Gritty McDuffs Black Fly Stout

Brewed by Gritty McDuffs
Style: Dry Stout
Portland, Maine USA

Pitch black coloured body with a super thin tan head. Deep roasty smell, chocolate and coffee also noticeable as well. Medium-bodied; Nice strong malty flavour with some coffee notes. Aftertaste shows bitter and dark characteristics - nice! Overall, a good stout, nice to try. I sampled this twelve ounce botttle purchased at Oliver’s Beverage in Albany, New York on 10-March-2007.

Feb. 23, 2007; 12 oz. bottle. Things were looking dim for this brew from the get-go: the bubbly soda-pop head evident upon pouring signaled a deal-breaker -- brought about by overpowering fizzy carbonation (not something I want in my dry stout!). A shallow flavor & watery palate did nothing to pull this back to respectability. Comparisons to Guinness are not at all apt. Have five left in the pack (and may re-rate upon further review) but, right now, am sorry I dropped $8.99 on this sixer. (Original rating: 2.3)

Re-rate on Feb. 24, 2007: To enjoy this brew, pour it into the largest glass you can find (to contain the mountainous head even careful pouring can’t control), go do something else, and come back 20 mins. later, after the head and its associated fizziness has disssipated completely and the stout has warmed to near-room temperature. At that point, the brew will have a less-watery character, and you will taste some pleasant roasted chocolate flavors.

12 oz bottle. Dark black beer with a very thick creamy tan head. Way overcarbonated and it took forever to settle down enough to drink. Once it did though, I was presented with a roasty slightly caramelly aroma. Very dry stoutish. Light sweetness, coffee and strong roast. A touch of yeasty fruitiness. It a good dry stout, once the excess carbonation is knocked out of it.

I thought this beer was acctually pretty good. A nice dry roasted stout. Notes of chocolate and coffee. Very robust and thick. I was exceptionally pleased.

(draft @ The Old Toad - Rochester, NY) Dark black pour with a creamy tan head. Looks like a nitro stout. Aroma is light with some roasted coffee and malts in it. Flavor is very light as well with some ash, roasted malts, and a light coffee flavor. Body is extremely thin for a stout. Very light and watery. I was surprised that this wasn’t a nitro stout.

Beer mug, from bottle. Best by Apr ’07, sampled Nov ’06. Fluffy brown head with medium staying power and lacing. Pours deep blackish-brown, shows completely opaque black in the glass, with faint brown hues against strong light. Aroma of bitter dark chocolate and coffee, a hint of plum. Body is thin and carbonated. Taste is of bitter, roasted coffee. Finishes short, bitter and dry. Recommended over Guinness without reservation.

Black pour with a huge head of cream and large bubbles. A very attractive stout. Aroma actually has a touch of sulfer to it. Maybes its the hops but the aroma is dried out and dusty. The flavor is a very dry roast. Very well carbonated and sharp on the tongue. Actually its quite harsh as it goes down.

Bottle. Black with huge tan head, lasts. Roasted barley aroma. Flavor is malty but balanced. Pronounced fruitiness and hints of caramel and and fairly dry. On first taste I didn’t really care for this. Again with the second bottle the first sips weren’t great, but flavor improved. Overcarbonated.