Samson Stout - Estes Park Brewery

Spider889

Ohio

2.1/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Live review.

This was a big "meh" the first time I tasted it with some friends during our New Years party. My buddy Mooky left some beer from WY/CO behind and this was one of them. Thanks bud!

The bottle mentions the beer is named after a poached elk named Samson and that the proceeds are going to help prevent poaching. I wish them well with their efforts.

The beer pours essentially flat. A few big soap bubbles pop up here and there, but it didn't matter how rough I poured it, nothing was going to happen. The only saving grace is the thick black color, which I deem appropriate for the style.

Smell is pretty weak. Some dark roasted coffee and bitter malts with lingering molasses.

Flavor is very bitter from lots of black malt. Bitter black coffee and mild brown sugar. Really not that much going on.

Mouthfeel is dry, bitter, and flat. Slightly watery despite the thick appearance.

Drinkability? Man I am sitting here with my head resting on my hand, slightly cocked to the side in deep and uncomfortable thought. I stare at my nearly full pint and debate if it's worth the effort to finish this thing... Probably not.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 06:51:20 | More by Spider889

Bighuge

Minnesota

2.58/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Beer is almost black. Slight chocolate brown head is gone in seconds. No lacing ability. Smell is heavily roasted. Taste is not nearly as complex as it should be. Some roasted and chocolate notes, but overall, pretty bland. Watery mouthfeel. Body is way too light for a stout. Very bland stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2002 20:37:41 | More by Bighuge

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

2.63/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

The beer pours a nice black color with no amber highlights and no head to speak of.

The aroma is very light with some notes of roasted malts. It would be nice if there was more to the aroma of this beer, like some coffee or chocolate.

The beer tasted watery, like coffee that was made wrong. There was a little bit of toast flavor as well.

Overall this was not an awesome beer. I would not buy one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 22:00:25 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

manahansf

Indiana

2.7/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Creamy tan head with toffee nose over a nearly opaque black beer. Rich coffee flavors with a big malt sweetness. Slightly light body but the oatmeal makes it smooth and velvety. Low carbonation levels also increase the heaviness of the body. Sweet coffee and toffee finish with a semi-dry kick at the end.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2010 13:10:44 | More by manahansf

ndekke39

Ohio

2.78/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Named after a famous Rocky Mountain elk who was killed by a poacher. Poured from a 12 oz bottle I bought from the brewery itself. No freshness date. Appearance is an opaque, oily black. Thin, off-white head. Very little lacing. Smell is dominated by a dark roast coffee. Hard to pick anything else out of it. Tastes of the coffee, too, complemented by a strong bitterness of hops in the middle of the tongue. Good start to the flavors, but they tasted a little too weak. Mouthfeel is watery and oily, not nearly as thick as I would hope out of a stout. Overall, the beer goes down well, but the flavors and character are not as thick or complex as a good stout. It lacks the caramel sweetness that would add depth to the flavors. Still, it's a good try.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2006 20:02:51 | More by ndekke39

timmlimestone

Wisconsin

2.78/5  rDev -18%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I am a little concerned about the complete and total lack of head on this one. Poured out like a bad bottle of homebrew I made last year. There is no head, no carbonation and no body. It is thick dark dank and strong at first, but the back end is watery and lacking in depth of field. it definately has an alcohol taste if that is all.

Appearance - Once again no head is always a bad thing.

Smell - There really wasn't much of one.

Taste - Not quite sure if it is beer.

Drinkability - Could get you drinked, but other than that it is for naught.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2008 01:45:42 | More by timmlimestone

jar2574

Missouri

2.93/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured out of a bottle into a pint glass. No head whatsoever. Very black. Smells and tastes of dark roasted malts. Leaves a slightly acidic aftertaste on the back of the tongue. More watery than most stouts, which may help with drinkablity but hurts with mouthfeel, as it's quite odd for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 21:13:24 | More by jar2574

cokes

Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pretty mediocre stout here. Pours a decent black body, off-tan head that vanishes quickly. Big time roasted barley and oat flavors. Not bad for the style. But it seemed way too flat and thin. A little more substance would boost this beer up quite bit. The favor is there, but the body is not.

Unless you have a pathological obsession with oatmeal stouts, look elsewhere for your beer drinking needs

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2002 18:11:46 | More by cokes

HoustonTX

Texas

3.1/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer pours motor oil black, with absolutely no head - even with an aggressive pour.

Taste has a watered down coffee profile. A dose of small grain fresh ground coffee, a bit of grounds. Followed by almost a non existent hop balance, and a watery finish.

Aroma is just not there.

The thing about this beer, is that is lacks complexity and body.
It's still drinks easily, with no off flavors. But, the fact that it's body is so thin, and the only thing that pops out is the slight coffee body - leaves you with a lot to be desired.

