not overpowering
M - very smooth and drinkable, but very thin
O - very solid stout, I really enjoyed it

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 00:30:05 | More by vicsju1991

scottyg354

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A. Pour jet black. Minimal head and lacing. Head is slightly off white.

S: funky. You can smell the milkiness in this beer. Mild hop aroma.

T: hops, funk and malt. Licorice and candy sugar. Finish with slight coffe flavor.

M: crisp and smooth. Nothing special here.

O: try it out.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 01:29:24 | More by scottyg354

Morey

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle with "12/12/11" stamped towards the bottom of the bottle. 5 days old! This is a Double Milk Stout brewed with lactose sugars.

Poured black in color. You can see some brown towards the top of the beer if you hold it up to a bright enough light. Head is cream colored and stood about a finger or so tall following a medium pour. Has settled to nothing more than a ring of foam around the inside of the glass.

Pretty tame nose on this one. A little bit of sweetness and and roasted malts, but it's pretty darn clean.

Taste is smooth and creamy up front. The sweetness shows itself next, accompanied by some mild roasty notes and a subtle bitterness. The sweet flavor from the lactose lingers on in the finish.

Medium bodied (but the mouthfeel seems to fade on the back end) with a fairly low carbonation.

A good Milk Stout overall, but the sweetness is a bit much after a while.

Morey's Bottom Line: Good, but I had higher hopes for this one. Pretty tame, and just a little too sweet. I couldn't drink too many in a row.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 00:35:14 | More by Morey

plaid75

New York

4.01/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at The Lark, East Northport, NY.

Poured a deep brown hue with a two finger frothy tan head. There was wry good retention and lacing.

The smell featured charcoal, a touch of smoke and dark chocolate.

The taste consisted of dry and sweet cocoa, roasted barley, lactose and a nip of hop.

The mouthfeel was round and full.

Overall a tasty full bodied stout.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2013 00:32:12 | More by plaid75

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.94/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A- served in a big old snifter with creamy tan head and lots of swirly lace. Body is a deep chestnut brown, almost black.

S- roasted aroma is subdued until it warms significantly and I'm glad this bar was nice enough to have the oversized snifters. Roasted and chocolate, some coffee, stone and mineral with molasses and slight berry tartness. Hints of booze as well.

T- taste mirrors the aroma with less sweetness than expected and big roasted coffee flavor. Very earthy with mild hops and some leafiness. Nice dark chocolate with a hint of acidity.

MF- big bodied and sticky with light carbonation

D- pretty decent but seems kinda dry for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2013 21:44:30 | More by hustlesworth

breakingbland

Michigan

3.49/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This beer pours with a one-finger head that dissipated fairly quickly. The color is a virtually opaque brown. The aroma was not outstanding: some toasty notes but not as marked as expected. The taste did not disappoint in delivering a rich, toasty chocolate deepness. This beer has a strong malty sweet character with an underplayed hoppiness that accentuates toward the end. The characteristics of the sweetness and hopiness are characteristic of this style. But the sweetness may be overplayed. The carbonation was at a medium level, and the body was full -- almost syrupy. Overall, I would have this beer again, even though I prefer a somewhat less sweet version of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2013 01:07:36 | More by breakingbland

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Roast Public House (Madison). When I first had this in a bomber last summer, I didn't love it. It seemed light weight that time.

But now on tap I appreciate its virtues, while not feeling its drawbacks are as pronounced as from the bottle. The aroma is still not much to speak of. And the flavor isn't exactly competitive with the better imperial stouts (Southern Tier calls this a "double stout", aka, imperial). But the lively carbonation and lighter body fill a niche in the imperial stout genre: the refreshing, highly sessionable imperial stout. The flavor is an imperial coffee stout w/ no alchoholic phenols or sharpness, at all.

In the mouth it is lighter weight at first, like a porter, but then the creaminess pulls things together.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2012 04:59:15 | More by martyl1000

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pretty hard not to describe a stout other than pouring black like coffee. Has a thin layer of creamy head that's toffee colored and sticky.

S - Cocoa nibs, dark roasted chocolate, light vanilla cream, light caramel, and mocha.

T - Charcoal, dark cocoa, deep roasted chocolate, cream, with a finishing mocha bitterness that lingers along with bitter chocolate and light charcoal.

M - Medium body with a rich texture and enjoyable smoothness but a little on the thin side.

O - I've been wanting to try this one ever since it came out and have no excuses for waiting this. An straightforward and enjoyable stout that goes down quite easy.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2012 23:41:06 | More by jzeilinger

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a plain tumbler pint at Joe Pizza in Simsbury, Conn.

A: Poured a very dark brown, nearly black color with a thin, one-finger head of bubbly, off-white carbonation which left a bit of lacing and a slick of foam in the glass.

