Foothills Total Eclipse Stout

Brewed by Foothills Brewing
Style: Stout
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

From growler, generously given to me by chris_o at 2006 RBSG, shared among good friends and family. Pours a dark black colored body with a little light passing thru the edges. Fairly thick foamy brown head with decent retention. Aroma is dry with roasted and burnt malt and lighter hints of coffee, chalk, and bitter chocolate. Flavor is dry up front with a good dose of burnt malt and a moderate bitterness on the finish. Very well rounded flavor. Mouthfeel is thinnish with a light bodied middle. Finish is a little watery in texture. Carbonation is moderate and fizzy. Overall, this was a pretty darn good stout. Not overly complex or mind blowing, but very solid. Re-rate, from growler, via BA kkipple. Two years after my previous sample, I find the aroma, appearance, and flavor to be remarkably consistent, but I think that the body seems a bit fuller and rounder than the first time I had it. Seems a little bit more intense on the burnt flavor too. Still very enjoyable. Same score across the board.

On Tap @ FH 6/30/06: Dark brown, almost opaque, w/ a thin tan head that laces well. Very chocolatey and nutty aroma w/ some muted roasty notes and a hint of burnt coffee. Light caramel, very light, and a hint of bready malt. Well balance flavor w/ a bit of herbal hop flavor and bitterness from grains and hops. Herbal hop aftertaste. Chocolate malts w/ some nutty flavors mix w/ a resiny hop flavored finish. Also some grainy malts and mild burnt roastiness. Light tartness from dark grains. Overall thin, I think, for a stout. lighter medium carbonation, smooth, but dries out a bit toward the end. Fuller medium body. A bit thin for me in a stout, flavor wise anyway.

Growler from Boboski. Poured black with a meidum tan head. Nice big coffee aroma. Notes of ash from the big roast on the malt. The flavor started with big ash. I don’t mind some of that flavor but I like it to be more of an after thought and not up front. Tones down to just roasted malt after. Medium bodied.

Asheville, NC - on tap at Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria. Pours with a dark red fading to black appearance with a good sized mocha colored head. Aroma has some burnt coffee notes and a bit of chocolate - not prominent though. Notice hints of bittersweet chocolate and coffee in the flavor. Slightly thin mouthfeel. Slightly disappointed.

draught. Pours black, some browns on the edges. A fading, tan head sat atop. Aroma is of soy sauce, chocolate, dense coffee, a bit of piny hops. The flavor displays the hops well also and balances it with a sappy sweetness and a very caramlized, almost hard candy-esque, flavor. A bit of caramel and bitter baking chocolate rings throughout. Not bad, not outstanding.

Draught at the brewpub 3/24/06: Black-brown opaque body with a small tan head that is thick, creamy, and lasting. The nose is mild with notes of chocolate, roast, and coffee. This one is served on tap just like the other beers, not using a higher ratio of nitrogen/co2 as is sometimes done. The flavor begins with chocolate, then some licorice which surprises me a bit but does fit into the beer nicely. From there roasted malt, coffee, bakers chocolate, and light prunes all come through in the mouth. Full bodied, medium carbonated, finishing with lingering roast chocolate notes. This was one of my favorites while visiting - a nicely done stout without going wild, imperial or barrel aged.

Now we’re talking. THis is one of thier better brews by far. Flavor was nice and smooth. Has a nice roasted malt flavor to it. Was served to me way too cold. After warming a bit, this brew was very enjoyable.

This was the best of my sampler, hands down. Rich, malty, creamy, nice little hop burn, some hints of chocolate, really good all around. Went down smooth, easy to drink, a pretty damn fine stout if I must say. This was the best but I still have a growler of the double IPA to get into, which I am hoping is downright incredible.