Nils Oscar Coffee Stout - the Nils Oscar Company

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.4/5  rDev -38%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I was really thinking that I would enjoy this more. The color and the appearance looked very inviting the nose was very bitter smelling. The head wasn't around for very long. The taste of this beer was pretty much just straight black coffee. I wasn't able to get any type of Malts, Hops or anything else from it. I just found that this beer was kind of un-balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 02:37:18 | More by Knapp85

TexIndy

Texas

2.53/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a pint glass. Notch on back label but no way to tell what date it means. Was black in color. No visible carb and no lacing. Had an average sized tan head that quickly settled to a collar that eventually disappeared.

The aroma was heavy on the coffee from the Rwanda Gatsinga espresso. Not much else in the nose. Didn't get the chocolate or roasted malts that others mentioned. It needs something else besides the coffee. Taste followed the aroma and was coffee heavy and needing something to balance it. The coffee tasted watered down to me which hurt the mouthfeel.

Normally I love coffee beers but this one is a huge miss for me. And at $6.29 for a 11.2 oz bottle it is a major disappointment. Only positive is that I knocked Sweden off the list. At this price, don't recommend and one and done for me.

[1x]

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 22:28:10 | More by TexIndy

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Got this bottle a couple of months ago at Sams' in Chicago. Should have kept it in the fridge. Poured with a soap bubble head that quickly subsided; no lace. Color is an opaque brown. Flavor is a wet cardboard dry coffee stout. Flat. Thin. Slight boozy finish. Something went wrong with this one. *sigh*

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 01:55:16 | More by drpimento

crossovert

Wisconsin

2.75/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

11.2 oz bottle, I believe it is my first Swedish beer.

It pours a nice dark brown with a frothy tan head that leaves some nice lacing.

The smell is kind of weird, yes there is coffee, but it is primarily caramel and an odd funkiness. It's sorta like permanent marker.

The taste is better, if a bit thin, mostly caramel notes but with a tinge of roasted coffee.

Meh.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 02:36:40 | More by crossovert

biglite351

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

A - a lot of red around the edge.for a coffee stout, the head is also off white, which is odd for a coffee stout. A lot of lacing.

S - mild cup of coffee, but also something like a mild fruit. Something like a breakfast of coffers and fruit bowl, but it is on the table a few feet away.

T - odd mix of coffee and fruit. Odd, but not bad.

M - kind of stocky, like pop. No tingles to speak of.

D - taste is not bad while different, so maybe one.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 02:02:40 | More by biglite351

Cresant

Kentucky

2.95/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served this 11.2 oz. brown bottle in a Chouffe tulip. No date. The body was a solid brown with a light tan head. The foam faded to nothing rather quickly.

The smell was chocolate malts. Molasses and a slight ashiness.

The taste was of dark chocolate bitterness and coffee. Smooth.

The mouthfeel was thinner than expected. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 04:02:44 | More by Cresant

maximum12

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to beerisheaven for throwing this in on an extra in our latest in a long line of earth-shakingly excellent trades. I just saw the first bottles of Nils Oscar around here recently, so I'm hoping it's one more good brewery.

Smells very nice. Too many coffee beers, IMHO, are too much like a thicker version of coffee, without any subtlety, this one I have higher hopes for.

Hopes dashed! The coffee is omnipresent. There's a touch of malty sweetness & faint chocolate underneath the coffee onslaught, but I have to search for them.

Man, the smell was so good, but this is just another unsubtle coffee beer. Am I the only one that likes my coffee beers to actually taste a bit like beer? Decent enough, but I don't think I'll need another.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 04:01:26 | More by maximum12

juhl31

California

3.38/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

-it is a really dark brown

-smells like leather to me. not very cool

-not too much coffee taste. might have been better in my mouth had i not just had the smoked porter 1st

-feels like coffee. that coffee mouth tongue thing

-not great for me. there is so much better coffee stuff out there

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 19:31:40 | More by juhl31

Crosling

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pros: Has some complexity to it. Fully flavored from start to finish. Unique expression of malt. I really think Nils can work magic with malt.

