Alaskan Stout - Alaskan Brewing Co.

MikeAAL

Wisconsin

3.76/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Black body, thick tan head. No lacing.

Smells like roasted malts and burnt coffee.

Bitter taste. A lot of burnt coffee and malts flavors. Also, a hint of caramel.

Medium mouthfeel, light carbonation.

Overall, it's a pretty decent beer. A little too bitter for me though. I might buy this again. There's definately better options out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 21:35:35 | More by MikeAAL

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured a thick two fingers of tan head on a black body.
The aroma is great: roasted malt and chocolate.
The taste follows suit but with a mild bitter bite at the end.
The texture is smooth and soft with moderate carbonation.
It hits all the notes for the style with an added extra bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 04:49:12 | More by Fatehunter

chilidog

Ohio

4.01/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I picked this one up in Wisconsin, so glad I did.

It pours, black, no light aloud. Tan head that settles to skim and lace.

Aroma of chared dark wood and malts.

Taste is all malt with chocolate, oat, smoke, peat and earth. Slight hop and slight alcohol carry at finish.

The plus it the oat mild mouthfeel. The brew is soft and smooth.

Overall a great stout. I dont bring in a lot of oatmeal stouts, I'm glad I did this one , a personal favorite now.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:40:07 | More by chilidog

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours out mostly black with a 3/4" tan head that has very good retention and good lacing. Pretty. Aroma is like many oatmeal stouts: Smooth, without giving away much in terms of bitter roasting to the nose.

Taste, chewy, smooth, well done. Nothing exciting, but just what it should be, a little chocolate malt, smooth oat silkiness, respectable amounts of two row to provide some heft in the mouthfeel. Dry, not sweet. Hops exist, but are not overstated.

A great selection for someone who wants a no frills, low bitterness stout. Which I often do. Its all oats and grains for the most part. Well rounded. The quality of this beer, paired with its cost, should be a crowd pleaser, to experienced stout drinkers and those going there for the first time.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:00:54 | More by Beerandraiderfan

RJLarse

Washington

3.71/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I bought a six-pack of Alaskan Stout at a local Walmart, oddly enough. Poured into a pint glass.

Pours an black walnut color, opaque, with a modest bubbly tan head.

Smell is a roasted grain and coffee aroma with just a hint of bourbon scent.

Taste is a bitter charcoal flavor up front, with dark cocoa flavor on the finish.

Mouthfeel is good, perhaps a bit thin for the style, but a nice non-cloying brew.

Overall a good stout, especially at Walmart prices. I'll probably have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:15:50 | More by RJLarse

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pitch black with not much of head at any point in the pour or finish to speak of, granted the bottle has travelled a wee bit
S - milk chocolate and a sourish milk odour, some prominent coffee and grains follow
T - starts with bright cola flavour and quickly turns to a definite warm roasty oatmeal stoutness that finally gives this brew some legs
M - definitely trying to be on the thicker side yet still a bit watery in execution, not bad but more like a porter in feel
O - i'm drunk but its tasty and worthy of another, and what more can you ask of a beer really?

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 07:23:51 | More by joemcgrath27

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes... A random single that I procured on a recent trip to the States.

A - Pours pitch black, thumb of head with decent retention and no real lacing.

S - Sweet cocoa with musty malt notes, hints of grassy hops, oatmeal and espresso on the finish.

T - Nice toasted malts, burnt toast, sweet milk chocolate with musty cocoa undertones, maraschino cherries and malted milk on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and dry on the finish.

O - Yummy oatmeal stout, solid flavour profile, deliciously simple.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 00:58:05 | More by andrenaline

budgood1

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours out an opaque black colour. some crimson edges. thin tan head. wispy lace. cocoa and nougat aroma with some yeasty notes. flavour profile is typical of the style...soft dark malts....some bitterness from the blackened malts...oatmeal provides a gentleness all around making for a balance of the chickory and anise notes. hopping light and appropriate for the style. no alcohol detected. a quintessential taste profile for an oatmeal stout. medium bodied with an easy going mouthfeel made soft and supple from the oatmeal. very nice drinkability.

overall a rock solid if a bit unspectacular oatmeal stout. there is nothing to comment on to detract from the quality of this stout. a solid drinker and sessionable to boot. recommended for sampling.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:30:14 | More by budgood1

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Near-black with ruby highlights. Couple of fingers mocha head. Nice chunky lacings to the finish.