This one just falls short of the mark, quite disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 05:22:20 | More by HoustonTX

tronester

Oklahoma

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours a very dark brown, almost black. pleasant aromas of coffee, some chocolate, and a hint of licorice. taste begins with a big coffee start, then some chocolate. after that some anise. earthy bitter finish. mouthfeel is a bit light for an oatmeal stout. overall a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 00:50:09 | More by tronester

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - This inky black stout has only the tiniest trace of a thin tan cap in place of a proper head. The brew itself is as black as old motor oil, but the small head and lack of decent lace leave something to be desired.

S - Rich dark chocolate and espresso bean. This has that prototypical American stout nose with a one-two combo of dark, dark chocolate and freshly ground espresso beans. Nothing happening here is extremely interesting or complex, but the simple stout notes are very well done.

T - This is sweet at first, with molasses hints before bittering up a bit with dark chocolate notes on the back end. There are some earthy soil and 'shroom notes that may be a result of age (I have no idea how old this bottle is but my brother in law picked this up for me in Fort Collins, which is only an hour's drive from Estes Park, so I'll assume it's relatively fresh. Like the nose, this is an easy going stout that is well presented in terms of style, but it's not knocking my socks of or anything.

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied, this is mildly carbonated and not all that bitter for a stout. This finishes a little roasty, and slightly sour.

D - Not bad. This is a very serviceable stout that doesn't do anything wrong, but doesn't go out of its way to shine either. Easy drinking average session stout IMO. Actually, due to the lighter body and lack of heavy bitter coffee notes, this might make an excellent choice for a summer picnic if you are feeling like something darker in the summer. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 18:09:28 | More by pmcadamis

Winter

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours black with a thin tan head with plenty of sudsy lacing. Aroma of chocolate milk, cocoa and is somewhat vinous. Mouthfeel is full-bodied and smooth with some slight carbonation on the edges of the tongue. Flavor is pretty straight-forward: roasted barley and malt. Dark bitter chocolate arrives midway. An ample amount of hop bitterness supports the dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2005 01:56:44 | More by Winter

dirtylou

Washington

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz single, Brennan's

appearance: pours a dark mahogany, black almost, some evident ruby tinting as poured...a foamy chocolate brown forms but dissipates to just a little lacing in short time

smell: bitter cocoa powder, roasty malts, espresso bean...somewhat bland for the most part...unpleasant and unidentifiable aroma present

taste: bittersweet cocoa powder hits hard up front, heavily roasted malts are dominant, burnt espresso bean, slight hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste, roasted barley...slightly above average

mouthfeel: bittersweet, thin, tad watery, medium body

drinkability: pretty drinkable

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2006 02:18:32 | More by dirtylou

alexgash

Connecticut

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Samson the legendary elk graces this bottle. Cool. Very dark brown to black with a small to medium sized cocoa head. Good lacing; just like elk drool.
Smells like toasted marshmallows, bitter dark chocolate, and roasted coffee.
Traces of semi-sweet malt flavor kick off the taste. Chocolate and roasty espresso come in not long after, along with some hoppy bitterness. Finish is not overly bitter (like SN stout), but it works. Light to medium bodied for a stout, with an overall watery feel.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2004 22:00:49 | More by alexgash

bditty187

Nebraska

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Black… totally black in hue, there are no shades, just abyss. Impressive. The head was brunette in color; it is a perfect cap to the appearance. At the foam’s highest point the bubbles created a half-finger worth of foam. It faded fairly rapidly to a soapy cap, this cap lasted the entire consumption. The subsequent lacing was unorganized, spotty but prevalent enough to be noteworthy. Overall, this beer doesn’t look too bad; I love the color (of the liquid and head). Nice.

The nose is roasted coffee and kisses of chocolate upfront, it is lightly acidic at the back; dried cocoa powder completes the nose. Hops are largely absent. No mention of alcohol. No fruitiness. It might be missing some nuances but the roasted qualities are very good. It says “stout” to me. There is moderate potency. Simple but inviting.

The first thing that struck me on the initial sip was the thinness of the body and in a sense, the flavors. Like the nose, the palate has the right roasted qualities. Coffee, chocolate, dried cocoa powder, char, and a smidgen of milky sweetness. These qualities are very pleasant but there needs to be a little more in the flavor profile. Maybe some fruitiness or some bittering hops or some booziness. No matter, the palate is good. Dry. I do think it was better on-tap. It is a simple stout, nothing more… nothing less.

Medium-light in body, thin and slick mouthfeel, there isn’t much carbonation, this doesn’t help the beer. The mouthfeel is weak but I can deal with it.

If this was available locally, I would buy it. If I lived in CO, I won’t. There is a bigger difference between good beer in NE then CO. Anyway, yes this beer is drinkable. I like it but it is nothing I’ll seek out but I won’t turn one down either. It would be a good, simple dessert accompanier. I purchased this sample as part of a mix six-pack purchased at the brewpub in Estes Park, CO.

PS: Sad story behind the name, see the side of the label.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2005 15:13:15 | More by bditty187

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a black body with a thin, light tan-colored head.

