Arcadia Starboard Stout

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: Sweet Stout
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

bottle: pours out VERY fizzy. I wish I hadn’t chose a snifter for this beer. oops. Anyway, jet black with a huge tan head. The fizzy carbonation sort of detracts from the points a bit (I don’t like burping a lot!) But the beer calms down towards the end and gets a lot better. Sweet, dark chocolate malts, dark fruits, prunes, etc. and some coffee. Arouma is oats and coffee. Not bad.

An exuberant hiss upon opening prompted me to grab a huge 24 oz. stein and I’m glad I did. This little guy poured 24 oz. of foam on a 4 oz. pour, plus the 12 oz. bottle foamed over each time I tried topping it off. So, after a loooong wait, this was a deep brown/black-bodied beer with an outrageously foamy head. Low florals and mineral notes to a syrupy yet staled milk chocolate aroma. I was rather impressed with the body, lightly chalky but overall "milky" and reminiscent of a malted shake. Creamy, milk chocolate "Kayo" flavor with light alcohol and mild roastiness, but rather watered down. Great potential here, but something went horribly wrong (as my bottle still foams over with about 4 oz. left...) ~~~~~~~~ Purchased 6x12 at the source, Arcadia Brewing, Battle Creek, MI, August, 2007; cellared; consumed December 1, 2009.

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.

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.