It's been awhile since I've had a well-flavoured stout and I really appreciate the big roasted malt aroma this is giving off. I'd say it tends towards dark coffee, slightly sharp and astringent.

Some sweetness up front, gradually develops to a more bitter coffee flavour. Nice hopping comes across in the finish, making it quite moreish.

Very smooth, but super-drinkable. Just the right amount of creaminess.

A really tasty oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 00:58:12 | More by CanuckRover

TheSixthRing

California

3.03/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance - Pours opaque black with a tan, finger width head. Average retention. Lace is spotty with nominal stick.

Smell - Clean. Light notes of roasted malt and oat, but something I might expect out of a brown... and a very one-dimensional brown at that.

Taste - Light coffee and chocolate notes, with a bit of earthy oat character popping through midtaste. Finishes with a decent oat and chocolate mix.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Not much in the way of carbonation. Way too thin for a beer of this style.

Overall - This is a very middle of the road stout. Nothing terrible, but there's absolutely NOTHING to grab your attention and say "hey, that's interesting". For that, I detest it. Very plain Jane and boring.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 04:51:02 | More by TheSixthRing

denver10

Colorado

2.73/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours dark brown with a slight mocha head, that disapears before you can even put the glass down. This is a tale of two beers: Cold vs Warm. Cold everything about the aroma and flavor is non-distinct, bland, and one dimensional. At its best you get a hint of some roasted barley and some cherry syrup. Bleh. It stays this way for a while as it warms. Once it reaches a set temperature it seems to then come alive. Roasted barley and dark fruits come out to play and start to show themselves. There is maybe a tease of some chocolate alongside some alcohol hiding behind everything. Not a huge fan of the balance - I prefer more chocolate and coffee in my oatmeal stouts, much less to none dark fruits - but still so much better than it was when it first came out of that fridge. Mouthfeel is on the medium range of things with a nice silky texture, courtesy of the oats. Feels like its a touch watery in feel but just a touch. Overall, this one did not live up to my hopes for it. I was really looking forward to this when I found it in my store, actually hoped it could become a standby beer for me this winter (as I LOVE oatmeal stouts and am in the hunt for a new, solid sixer of the style) but, alas, it is not to be. Simply another one to put on the list of trieds.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 02:21:10 | More by denver10

ChimRichels

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Fizzy tan head fizzles away atop a black body with a semblance of mahogany appearing around the edges. Head dissipates to a thin film pretty quickly.

S - Smells delicious. Chocolate is prominent as is the typical grainy/bready aroma that comes with oatmeal stouts. Maybe some dark fruits, but chocolate is the prominent aroma by far.

T - Very chocolate heavy, with some bready undertones. Not a very complex beer, but tasty nonetheless.

M - Mouthfeel is solid, however a little thin and watery. About what you would expect from a stout under 6% I suppose.

O - Pretty solid beer by alaskan, but it's pretty evident that this is a beer made to appease their large nationwide market rather than to create a monumental beast of a beer. Not that there is anything wrong with that, obviously. A solid session stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 02:10:46 | More by ChimRichels

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to my inlaws for picking this up on their Alaskan trip.

A: Black with a tan head, thin ring of retention only shows a bit of leg.

S: Subtle aroma of brown sugar, coffee and roasted nuts.

T: The oats cut the roasted acidity leaving a light coffee note, plenty of molasses and cola-like dark caramel flavours with a solid bitterness to back it up. Hints of grainy biscuit and roasted nut round out the flavour.

M: Well-attenuated, moderate body has an off-dry finish.

