Boatswain Chocolate Stout - Minhas Craft Brewery

jeff1973

California

3/5  rDev -8.5%

12-26-2011 02:19:06 | More by jeff1973

RBM

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -8.5%

05-20-2013 16:42:03 | More by RBM

Smextongo

Indiana

1.5/5  rDev -54.3%

05-16-2013 16:54:34 | More by Smextongo

hkyplyr73

New York

4.25/5  rDev +29.6%

05-09-2013 20:15:53 | More by hkyplyr73

yesyouam

New York

4.08/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Boatswain Chocolate Stout is a black ale with a slightly reddish cast. The smooth, dense, brown head has decent retention. It has a roasted aroma with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and toffee. It feels smooth and full bodied with a clean, dry finish. A little grit is left on the teeth. There's a hint of sweetness, but it's dry overall. The chocolate flavor is very dark and pretty subtle. There's a bit of caramel going on mid-taste. The chocolate is probably most prominent in the dusty aftertaste. The bitterness is very subdued and is just enough to balance things out. This is a very solid, drinkable and enjoyable stout.Boatswain Chocolate Stout is a black ale with a slightly reddish cast. The smooth, dense, brown head has decent retention. It has a roasted aroma with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and toffee. It feels smooth and full bodied with a clean, dry finish. A little grit is left on the teeth. There's a hint of sweetness, but it's dry overall. The chocolate flavor is very dark and pretty subtle. There's a bit of caramel going on mid-taste. The chocolate is probably most prominent in the dusty aftertaste. The bitterness is very subdued and is just enough to balance things out. This is a very solid, drinkable and enjoyable stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 00:59:14 | More by yesyouam

secondtooth

Indiana

3.39/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a black with tawny brown highlights. Rich head of foamy suds. Thick tree-line lace.

Nose is cocoa. Simply put, cocoa. Not bad at all.

Taste is definitely overwhelmingly chocolate. I get a silky milk chocolate character more as this brew warms up. Not a complex nor multi-dimensional ale, but decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 22:48:58 | More by secondtooth

kojevergas

California

3.11/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

5.4% ABV confirmed. 650ml brown glass bottle with standard unbranded gold pressure cap and generic bland brown label acquired at Trader Joe's and served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. 66 IBU. 14.26 original gravity. "Stout Brewed with Cocoa Powder."

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger dark tan colour head of nice cream, average thickness, and above average (~3 minute) retention. Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Light even lacing as the head recedes. Head texture is atypical of a good stout; it's not as creamy, frothy, or soft as I'd want. Overall, it's pretty standard fare for a chocolate stout. There's nothing unique or special here, but I don't notice any overt flaws either.

Sm: Cocoa powder, definitely. Chocolate malt. Dark malts. Lightly earthy roasty character is somewhat present, but doesn't bring a lot of depth. Light earthy coffee grains. Cream. Hop presence is imperceptible; maybe some minimal floral character, but hops here are just to preserve. I get light vague hints of a dark fruit, but nothing truly evocative or interesting. Burnt bready grains. A mild strength aroma, overall - and a generally good one for the style. The chocolate malt doesn't stand out - in fact it's rather generic - but it gets the job done. I'm looking forward to trying it. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable.

T: Lumpy chocolate is there - lacking refinement and any delicacy of execution whatsoever. Very clumsily handled. Cocoa powder, chocolate malt, dark malts, caramel malts, and overdone floral hop character for the style. Quite imbalanced; this one is a real mess. Haphazard; lacks focus. The notes that are here aren't necessarily bad; it's just poorly put together. Good sweetness/bitterness balance though. I get a sort of wine-esque rich tannin character on the back end; it bothered me initially but I'm warming up to it. Hints of burnt bread. Maybe some weak dark fruit buried beneath the poorly layered malts. It's not boozy, hot, or harsh. No yeast character comes through. As it warms, a bit more of that vague dark fruit pokes through; it's hard to identify but I think it's some sort of stonefruit. This is a mess of a brew, but it has some likable flavours. Overall, I do like it. There's just so much potential for this to be far better than it is.

As it warmed, I started noticing metallic notes coming through. That's a definite issue and may explain why other reviewers have disliked this brew so much.

Mf: Too smooth and wet for a stout; it has quite the case of porter envy. Lacks the creamy character I want from a good stout. Pretty good carbonation. Pretty good presence on the palate. Good thickness. Not rough or scratchy. Approachable. Good body. Not at all hot or warm. Not astringent. Suits the flavour profile generally well, but it needs tweaking.

