AleSmith Speedway Stout - AleSmith Brewing Company

BierStein711

Illinois

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

Bottle poured into weizen

Appearance: Jet black with beige head, four fingers. Excellent head retention, wonderful lacing

Smell: coffee, alcohol,

Tastes: herbs, coffee, cola, hop, and chocolate

Mouthfeel: Thick

Overall: Outstanding beer, well worth having in your fridge. Pairs great with savory foods, by the way!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 04:40:54 | More by BierStein711

dar482

New York

4.44/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

It comes deep black with a nice big tan head.

The aroma is lovely with sweet chocolate and roasted malt. There's some alcohol and coffee.

In the taste, it has a bittersweet chocolate flavor and the booziness is surprisingly delicious. It is quite apparent though. There also is a big hop bite in this beer, unlike some other beers in the style.

I prefer the hoppiness compared to a Great Divide Yeti. The smoothness is very important in making this beer complete. One of the better or best Imperial Stouts out there.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2013 06:21:17 | More by dar482

SteveTheDog

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I am admittedly more a fan of dark beers and had the fortune to be introduced to this one by a friend who cellars stouts (it was also upsold to me as being amazing before I ever tasted it so that's my only bias).

While pouring it, I felt like I was in that syrup-chugging scene from Super Troopers - I don't really know how to explain it more. It was so dark it was like looking into Ray Liotta's soul. The aroma oozed out of the snifter - chocolate, dark roast coffee, caramel, maybe a little vanilla. In contrast to my opening remark, the mouthfeel was not that of syrup or caramel but I'd more liken it to a dark chocolate covered espresso bean. This is just a fantastic beer. I saved this one for a night when I could just chill out and enjoy a sunset and a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 04:01:37 | More by SteveTheDog

utopiajane

New York

4.21/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours black as night with the viscosity of motor oil. Mocha colored head of thick foam that dwindles to a small island of bubbles and a thin film. Laces like a champ. Nose is chocolate, roasted coffee, dark roasted malts and a touch of cherry. A little alcohol on the nose but it is 12% after all. Malt goes doughy and deep as it warms and there is bread in this. Taste is huge alright. Greets you with espresso and plenty of roasted coffee flavors, then smooth doughy malt mid palate with some faint floral from the hops, unsweetened cocoa and the dark fruit, then a hint of the molasses aspect of the malt and a grainy feeling on the tongue. It finishes dry and toasted with the chocolate coming in again only sweet this time and with a delectable oily hop bitter. Mouthfeel is thick and sticky with good carbonation. Some alcohol on the palate. It’s the coffee that makes this one stand out and it’s done to perfection. This is truly an impeccable stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 12:00:30 | More by utopiajane

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pitch black with a thick caramel colored, creamy, sticky head, and sticks to the glass.

S - Coffee, vanilla, cream, dark roasted malt, alcohol, and some roasted toffee.

T - Flavor is even from start to finish with coffee, dark roasted malt, toffee, black anise, alcohol, and dark roasted chocolate. The alcohol warms the back of the throat on the way down and the dark roasted malt and coffee hang on for a lingering, dark chocolate bitter finish.

M - Full body and thick, sticky on the lips; coats the mouth with dark chocolate, light coffee, and some dark fruit.

O - Roasty, warm, and solid. If I would have any complaints it would be the significant alcohol presence in the flavor and mouthfeel and would rather have that intensity as a product of barrel aging.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 00:15:35 | More by jzeilinger

Vixie

Illinois

4.49/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours pitch black with a bit of a dark tan head that quickly reduces to some nice lacing.

Big smell from this one, could smell it as soon as the seal on the cap was broken. There's coffee, chocolate, toffee, roasted malt, and brown sugar.

Starts out with a big taste of coffee, and strong coffee at that. There is chocolate, caramel, and roasted malt. Also reminds me a bit of a rich chocolate cake in liquid form. The alcohol is well hidden, just perceiving it as a warming at the finish.

Smooth and solid, one of the smoother beers going down I have tried.

This is a big beer, and one I describe as amazing, as each sip brings out different layers of flavor. It is also very drinkable for how big it is and how potent it is. I'd say this one very much lives up to it's reputation, well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 22:11:39 | More by Vixie

jordanmiller

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

My first indepth review. Since turning 21, I've been trying many beers of many different varieties.

Appearance: Well, there is no way in hell that anyone who is into beer can't tell this is a stout. With a slightly vigorous pour, it gave off a good two finger, lightly chocolately malted head. I found the appareance very appropriate for a stout of this magnitude (from what I've heard before tasting)

Smell: Instantly, you know you're in for something big. Something pretty complex. The aroma is quite beautiful, but I almost want to give the word "dangerous" to it as well, because it smells almost gorgeously, but with a harsh note of darkness that I can't quite attribute to it.