O: It's not stellar, but it's a really nice drinking brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 03:13:48 | More by Derek

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from 2/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark red brown appearing black. Small tan head and light lacing. Sweet and smoked malt, grain aroma. A very underpowered stout. Flavor has light roasted malt, faint chocolate and dark fruit, finishing bland. Tastes like an average stout watered down considerably. No part of the taste stood out as something to look forward to. Light to medium bodied. A rare Alaskan miss.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 19:16:46 | More by LiquidAmber

rlee1390

Indiana

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Black with a two finger almost tan head

S-Roasted malt, oats with chocolate and coffee sneaking in as well.

T-Sweet with the roasted malt and oats dominating. Like the nose the chocolate and coffee are there but not upfront.

M-Lighter for a stout and a tad on the watery side.

O-A decent stout but a tad watery for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 16:55:18 | More by rlee1390

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Black with ruby highlights and a thin tan head.

S - Roasted malt, dark grain bread, oatmeal, slightly lactic or milk stout like, light hints of chocolate and coffee.

T - Sweet milk chocolate, lactose, oats,hints of roasted malts and coffee.

M - Fairly light body, smooth and creamy.

D - Tastes like a blend of milk and oatmeal stout. Light and very easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 00:17:15 | More by brewcrew76

Wetpaperbag

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I haven't been able to find this in my neck of Washington. But I'm from Alaska and was recently visiting some family in Alaska and this was on the tap list. I haven't ever had it and thought I would give it a try. I had this on two occasions both single glass and in a pitcher.

A- Very black, thicker pour and a very thick dark tan head. So far things look great.

S- Great stout smell, roasted grains, dark malts, and full flavors of what you would find in an imperial stout.

T- This tastes great! Super drinkable, you have a very full body with no bitter aftertaste that some stouts bring to the party. This is very tasty and I can't remember all the specifics but this has a nice malt to bitter sweetness. The full body is a nice thing to see over all the other thin almost porter like stout wannabees out there. This is a solid beer all around, I wish I could find this on tap at my local place. I'm going to start requesting this and hopes that people start to carry it.

M- Great full body feel like a stout should be. Almost as thick and chewy as an imperial stout.

O- This is great, probably my new favorite stout for sure. In my week long trip I think I had at least three or four pitchers of the stuff. It was super smooth and easy to drink, too easy to drink. Great brew for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2012 08:11:15 | More by Wetpaperbag

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark blackish brown with a light hint of ruby red on the bottom. Lots of bubbles and a solid three fingers of light tan head with good retention. Good amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Sweet dark roasted malts with hints of chocolate, oats, coffee, nuts, and caramel. Also some sugar and some subtle hints of dark fruits in the background. The oatmeal stands out nicely. Pretty solid smell.

Taste: A nice taste of roasted caramel malts with some good notes of chocolate, oatmeal, nuts, and coffee. A little bit of molasses and some light hints of dark fruits. Also a light presence of earthy hops that add some good balance.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Very creamy, slick, and lightly syrupy. Very smooth.

Overall: A very solid oatmeal stout. Nice complexity and the oatmeal flavor is pretty strong.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 04:42:25 | More by MattyG85

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

$1.99 for a 12oz bottle from Three Cellars in Franklin, WI.

A: near opaque, black with deep reddish hues, poured with a darker tan head that dissipated to spotty covering
S: mild nose, some deep roasted malt evident
T: medium body, some burnt malt up front with balanced hop finish, not bad but lacked depth and character, not chewy like an oatmeal stout should be
M: ok, lacked character, thinner mouthfeel

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 01:09:17 | More by wisrarebeer

GordonofSeattle

Washington

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: While there was little head the color was a rich and smooth roasted black.

S: very little smell

Taste: Creamy, smooth, tasty, not particularly exciting but in a refreshing way. A beer that I could easily see drinking with a meal.

M: Smooth, clear, creamy, good. The way an oatmeal stout should feel

Overall: While it won't knock your socks off this is a solid oatmeal stout and definitely worth picking up a very economical six pack.