Dr: A drinkable chocolate stout offered at a very fair price point. It has its flaws, but overall it's rather enjoyable. Very easy to drink; I could and would down a few of these in a session. I'll very contentedly finish the whole bomber by meself. I think many are coming down hard on this beer merely because of where they bought it and/or its price point. I could see this doing very well at a blind tasting.

C+

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 03:35:48 | More by kojevergas

Jimbo4430

Virginia

3/5  rDev -8.5%

04-29-2013 17:12:14 | More by Jimbo4430

GPGURU

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +22%

04-27-2013 03:47:21 | More by GPGURU

MilkManX

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%

04-26-2013 20:37:03 | More by MilkManX

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From the folks who gave us "Simpler Times" beer, comes this different imprint...Boatswain! A bomber of this was under $3 at Trader Joe's in Alpharetta, GA. I had to walk past the weirdo stocking guy who always stares at people to get it, so I hope it is worth it.

-Appearance 3.5: Jet black and opaque, like any self-respecting stout should be. Small tan head formed and faded away into swirls on top.

-Smell 3.75: Nice bouquet of toasted grains, cocoa and barley malt. Bouquet is subdued and pleasing.

-Taste 4.0: The front is slightly sour and smoky. Middle is slightly sweet and then fades quickly into a mountain of a finish that hits you with barley, hops and chocolate. This cascades nicely into a very pleasing finish of smoky grains and light hops. Very good.

-Mouthfeel 4.0: Very nice, full mouthfeel. Carbonation is just right for this style and the added "oomph" from something (probably maltose) makes this an above average experience.

-Overall 3.75: It may be cheap, but it is really good beer. I have had several expensive stouts that are nowhere near as good as this brew. Unfortunately, I think that many people see the price and immediately let their preconceived prejudices do the tasting. Pay the jerks no mind and gleefully pick up this beer and enjoy it with the full knowledge that you are offending the sensibilities of legions of Buddy Holly glasses-wearing Arcade Fire fans. I like this brew and I bet the weirdo stock guy would, too. I think he would give it four out of five "ughs."

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:52:22 | More by BeerDocT

BucannonXC5

California

2.31/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

Type: 22-oz. bomber
Glass: Manzanita pint glass
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $1.99
Purchased: April 4, 2013
Consumed: April 6, 2013
Misc.: N/A

Poured a pitch black color with 1-2 fingers of brown head. Light foamy, foggy lacing on the sides. Good retention all the way down.

Smelled dark cocoa, coffee beans, butter and smoky firewood, almost an ashtray.

Got a sharp taste of extremely bitter coffee notes right away. That bitterness lingered on the tongue for quite some time. Still dark cocoa and that smoky fire and ashtray.

Full-to-medium body. Creamy-to-oily texture. Average-to-lively (above average) carbonation. Long, bitter finish.

A bit too smoky, but it was actually better than I thought it would be. And for $1.99 what more can I ask for?

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:21:06 | More by BucannonXC5

CraftBeerGuild

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -8.5%

04-02-2013 00:56:24 | More by CraftBeerGuild

Bnoise11

California

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%

03-31-2013 16:46:21 | More by Bnoise11

bcm75

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%

03-23-2013 18:33:01 | More by bcm75

menacho1

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -16.2%

03-18-2013 05:57:36 | More by menacho1

ExaltedNecrosis

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +14.3%

03-17-2013 22:36:28 | More by ExaltedNecrosis

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -16.2%

03-14-2013 19:35:22 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

Herky21

Iowa

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%

03-13-2013 02:25:08 | More by Herky21

GossageBrewery

Missouri

2.96/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured this American Chocolate Stout from a bottle into a pint glass. Poured a dark black color produced an average tan head, below average retention and it left some lacing on the glass. The aroma of this ale consists of roasted grain, chocolate and coffee. Medium bodied, a foundation of roasted grain, chocolate and coffee. Overall, decent beer- to thin for my liking- Better Chocolate Stout's out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 16:57:04 | More by GossageBrewery

marct

Nevada

2.75/5  rDev -16.2%

03-04-2013 21:06:38 | More by marct

MikeDre

California

4/5  rDev +22%

03-02-2013 01:17:51 | More by MikeDre

HipHopinHooligan13

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%

03-02-2013 00:15:56 | More by HipHopinHooligan13

BrewClint

Illinois

3/5  rDev -8.5%

02-27-2013 13:01:00 | More by BrewClint

kmahe

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%

02-18-2013 04:15:18 | More by kmahe