Bare Knuckle Stout

Brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev
Style: Dry Stout
St. Louis, Missouri USA

I’ve enjoyed this on tap at 3 Onions in Shepherdstown, and across the street at Tony’s. I definitely think it’s a little chocolately (unexpected delight!) and has a thinner mouth feel too. The aroma is avg, but it tastes much better. My favorite way to drink it, is with Widmer Hefe as a Lava Lamp. The two beers contrast and complement each other differently as you drink it.

Sampled with Ernest, sitting bored in the bar at LaGuardia. This didn’t provide any entertainment. Beer was a nearly opaque dark brown color with a huge, creamy, nitro-fueled head on it’s shoulders. Mostly lasting. I know nitro sucks, but it’s pretty as it settles in the glass; like the wings of a billion tiny brown moths tumbling out of the air. Anywhoo, that visual was the nicest thing about the beer. Aroma was malty with light notes of roasted grain, chocolate and coffee; hoppy with light notes of resin/pine; yeasty with moderate notes of bread dough and trace-to-light notes of basement; miscellaneous aromas included a moderate-to-heavy, patently offensive note of plastic (like the lid of a to-go coffee cup that’s been left on the dashboard in the sun) and a light note of green olive/brine.The flavor was moderately sweet, moderately acidic with an average-length, lightly bitter, lightly acidic finish that had an unclean/metallic finish. The body was gutless: light, the texture was watery and the carbonation was nitro-soft. Phewt.

Draught (nitro), LaGuardia airport, NYC. Head is creamy (nitro), fully lasting (nitro). Body is dark brown to black. Aroma is lightly malty (husks, roasted/burnt grain), with notes of dust and latex paint. Flavor is lightly sweet, lightly acidic. Finish is lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Light body, watery texture, lively/soft carbonation. And you thought nitro Guinness was bad...

Draft at Tina’s in Cincy. Nitro black pour with an average creamy brown head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Light roasted dry malt aroma. Medium body with a dry watery texture. Light sweet toasted flavor with a dry light sour finish. If you can not beat Guinness, join tthem.

Draft at the 5th Annual Vrginia Beerfest. Well, seeing as how I prolonged trying this for as long as I did, I see know why I was in no rush. Essentially this is watery Guinnes. I know what you’re thinking, Guinness IS pretty thin already. This was thinner. I toyed with leaving my rating as just that, "watery Guinness", but felt I should rate it properly. Dark brown to near black. Small mocha colored head. Nose is thin and I couldn’t detect much else other than faint roasty malts. Thin taste as well. Watered down coffee, roasdty malts, touch of cocoa and not much else. Body is too light for a stout, IMHO. Finishes much like it began, as thin Guinness wannabe. Their mission to to counter the sales of Guinness, however, based on this sample, it seems they should be failing.

At Virginia Beer Festival. Okay, nothing overly special. Really a Busch beer? Stout is stout, but I have to say this one was quite acceptable

It’s pretty funny when a bartender asks if I know what I’m in for. As far as stouts go, yes of course (which was the intent of the question)...but when it’s Anheuser-Busch, you never know! Decent cascade and dark brown opacity with reddish hues and some yellow at the edge (I didn’t see that last bit but my nearly-six year old daughter said she saw that). Too cold for any serious aroma. Thin, light body, damn I hate this nitrogenated stuff, with a metallic edge overwhelming the slight smoke and slight roastedness that can be found at the back. Definitely not a competitor to Guinness and not a realistic threat to microbrews. It further evidences the argument that the Macros are actually trying to turn people off of micros rather than steal their market share. (on tap at Anheuser-Busch hospitality room, Sea World theme park, San Antonio, Texas).

On Tap at The Rhinocerous in Missoula and at MJ Barleyhoppers in Lewiston: Pours a dark black/brown color, clear with bright ruby edges. The nitro covers up most of the smell but a bit of thin roast and light coffee comes through. The flavor is very thin with a light caramel and tin flavor. No umami, lots of articial creaminess and thin dark lagerish roast. Not horible, but not even as good as guiness, which I can get everywhere, so, no, I wouldn’t drink this again.