S: Highly roasted malt characteristic with a sweet, rustic bread dough scent thrown in. Hints of coffee, hot cocoa and some herbal, charred hops spice up the smell a bit.

T: Smooth, sweet and mellow roasted flavor throws oatmeal and chocolate malt sweetness at the palate first. A sweet, milky flavor takes hold, letting off some creamy, caramel and toffee flavors before washing back with a mild, roasted bittersweet cocoa nib flavor that brings it all together against a slight, spicy and boozy aftertaste.

M: Rich, bold and sweet with a little lactose left on the palate. Smooth and balanced throughout, it doesn't drink as strong as it is.

O: A pretty well-done double-milk stout from Southern Tier, ringing in at a dangerously drinkable 7.5% ABV. It's good and certainly worth a try, although you couldn't session it for several reasons. It's pleasant enough to have one or two over a meal or with dessert and I'd definitely have it up again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2012 23:05:18 | More by Gambrinus1184

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found this on tap at My Place in Newtown, CT. It's a solid black stout with a modest tan head that breaks quickly into a ring and fair horizontal lacing. The aroma is a pleasant malt coffee bean bite with some nutty nuances. Not very strong but very solid. The flavor is a no nonsense green malt and bitter coffee with a sweet pear/vegetable hint. Really nice, in a medium-plus bodied brew with very little evidence of carbonation and a silky feel. A classic milk stout that goes down easily! Yet another triumph from Southern Tier.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2012 15:36:01 | More by Durge

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from my growler into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. Pours super-dark with a majestic, fluffy, light tan head. Good retention and nice lacing. On the nose I get some light roasty notes and a little chocolate, but it's very faint.

Nice full body and excellent flavor balance. Big sweet malty notes up front are joined by bittersweet chocolate and roasty flavors. There definitely is some nice milky sweetness in there too, but not enough to overpower the bitterness. There is just enough to provide a harmony of flavor. Mouthfeel is sadly a bit on the thin side, but it doesn't detract from the experience much at all. Really a nice, well constructed milk stout.

This beer has just what you want in a sweet stout. Highly recommended for fans of the style or for those who want to explore the dark world of stouts but don't yet feel up to a big imperial stout.

Serving type: growler

08-25-2012 22:24:50 | More by deadonhisfeet

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.23/5  rDev -41.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours pitch black and completely opaque with a half finger light beige head that quickly settles into a thin, lasting ring.  Sporadic spots of lacing left behind.

Roasted malt aroma that smells slightly burnt.  I was expecting it to be sweeter smelling but its almost acrid. Lots of dark chocolate along with some roasted coffee. Some lactic cream and sweeter chcolate but the robust roastiness overpowers things.

Tastes very similar to the aroma.  Thinner than expected with lots of overly roasted burnt malt flavor.  Overpowering dark chocolate along with burnt coffee and smoke with hardly any sweetness for balance.  Very faint lactic cream presence with a touch of  lighter, sweeter chcolate but again the overly roasted dark chocolate notes overpower everything.  Lingering dry acrid finish.  Pretty disappointing coming from a brewery that usually nails dessert beers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 06:45:33 | More by corby112

Ego

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

only $19.99 for a 64oz fill @ joe canal's in woodbridge ($1 additional off for bottle club members)

eyes...
2 and a half fingers of head, almost boiling over on an average pour, cocoa foam with some large bubbles forming, the head intends to stick around for awhile. pitch black tone, no light is escaping this one, lacing is good, this is a good example of the style eyes wise

nose...
dry malt, dry hints of cocoa, slightly burnt french toast, caraway, an almost smoke blanket lies underneath tying it all together, tight and nice, like my sister... every note is in near perfect balance here, me diggy

taste etc...
carbonation bites just right crating a corridor between the initial sweetness to the chocolate bitterness and then cocoa puff sensation that leaves the mouth almost dry, a little lighter body wise than expected, maybe needs a touch of weight there to propel this to excellence, this is creamy without being uber rich, again the carbonation bites just at the right time to really separate the flavors.

verdict?
a nice sipping brew, great with dessert, probably could use this in all sorts of recipes... definitely worth checking out, one of the better milk stouts I have had (not as if they are flooding the market of course)

music : ty tabor - naomi's solar pumpkin

Serving type: growler

05-20-2012 04:54:55 | More by Ego

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap from Joe Canal's. Pours dark brown with a long lasting, thick, beige head, good amount of lacing and carbonation Aroma is of bready, toasted malt and dark fruit. Body is full and creamy. Taste is toasted malt, bread, roasted grain, dark fruit, cacao, brown sugar and some earthy hops. Long, somewhat sweet finish. Nice, complex brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2012 15:47:21 | More by mikeg67

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

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap poured into a tulip

This beer pours pitch syrupy black with a brow/tan head. The smell is light but matches the taste. This beer is quite tasty but not super flavorful. Flavors include chocolate, roasted malts and a creamy maltiness. The lactose sugar is definitely detectable and I actually quite like what it provides, I have never been big into lactose sugar. The brew is pretty syrupy but smooth. Its like having a desert in a drink. This beer doesn't stray too far from the pack but its quality speaks for itself. Good stuff

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 00:23:46 | More by TwelveOunces

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at The Cask Republic, served in an oversized snifter.