Cons: Thinly bodied. Not a great appearance. Sparse aroma. Only slightly above average for the style. Kinda disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 14:20:13 | More by Crosling

Ineedabeerhere

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Brian for the bottle via Coffee BIF. Nice label design.

A very aggressive straight pour yields a short tan foam atop a dark brown brew in my tulip with a little light coming in at the sides. Some lace throughout the glass.

Aroma is composed of freshly roasted beans and dark chocolate in somewhat equal proportions. Pretty nice actually, like a 70% cocoa dark chocolate, but the coffee isnt quite pungent and vibrant enough for me. Some dark fruit is evident in the aroma, as well as in the taste. Not really as coffee-centric as I like my coffee beers - this had nice coffee flavor but it just felt kind of dull in a sense. I was enjoying the chocolate flavors in the taste more than the coffee-ness. Low carbonation is fine, but the mouthfeel was kind of lifeless, not quite substantial enough. A decent beer, but I don't think that I would seek it out again. Especially at its apparent price point.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 22:28:57 | More by Ineedabeerhere

grittybrews

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a roasty black into a pint glass. Around a finger of loose tan head that receded quickly.

Espresso dominates the aroma (surprise!), with hints of sweet chocolate. One of the best smelling beers I've had!

Very smooth mouthfeel, not much carbonation. Exceedingly roasty at first, followed by bitter brewed coffee and a lingering cocoa finish. I'd say it actually comes closer to milk chocolate than dark chocolate.

If this beer were a coffee I'd say it was over-roasted, but in this context I suppose that's the point. After the wonderful aroma, the taste of this one let me down -- maybe a bit one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 04:03:27 | More by grittybrews

BrownNut

Florida

3.51/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

No idea how old this is. Served cool.

Black. An aggressive pour yields a one finger light tan creamy head.

Smells like tootsie rolls but with some malty bran breakfast cereal.

The smell carries into the taste. But it is very mild, too mild and diluted. There is almost nothing happening to give it substance and backbone.

I was looking forward to more Scandinavian beers due to success with Nogne O and Mikkeler but this one is not in the same league. Pleasant, just not substantive.

Light-medium body

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:45:28 | More by BrownNut

cptierney

California

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a nonic pint glass.

This beer pours a very dark brown. Some light makes its way through the liquid. There is approximately one-half inch of surprisingly white foam making the beers head. It quickly recedes to substantive lacing.

There is coffee on this brew's nose, but it is very mild. There are some hints of sweet maltiness coming through, though mostly I'm hyper focused on the minimal coffee smell.

The mouthfeel on this beer is a little too biting for my tastes. I prefer a thicker brew when it comes to a stout. It seems to be just a tad over-carbonated which I'm willing to let go.

The taste of this beer is a bit of a let down. I wish there was more complexity exhibited with the malt/hops/coffee mix. Mostly there are just hits of bitter from coffee and maybe some chocolate malt. Ultimately this one is just a little too one-dimensional for my taste.

This beer is really drinkable. I think this might be its strongest suit as it is light on the palate and easily swillable.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2009 00:52:44 | More by cptierney

seeswo

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed out of the bottle in my hotel room that has no cups, somehow and I left my tulip in the car. Ahh well. The bottle design looks nice. Coffee, cocoa and roast come off the nose as I give it an in-bottle swirl. Smells good. The taste is really unlike any coffee stout I've had. Really smooth, easy drinking, lower key coffee flavor. The coffee has a bit of sweet fruitiness to it with basically no bitterness. The beer is not really sweet though, nor altogether all that roasty. It's pretty much mild, but tasty coffee flavor with a completely clean finish. Mouthfeel is a touch thinner than I want in a stout, but it has good carbonation. I am enjoying this beer. While not exceptional, it is easy to put down and has an interesting and different coffee flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 01:33:40 | More by seeswo

emmasdad

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up on an overnight trip to Loveland, CO, and drank it by the hotel pool. The pour nets a huge, fluffy light brown head resting atop the dark brown liquid. Aromas of freshly ground espresso, dark chocolate and brown sugar. On the palate, more espresso, bitter chocolate and roasted malt. A pleasant surprise, as I wasn't really expecting all that much from this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 22:49:01 | More by emmasdad

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.66/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Fullers snifter glass.