Smell: Rich roasted malt aroma with a plenty of dark chocolate and, to a lesser extent, coffee.

Taste: Roasted malts and more dark chocolate and coffee, all with a solid level of sweetness. Finishes roasty and sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Mild carbonation.

Drinkability: Not nearly as interesting as a necklace of human teeth, but it's not half bad. Not half bad at all!

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2007 02:20:13 | More by ChainGangGuy

denver10

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a foamy chocolate head and very nice lacing. The aroma offers some roastiness, some bitterness, some chocolate. Flavor starts off with a hit of roastiness, the chocolate and oats then shows itself, and it finishes with some nice bitterness. Flavor is a touch watery and flavor isn't a sharp as it could be, a little muted. Mouthfeel is on the fuller side showing some silkiness but held back because its a touch watery. Overall, not a bad beer but also not a good beer. That said, I personally kinda enjoyed it. As a sucker for oatmeal stouts, and love when they offer a bitter finish, I would drink this one again without any regrets. I just wouldn't recommend it to others.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2012 20:44:16 | More by denver10

Crosling

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Expressive stout nose with hints of roasted malts (cocoa, chocolate, coffee, roast), along with a hint of raisins. Blackened magma in color, just about opaque with a small and quickly diminishing light mocha colored head. Complex roasted malt flavor, with lots of malt bitterness and dry coffee and cocoa flavors. A hint of light fruits and a tinge of hop flavor ride the finish. Initially watery, but becomes slightly creamy after it warms. Definatley calmed my nerves.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2006 01:40:35 | More by Crosling

zeff80

Missouri

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a dark, dark brown color with a small, short-lived, tan head of foam. Not much in the way of lacing. Seems to be a trend with Estes Park brews.

S - It smelled of chocolate and roasted malt. Maybe a slight hint of coffee.

T - Good dark chocolate flavor with a strong roasted malt presence. It had a slight bitterness with a touch of pine.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is pretty good. The best Estes Park brew I've had so far.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 16:06:47 | More by zeff80

JoeAmerican77

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Chocolate head over a pitch black pit, some sweet lacing... Some mild anise and roasted malts tingle the nose, also a hint of acetone in there. The flaovr of semi bitter malts and some warming alcohol bring a wonderful addition to the smooth and creamy medium body. Good beer, surprised really. I think it is a great representation of the style.

Poured some cold dark coffee in it after I'd finished half. Actually still tastes great. Not better, just different.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 18:43:25 | More by JoeAmerican77

kimcgolf

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours to a pitch black color with a dark tan head of medium thickness. The body of this is very thick, almost like pouring used motor oil. Aroma is malty chocolate, and the flavor is a malty sweet mix of choclate and toffee. A good, tasty beer, although it would be better suited to a cool fall night than tonite’s 90+ degree weather.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2006 01:52:54 | More by kimcgolf

Beaver13

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark black with no head at all.

The aroma is roasted chocolate malts and coffee and a little sweet lactose.

The flavor is watery chocolate and coffee and a touch of smoke with a burnt finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied but extremely watery with no carbonation.

Overall, there are good components to this beer - it's very black, I like the chocolate and coffee in the taste and the smell, but the wateriness and lack of carbonation brings it down a ton. This beer shouldn't be ad either - I got it straight from the brewery less than a month ago.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 04:53:35 | More by Beaver13

Douglas88

Utah

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bought at Sams in Grand Junction, CO. Pours a pure black color with a small light brown head. A nice aroma of burnt milk chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt, something sweet, maybe prunes also. The taste is pretty nice; sweet and light fruit, lots of sourish roasted flavors, meaty and smoked, some coffee and chocolates. Very nice. A bit thin, but overall, good.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 03:51:17 | More by Douglas88

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Review from notes taken earlier in the week.

Bottle reads: "Samson a 1,000 pound elk was killed by a poacher. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this beer are donated to Operation Game Thief to apprehend and prosecute poachers." About all I can say to that is cheers, wish I had been able to purchase more.

Pours a black color with less than a finger of tanned head that is quick to dissolve. Nose is rich on chocolate, coffee and a bit of sweetness. There is lacing on the glass before I even take my first sip. Taste is exactly as the nose would lead you to believe. Lighter than expected mouthfeel, low carb and finishes pleasantly bitter dry.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2009 18:37:11 | More by stakem

HardTarget

Texas

3.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A) Black glass with a very thin edge of light showing through when tilted; motor oil. No head even with a firm (slightly abusive) pour.

S) Rich roasted grain with a mild sweet/milky edge.

T) Nice coffee note up front, mild stout flavor in the back all with a milk stout element. For the style (American Stout) I expect a lot more hop notes than are going on here, but the flavor is enjoyable as is.

M) Body seems a bit weak and watery, low carbonation.

O) A nice beer, no flaws, and a nice coffee element that keeps it interesting. I'd like to see some head retention and a little more chew.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 02:02:40 | More by HardTarget