Taste: Pretty much what I gathered from the nose. It comes in with a very dark, but very inviting taste, it almost clings to your tongue as it wants your whole pallette to just absorb all of the intricate flavors. In the very finish, I honestly just feel a great coffee stout.

Overall: This is a beer to sip lightly on throughout the night. Those harsh hints of chocolate and coffee are fantastic on the tongue, but if you try to take too much of it, you're going to miss what this beer is about. Grab it for a nice evening that you can afford sipping on a larger bottle for over a period of time, or save this for a sharing with friends. Amazing beer,

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 07:30:50 | More by jordanmiller

Slackerville

California

4.04/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Speedway Stout has been around for a while and is one of the easier 10+% ABV stouts to find in So Cal. As long as you are in the right mood this is one of the better Imperial Stouts you will find. AleSmith has a history of making very strong flavorful beers and this is no exception.

Pitch black in color with amazing aromas of coffee and mollasses. A thick mouthfeel as is appropriate for the style but not too chewy. Certainly sneaky on the alcohol front since the array of chocolate and other dark malts and slight residual sweetness balance the beer nicely. A good beer to enjoy in small glasses, great as a substitute for dessert or a nightcap.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 16:31:12 | More by Slackerville

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

a deep brown/black with 3 fingers of fluffy tan head which dissipated slowly leaving behind a ton of great lacing. smells of chocolate, coffee, raisinets, vanilla, cedar, licorice. the flavor is mostly chocolate and coffee with a nice roasted grain bitterness. there is a harsh boozy feel up front but that mellows out as the drink warms up. molasses, caramel, nutty, bitter roastyness lingers.
full body with a silky smooth mouthfeel, low carbonation. a really nice all around imperial stout. definitely lives up to the recent hype (even though this beer seems to have been around forever!).. definitely worth trying at least once (and i'd suggest picking up an extra bottle to age)

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:49:02 | More by facundoCNB

NODAK

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Aroma here is very very strong. At first, lots of bittersweet chocolate and roasted notes just jumped out. As it opened, a layer underneath of sweetness and dark fruit became noticeable. A note of licorice as well. Booze.

Initially, this one smacks the mouth with big bitter chocolate and coffee. There's no mistaking that. However, then you get the big sweetness coming through which is characterized by mostly chocolate notes interspersed with licorice. The dark fruits that some others have noted just doesn't seem to come out for me. For an ABV of 12 percent, I'm impressed there's really no burn here. Goes down pretty well.

This is an aggressive chocolate/coffee stout here. Thick, rich, and will kick your ass in a hurry.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 00:30:36 | More by NODAK

bpasquini

California

4.83/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: Black, with small brown had, leaves nice lacing around the glass

S: Coffee is strong upfront and finishes with some sweet malts, also a little boozy smell, but I feel this complements the overall smell

T: Coffee upfront, then a little bit of sweet malts to balance it out, chocolate and very light fruit flavor with a hint booze on the finish, exceptional flavor and balance

M: It is a little thick but not as thick as I was expecting, very good carbonation level, a hint oily too

O: Exceptional stout, definitely recommend picking this up, little pricey for the bottle but I find it worth every penny, if your getting into stouts this is definitely one to grab

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 05:59:42 | More by bpasquini

ajramirez1

Washington

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

Had Speedway stout on tap several weeke back then decided to try it out of the bottle at $10.99 a pop. Stout poured in a snifter. Solid abv of 12, and kept its stout taste and not like a barleywine. Initially cold its a decent stout gets better with warmth.

Stout is solid. U get what u pay for. Dont think its overhyped but could be alil cheaper for a 25.4 oz bottle.

Very good Stout and worth top50 BA Rating.

A-

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 03:59:02 | More by ajramirez1

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle into a red solo cup on the golf links.

Appearance- Thick, viscous motor oil with a substantially bubbly head. Looks like a fresh poured double espresso with brown bubbles.

Smell- Roasty espresso malty notes, a hint of boozy kahlua vibes. Awakens the senses with its robust richness.

Taste- Big coffee attack, followed by a very strong dark chocolate swell. A dark fruity raisin and brown bread note precedes a slightly boozy finish. Roasty charred chocolate and coffee notes remain on the palate.

Mouthfeel- Thick and creamy, like a heavy cafe au lait. Thickens up your saliva and gives you brown spits.