A: The black body glows a clear, deep crimson when held up to light, while the finger of frothy tan head on top quickly recedes into a coarse ring and leaves spotty lace. Not bad.

S: Molasses, spicy chocolate, dark fruits, and a touch of booze. Pretty nice.

T: Mellow and sweet, with the dark fruits leading the way and the molasses and chocolate notes following behind. Bittersweet, slightly alcoholic finish. Good, not great.

M: Substantial, velvety, and moderately carbonated with ultra-fine bubbles. Lovely.

O: Enjoyable stout, but not one I'll be seeking out again.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2012 17:54:58 | More by woosterbill

barczar

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear deep brown with amber highlights and a dense one finger cappuccino head that leaves sheets if lacing.

Aroma is dominated by coffee and roast malt, with sweet tones of chocolate, malted milk balls, and vanilla adding complexity.

Flavor is fairly sweet at the start, giving the impression of chocolate milk, then turning a bit more bitter, with a heavy dose of coffee grounds and roast malt. Vanilla is subtle, but present. Alcohol is also detectable, but not overpowering.

Body is very smooth, somewhat light, with modest carbonation, and a slightly astringent finish.

Overall, on the sweet side, as with all southern tier stouts I've tried, but the acrid roast malt and coffee flavors balance well.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2012 01:58:05 | More by barczar

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -33.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

First had: on tap at Teresa's, Wayne, PA

I find Southern Tier beers to be very hit or miss, and this one is definitely a miss. Poured a dark mostly-black color with a thin, wispy off-white head that dissipated almost completely; no real lacing to speak of. Not much on the aroma, some roasty malts, touch of cocoa. Taste was really very bland and one-dimensional, with simple dark roasted malts, and distant notes of cocoa and mild hops; tannin astringency abounds; dry finish with no flavor lingering. Thin and watery, light-bodied for the style, and really nothing here that would inspire me to order the beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 12:06:20 | More by Rifugium

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Idle Hands in New York, NY

A: Pours a very dark black with slight ruby hints in color and with a moderate sized tan head that reduces to a thin layer over the entire surface of the beer. Very light lacing is observed.

S: Roasted malts with slight hints of bittersweet chocolate. Not a very strong or bold aroma.

T: Big flavor of roasted malts with more subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate. Very nice lingering bitterness in the finish. Some complexity to the flavor but not a lot.

M: Medium to full bodied with low to moderate amounts of carbonation. Creamy with a dry finish.

O: Enjoyable but not my favorite stout offering from this brewery. Nice flavors but just not as exceptional as some of the others, enjoy the dryness in the finish of this one. Easy to drink and sessionable, just not sure I would have more than one of these myself as I prefer some other stouts more.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 14:17:25 | More by dbrauneis

BrianGaynor

4.45/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Trying on tap at Lockview in Akron, OH

Appearance: jet black in color with 2 finger light tab head. Moderate lacing.

Smell: roasted malts, alcohol, and hints of vanilla.

Taste: vanilla tones, slight alcoholic taste. Roasted malts.

Mouthfeel: not much retainment. Not very much kick for what is listed as 8.0% ABV by the restaurant.

Overall: easy to drink. I could see myself drinking a couple of these in an evening.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 18:04:22 | More by BrianGaynor

CaptainRaisin

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on draft at work. The perks of filling growlers..

Poured into a pint glass.

The look of the beer was nice. Dark, as it should be, with a nice foamy head. My only qualm being the retention may not have been up to snuff with what I had expected from such a reputable brewer.

The nose is heavy on the lactose end. No qualms with that considering the style. Slight hints of chocolate breaking through.

The taste was quite nice. Very creamy. There's a nice bit of sweet milk chocolate coming through in the end.Not picking up any bite from the booze. Imagine Chocolat's little brother.

Mouthfeel was a bit thin considering the style. Luscious, creamy, but maybe a bit too easy to suck down for a stout.

Another quality offering from a superb American craft brewer. Tough to disagree with most things Southern Tier.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2012 21:32:14 | More by CaptainRaisin