Pours a very dark brown/black colour, with a quick to dissipate off-white head.

Smells of coffee.

Tastes very bittersweet, of sweet and bitter malts, with a bitter strong taste of coffee. Slightly watery mouthfeel with high carbonation.

Overall a pretty decent beer but would prefer a more wholesome mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 17:45:21 | More by CwrwAmByth

StJamesGate

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chocolate brown with ruby highlights and a thin beige head that leaves the odd trailer.
Coffee dominant on the nose with some earth, smoke, and brown sugar.
Sharp black malt acid, coffee-flavored candy, a touch of sourness, roasty bite and earthy hops - more integrated than these contrasting notes might imply.
Spicy finish and numbing, coffee-tinged linger.
Light to medium, oily, some chew, soft.

Like many European stouts, a bit light and underpowered compared to US (and British) stouts. This comes off a bit tart and edgy without the depth or body I'd expect of an American RIS with coffee added. More like a coffee porter or brown ale; within that, however, round, measured and quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 23:40:26 | More by StJamesGate

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a foreseeable black body with a full finger of beige froth.

Smell: Aroma of robust, roasted grains, baker's chocolate, meager dried fruit hints, all interwoven with modest cold extraction coffee accents.

Taste: Roasty, dark maltiness coupled with a guzzle of cold, black coffee and smoothed out with a subtle sweetness. A few chunks of unsweetened chocolate. Eventually, a slight charry quality enters the picture. Touch of dark fruitiness. Moderate amount of roasty bitterness midway. Tiny blip of acidity. Then, it's a return to the general coffee flavor until you reach the drying, roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Above average! A generally likable coffee stout, it's not nearly as bold or overwhelming as some, but it still hits the spot.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 05:17:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

mullenite

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In to a Corsendonk tulip.

Pours a solid opaque black with a 3 finger tan head with decent retention. Fades down to a thin cap covering the entire beer and leaves a very nice lacing.

Smells of fresh roasted coffee and dark chocolate.

Taste is very bitter chocolate and some coffee but not as strong as say Kona Pipeline porter. Coffee flavor comes out a bit more as the beer warms up.

Mouthfeel is medium-thin but on par with the style from my experience. Mild carbonation and a long finish.

Pretty good and easy to drink, much thanks to cvfish for this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2009 23:16:59 | More by mullenite

Dotcubed

Arkansas

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours out looking syrupy. Sediment free bottle.

Hard to get foam on this one with a moderate aggressive pour.

Good smell, coffee. Not really fresh roasted.
More of a malt-coffee smell.

Taste hasn't let me down. Good bitter coffee.
Moderately dark chocolate. Dry, chalky.

Bit watery for stout.

Tasty. Consume with dessert.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2010 03:20:31 | More by Dotcubed

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a perfect pint.

2.0 A: Black color. Couldn't really muster a head, though this isn't completely flat.

4.0 S: Really earthy, minerally stout, which I happen to be a big fan of. Coffee is the most notable aroma, but just barely. Supple roast, mountain stream water earthiness, mineral. Hints of dark chocolate and caramel. Fairly dry overall, but balanced and quite bold.

4.5 T: Again lots of earthiness in this. Mineral, forest stream, clay. Big coffee, light dark chocolate, a bit of caramel. Again dry, but not distractingly so.

2.0 M: This is closer to flat than my initial impression. Lighter medium body. Just a hint of carbonation. Smooth, but not ideal.

