Arcadia Starboard Stout

Moderate beige head, but it leaves thin ring lace. Near black color where no light shines through The smell is far more mild than a typical stout. There are faint coffee grounds and dark, dark chocolate aromas Strong espresso flavor. No creaminess at all. The aftertaste features unsweetened chocolate flavor. The body is neutral with a lower level of carbonation, giving it a fuller mouthfeel than the liquor suggests.

(Bottle from Global Beverage) Pours very dark brown with two or so fingers of tan head that recede to a thin, lasting layer. Aroma of mostly chocolate, perhaps light roast. Mouthfeel lightly fizzy, lightly prickly, kind of thin, not really much texture or "oatmealy" feel. Flavor of mostly dark, lightly bitter chocolate. Perhaps a faint bit of molasses. Overall kind of meh. Sort of an uninspired-feeling, non-robust stout from a usually pretty good brewery.

THIS BEER REQUIRES A TON OF PATIENCE, WHEN YOU POP THE TOP THE HEAD LITERALY STARTS TO COME OUT OF THE BOTTLE, POUR IT IN A GLASS AND ITS LIKE NO OTHER BEER, ITS ALMOST LIKE A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLCANO PROJECT ERUPTING , THE HEAD SERIOUSLY NEVER STOPS ON THIS DARK RICH LOOKING BEER. IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A ROOTBEER FLOAT. IT SMELLS OF DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE AND TOASTY ROASTED MALTS, IMMEDIATELY THIS BREW IS VERY INTRIGUING TO THE EYES AND NOSE. HOWEVER, THE FLAVOR FALLS QUITE SHORT TO ITS PREVIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IT TASTES VERY SUBTLE OF CHOCOLATE AND TOASTED MALT FLAVOR ACTUALLY IT ALMOST TASTE WATERED DOWN MAKING ME WONDER IF THEY HAVE ADDED CARAMEL COLORING TO MAKE IT APPEAR MORE ROBUST. THE AFTER TASTE LEAVES A SUBTLY STRANGE MECHANICAL PLASTIC LIKE FLAVOR. NOT BAD NOT GREAT, SOMEWHAT DISSAPPOINTING FOR A BEER THAT LOOKS AND SMELLS SO GOOD.

BPW #34 Served on tap at Arcadia Brewing Company. Appearance is a deep black with a thin tan head. The aromas and flavors follow a creamy oatmeal base with notes of a mildly roasted malt. Mouth is dry and medium bodied.

Dan’s Bachelor Party Extended Weekend Rating #25 of 90. Tap at Arcadia, shared taster (hands down best taster offering I’ve ever had...a total of 9-3oz pours for $7.99). Pours dark with smooth creamy head. Light, creamy, smooth taste of dark roasted malts. The smoothness going down makes this one a real winner. Very nice flavor.

THOUGHTS: I wasn’t sure if I was going to get andy beer out of the bottle. On my first pour, I had a glass full of foam only. Once things settled out it was a decent stout, but nothing out of the ordinary. Generic stout. Nice but nothing memorable. If this were a little stronger and fuller, it would be decent foreign stout. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was a nearly opaque black in the glass with slight red highlights at the edges and a huge, light brown head that slowly diminished, keeping a decent sheet and leaving fair lacing. There were also small to medium particle that floated in a band in the middle of the glass. The aroma was moderate to heavy roasted malt, milk chocolate, chocolate syrupy and lighter coffee along with dark fruit. The initial flavor was sweet, acidic and bitter; while the finish was a little sour and bitter. There was chocolate syrup, coffee, a little dark fruit and bitter coffee. The medium body was a little watery then dry with soft carbonation and a light astringent and light chalky finish.

12oz bottle from The Party Source. Black pour with a huge tan head. Malty aroma that is equally sweet and roasty with some chocolate. Roasty chocolate flavor up front followed by sweet malt and a roasty coffee finish. Nothing spectacular, but I am surprised that the score is so low.

Poured out a healthy deep tan head on top an almost totally black beer. Decent retention, but it lacked in lacing. Aroma was also lacking with it’s overall weak smell of roasted malts, coffee and hint of chocolate. Also carmelly and earthy with a touch of bitterness. Almost forgot the cherries. Taste couldv’e been better but was not bad - just doesn’t live up to alot of the other US stouts floating around. It seems thin. Similar to the aroma, the roasted malts and coffee dominate with a dusty flavour and an overabundance of bitter hops, but it’s too thin and a bit too sweet for my liking. Mouthfeel was thin and overcarbonated, but otherwise decent witha long bitter aftertaste. Meh.