Overall- Possibly the best "breakfast" beer out there. I drank this one at 9 AM, and found it quite enjoyable. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I love coffee stouts, so it isn't uncommon for me to get into a stout like this in the morning on weekends. The perfect storm of coffee, chocolate, creamy texture, and well-hidden alcohol make this a great stout all around- no matter what time of day! This would be an excellent beer to pair with a creamy dessert.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 19:43:14 | More by SaisonRichBiere

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a unbranded snifter/short-stemmed tulip

The pour resembles dirty motor oil; the very darkest brown to black capped with a light beige one and half finger head. Big roasty malt, charred grain, bitter bakers chocolate, dark roast coffee accents, and plenty of alcohol on the nose. Dark chocolate, roasted husky grain, roasted malt, and hints of molasses and caramel. Finishes with robust roasty bitterness emphasized by espresso and clean warming alcohol. Big full body that seems a bit lighter due the abundant carbonation. Smooth with a creamy finish. A brew with complexity as well as excellent balance. This big, brooding stout more than lives up to its reputation and hits on all cylinders

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:57:53 | More by chanokokoro

ksimons

New York

4.89/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-almost black in color with two fingers worth of thick tan head, looks like a milkshake

S-big roasted malt smell with espresso and dark chocolate, also getting a bit of molasses

T-the taste on this one did not disappoint! Big rich roasted malt flavor with espresso and dark chocolate with a bit of molasses and you are left with a nice alcohol warming

M-amazing full body, light to medium carbonation, dry roasted flavor left over

Overall amazing, amazing beer. The richest, fullest body I have ever had. All the flavors blend together perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 21:44:10 | More by ksimons

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Black body, deep brown head that has some retention and lace.

Coffee-forward stout. Rich, thick, roasted, creamed coffee. Dark chocolate, baker's chocolate comes through in the finish with not much bitterness. Full, very smooth, rich, creamy mouthfeel. Not terribly complex, but sure is delicious. Well done coffee flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 19:38:03 | More by garuda

DubbelTrubbel

Iowa

4.01/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into Chimay chalice. Bought off the shelf and in the cellar about two months.

A- Black with an ultra-creamy tan head. Looked like a well-made latte, complete with swirls.

S- The most exceptional component of this for a stout is the nice fruitiness. This combines with milk chocolate and a little coffee. Very malty

T- Roast, bitter, dark chocolate, dark coffee. Fairly crisp

M- Not very thick for the style and abv, but very smooth and pleasant.

O- A very solid imperial stout. It didn't quite "wow" me, but it is a good take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 04:08:34 | More by DubbelTrubbel

CharlatanSin

Connecticut

4.61/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Had a couple of times before, just getting around to reviewing now. Poured from a bottle into a tulip.

A- Pours black with a nice tan head, which lingers. A little lacing.

S- Delicious dark chocolate and coffee. Dark fruit as it warms, with a little alcohol. Definite coffee liqueur character.

T/M- Coffee is the main flavor. Very roasty. Dark chocolate, dark fruit. A little bit of wine-like sweet booziness, but with no burn. That dark fruit is more pronounced as it warms. All of these flavors are powerful and delicious. Definitely let this one warm up, folks. One of the most flavorful non-BA stouts I've enjoyed. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy with low carbonation.

O- Outstanding. Go get some.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 01:45:44 | More by CharlatanSin

johnnydicfore

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

First review... Here it's goes

Poured in to a pint glass

A: pours thick, pitch black, one finger head

S: roasted coffee beans hit the nose first, followed by dark chocolate, and roasted malts

T: bitter dark chocolate up front fades to coffee/espresso and finishes with the malt and a hint of alcohol at the end

M: thick, creamy, heavy, very smooth, warm alcohol feel as you swallow

O: very enjoyable and balanced. gets better as it warms up, that's when the complexities shine.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 00:28:55 | More by johnnydicfore

EigenBeer

Florida

4.35/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A- Black with two finger tan head and very sticky lacing.

S- Sweet and Roasty with a lot of chocolate malt.

T- Sweet and Roasty with a bit of heat and a coffee after taste.

M-Thick and oil like.

O- Good beer similar taste/mouth of ST Imperial Series.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:20:54 | More by EigenBeer

Brabander

Netherlands

3.81/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I got this beer at the Zeebra Extreme Beerfestival in Holland on may 4th 2013. Zeebra was held for the first time with lots of very very very great beers like this one. As a matter of fact the BA version of this beer was also there....

This one was poured in a Zeebra glass, a small tasting glass. I did not really know what to expect from this beer but the expectation were higher than the taste i got.