3.5 D: I believe this would be a damn good beer if it had the requisite carbonation. Not a bad one without it.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 02:13:56 | More by DavoleBomb

prototypic

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: It pours a dark chocolate brown color. There's a little light getting through giving it garnet highlights. The head is mocha brown and reaches roughly a finger deep. It didn't waste any time fleeing the scene and left very little lacing behind.

Smell: The nose has a very heavy coffee/espresso scent kicking it off. It's the predominant aroma and permeates throughout. At the secondary level, there's some chocolate and roasted malts that give it some variety. Overall, it's very malty, though it doesn't have a very sweet aroma. It's not very deep, but does have a nice overall smell.

Taste: The flavor profile tracks the nose almost entirely. It's obviously features a very strong coffee/espresso flavor. I like that aspect of it quite a bit, as a coffee fan. Roasted and chocolate malts complement the coffee flavor nicely. Roasted malts come through stronger in flavor. It's slightly bitter due to what appears to be light hopping. Perhaps somewhat acidic. Alcohol is blended well and is not apparent. It finishes a little dry leaving a nice coffee aftertaste.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It has a body that's on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is notably high and doesn't help to smooth it out. Frankly, it needs a bit more body. It's just too thin to really satisfy. Drinkability is good. I like the flavor, but it just lacks that special something to really draw you back for more.

Coffee Stout is a pretty solid release from Nils Oscar. I haven't exactly heard great things about their beer, but this one's better than I expected. You really have to be a coffee lover to appreciate this beer. Coffee plays a very dominant role here. If you don't like coffee, you won't like this beer. I wouldn't characterize it as a "special" beer. It needs a little something extra to get there. Maybe more hop pizzazz would do the trick. It could also use a thicker body. But, it's a good beer as it is. A couple of tweaks would go far.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 03:36:52 | More by prototypic

erz316

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 floz bottle into old spec pint glass

A - pours a good solid black colour except for at the bottom of the glas where some ruby like highlights get through, even when not held up to the light. this was forseeable as the brew poured more or less thin. the head is a good size, and is medium khaki colour.

S - well, it certainly smells like a coffee stout. near equal parts of roasted coffee, and roasted malts. yeah, that coffee component is quite good and bold, even when it is right out of the fridge and is really cold. its a solid nose, but there could have been a bit more depth than just a balance of coffee and malt.

T - I really like that; good coffee and chocolate components that get smeared throughout the drinking process. the initial is mostly a combination of bittersweet cooking chocolate and coffee grounds. the coffee component could be a bit stronger here, but the chocolate brings in sufficient bitterness. not too much maltiness, mainly a concentration on the eponymous flavour. the finish is a continuation of the coffee and chocolate bitterness and sweetness. the finish itself is also quite brief as it seems to fade out quickly into the aftertaste, because the taste doesnt change very much. I wish the brew had a bigger malt body. the aftertaste is a slight sweetness on the lips and a fair medium dark chocolate bitterness and sweetness. not bad, but the price tag is killer.

MF&D - the feel could be a bit thicker, this is quite watery. the drinkablity suffers because of the monotony of the taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 22:40:18 | More by erz316

beergoot

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown, nearly black body with a very nice thick, creamy tan head. A nice rich malt aroma, leaning heavily towards a caramel/toffee character with hints of roasted grains peaking through. Excellent roasted grain taste with a smooth, bitter undertone and overarching malt sugar smoothness (lightly chocolate in nature). Great balance overall between malts and hops.

An impressive little coffee stout from the mountains of Europe. Full-flavored, smooth, and easy drinking. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:14:17 | More by beergoot

seanthornton152

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased from Belmont Station, 11.2 fl oz..Poured into Douchesse De Bourgogne wine glass.

Dark brown body, maroon hue...airy head tiny head, aggressive pour

Strong coffee aroma, espresso like...bittersweet chocolate, hint of oak

Huge punch of roasted coffee initially...dark chocolate, slight maltiness.

Too thin for my liking, mild carbonation.

The taste is nice and smooth, and the coffee to chocolate balance is nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2009 07:18:49 | More by seanthornton152