Favorite beers (for comparison, after all taste preferences are subjective): Elysian's Daedalus Irish Stout, Rogue's Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Allagash's White Ale, New Belgium's 1554, Full Sail's Wassail, etc. Beers I don't like: IPAs (with few exceptions)

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 04:52:27 | More by GordonofSeattle

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque brown-black with a small tan head that dissipates quickly leaving no trace or lacing. Smell is roasted malt, lightly chocolate and nuttiness/oats. Taste is sharp at first with piercing carbonation then settles down over the palate with vanilla, molasses, chocolates, oats, and roasty elements. Mouthfeel is a bit too light, body doesn't hold together as well as I'd hope, and carbonation seems prickly. Finish is dryish. Overall there are some very good elements in this beer, but it's not tied together well.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 04:21:23 | More by JackieTH

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from session notes.

A. Opaque black like every other good stout, single finger of tan head that has mediocre retention and lacing levels.

S. Roasted malt and black coffee, some faint dark fruits appear when allowed to warm up towards room temperature.

T. Dark chocolate, some mineral-like qualities, caramel, diluted black coffee and more oddball dark fruit flourishes in the finish. I would have preferred it slightly drier for my tastes.

M. Heavier side of medium bodied, smooth texture, perhaps slightly undercarbonated.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 21:14:37 | More by WastingFreetime

bsp77

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Near black with thin tand head and very little lacing.

Smell: Pretty sweet aroma with milk chocolate, dark fruit, caramel and oats.

Taste: Similar to the aroma with milk chocolate, caramel and a rather odd fruitiness. The finish has a tinge of hops, almost with some light citrus, but there is also some off-flavor aspirin chalkiness at the end.

Feel: Great creamy full mouthfeel with just the right amount of carbonation. Would be perfect if not for the off finish.

Overall: Almost a great Oatmeal Stout, but the strong fruit flavor and chalky finish knock this down a notch or two.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 23:29:36 | More by bsp77

AmberMan22

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle, poured into a schooner glass.

Pours a supremely dark brown, with the faintest of garnet highlights. A mocha colored head briefly adorns the brew, before settling quickly in typical fashion given the style. Not a whole lot of lace, but a ring of microscopic, almond-colored bubbles circle the top of the beer. When agitated, it reappears with little effort.

The smell threw me at first, because it was so strong. I initially interpreted it as all oatmeal, but there is more complexity to it than that. A hint of maple, nuttiness, along with sweet roasted malt, and a tinge of molasses. Definitely a winner as far as Oatmeal stouts go, which are general light on the oatmeal, and don't have nearly the complexity that this beer does.

Chocolate roasty malt, prominent oatmea,l -- which too many oatmeal stouts seem to skimp on, IMO -- a slight nutiness that complements and augments the oatmeal flavor, and even a slight amount of alcohol creeps in as the beer warms.

I am very impressed with this beer. I initially found the carbonation a bit sharp, but that was when the beer was admittedly too cold for my preference. It feels fairly thick, maybe a little too much for my tastes, but I personally found this beer to be excellent.

Absolutely worth a try, as seem to be most of Alaskan's darker colored offerings. I found the black IPA considerably better than the standard IPA, and the smoked porter was a thing of beauty. Can't wait to try the barleywine some time. Bottom line: if you're a dark beer lover, do not overlook Alaskan. I may have to buy some Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout just to make sure I haven't gone crazy.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 23:59:16 | More by AmberMan22

rawfish

California

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a pitch black body leaving some dark brown highlights on the edges. Short cap of hot chocolate foam that settles to a tight cap quickly. Nearly no lace, just a few spots here and there.

Quite limited when cold but starts to set off some dark sweet fruit and chocolate aroma as it warms. Raisins, dark cocoa, some lactic acidity over some cereal grains.

Mild roasted coffee with dark sweet cocoa. Over all very light and thin with some complex dark fruit notes of fig, raisins and a lactic acid kiss on the finish. Very pleasant.

Low carbonation, lighter body with the velvet smooth texture from the oats makes this a very enjoyable beer. The way it glides along the palate and delivers the flavor across it is near perfect. No detectable stickyness as well. Lactic acid bite on the finish keeps it from a 5.

Tremendous oatmeal stout for the value, very smooth. I drank the hell out of this one on my Alaskan cruise and would be happy to pick up another sixer when I see it.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 23:08:29 | More by rawfish