No head and no carbonation. Just a normal Imperial stout where i made the remark that this is good one for the beginners in this style. Not bad but i have had way better ones....

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 17:48:20 | More by Brabander

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.19/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle. There are 19 different versions of this beer, by dint of wood, fruit, and spice? Fuuuck. Anyways, thanks be to doktorzee for 'importing' this for me from SoCal a little ways back.

This beer pours a typically opaque black, with the same subtle, understated basal dark cola highlights, and three ebullient fingers of puffy, bubbly, thickly foamy milk chocolate head, which leaves rather prominent Tim Burton-inspired honeycombed lace around the glass as it evenly subsides.

It smells of a soft milk chocolate sweetness, further dense mountain holiday fudge, thin, somewhat plain morning office coffee, middling dark roasted salted caramel malt, a hint of wayward smoke, fleshy, watery orchard fruit, mild anise spice, and a bursting at the seams booziness. The taste is weirdly acerbic cocoa powder, well toasted Americano coffee, all with a certain lack of smoke or wood - things so prevalent elsewhere in the realm, instead bolstered by a restrained lactic quality, some softly oily nutty notes, more earthy licorice, and an amusing tussle amongst the sassy hops and alcohol for the title of 'innocuous in the least obvious way'.

The carbonation is quite on the low and unobtrusive side, the body heavy with a niggly medium twinge, and crazily smooth and creamy, with a sense of god-like pandering. It finishes off-dry, in the most pithy way, as the chocolate, coffee, and regrouped black fruit hold great sway, in the face of a swelling alcohol and hop (why are they so easily coupled here?) edginess.

A solid example of things possible with a stout when the American sensibility takes a firm hold - duly tasty additives without overt responsibility. An offering more or less worthy of its heady reputation, especially its ability to rein in the 12% ABV elephant in the room.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 04:36:58 | More by biboergosum

jpro

South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

750mL bomber picked up at Mikkeller & Friends in Copenhagen. Poured into a snifter...

A: Pours black and dense, with about one finger of mocha head; leaves some nice strands of lace for a 12% beer.

S: Dark chocolate; cocoa; some roasted malt; very big, rich aroma.

T: All of the chocolate and cocoa evident in the aroma + coffee; kind of like an imperial Founders Breakfast Stout; coffee on the end is very nice; virtually no indication of the abv (12%).

M: Huge... Thick, heavy, full mouthfeel; lower carbonation; viscous; wow.

O: A big, chocolate/roasty/coffee imperial stout; a sipper at 12% but delicious and decadent.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 00:28:28 | More by jpro

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into tulip 23/4/13 cheers Rutager for the long time want

A black liquid with a dark cola edge a fingernail deep, plenty of bubbles floating up the side of the glass and they keep a two finger mocha foam going for quite a while leaving a couple partial rings followed by random patches

S all sorts of chocolate on the nose, coco, fudge, bakers chocolate and syrup, coffees hard to miss and the roast is dark, there's a little booze, smoke and charred wood but its faint, just a little over ripe plum and licorice with a slight nutty aspect, smell very rich and sexy

T the coffee I'm smelling more like burnt espresso in the mouth, much more dark roast with lots of char but not smokey, faint booze but I'd be guessing 8% not 12% so its quite well concealed, I like it but I loved the nose with more chocolate and less ultra intense roast the mouths offering

M thick and silky with just the right amount of carbonation, a little heat but less then one would expect from a beer this strong, very strong espresso and char on the finish lingers for ages and its just a little sticky on the lips

O big on coffee and chocolate and a very intense dark roast make for an intimidating brew, well concealed booze and I 'll be tasting this one tomorrow at this rate, pretty solid brew if your a coffee lover like me

No bottling date info that I can see but I'd be surprised if this ones fresh as they hide 12% pretty well, enough booze to close one eye and enough coffee to have the other wide open.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:24:51 | More by wordemupg

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.81/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Aged two years--Poured into a Two roads tulip

Appearance: black in color, opaque, 1/2 inch head, moderate carbonation

Smell: coffee, rich chocolate, cream, and alcohol

Taste: tastes starts with rich dark and sweet chocolate and quickly changes to black coffee and espresso, light creaminess at the end before a bitter coffee finish

Mouthfeel: roasty bitter with slight sweetness, heavy body, low carbonation

Overall: A big big beer. This one is coffee and alcohol on overdrive. Nice and smooth and it mellows as it gets warmer. I found the alcohol to be a bit overpowering at times. Quality beer, but I do tend to prefer other coffee stouts and beers by Ale Smith more.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 14:04:47 | More by tigg924