Gritty McDuffs Black Fly Stout

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

I used this stout in a chili a few weeks ago, but this is the first time we’ve reviewed it by itself. It pours a murky dark brown color with a very large, light-brown head. Good lacing. Scents are of oatmeal, mild coffee, and salt. Initial taste is sweet, with a sweet and bitter finish. Chocolate malt taste. Vinegar on the mouthfeel, not as smooth as we expected.

Black with a thick brown head. Aroma is metallic and medicinal, with some chocolate and piney hops trying to break through. Roasted nuts in the flavor, some tartness in the finsh, followed by espresso bitterness, with a strange medicinal undertone as well.

22oz bottle via trade with porterhouse! - Thanks Kevin! - Pours very black with a creamy tan head that fades to a ring but laces some on the way down the glass. Aromas of roasted malts, some coffee, a touch of chocolate.. Flavor is nice roasted malts, coffee, a touch of liccorice, some earthy peat notes, and some dark chocolate. Smooth and creamy palate. Not a big in your face stout, but very pleasant.. Very smooth and drinkable. Nice example of the style.

Black Fly Stout pours to a jet black color with a thick, dense tan head, and a soft to moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is packed with lots of good dark malt aromas, some earthy ringwood notes, aromas of coffee, slightly herbal and citric hop aromas, and a good bit of roast. The palate is very firm and beefy, with lots of big dark chocolate, coffee, and roasty, and buttery flavors on the tongue. Black Fly finishes with more chocolate malt and coffee notes, then ends with a pleasing, dry, roasty fininsh and slight herbal hop bite that lingers. Stylistically this isn’t a very accurate example of dry or Irish stout, due to the use of Ringwood yeast, and Pacific North West hop varieties, such as Willamettes and Clusters. But that does not stop it from being one of the most delicious, and impressive stouts you will ever taste. This beer is very food friendly, and would work well with a number of hearty dishes, and of course shell fish such as oysters, clams, and Maine lobster. A Black Fly Stout, a boiled Maine lobster with drawn butter is a match made in heaven. Gritty’s beers are found in a number of markets in New England, especially its home state of Maine. If you find yourself in Portland, or anywhere in NE where Gritty’s is sold, pick up some Black Fly Stout, and see why this is one of my favorite beers, and brewpubs.

Bottle. Black, ruby at edges, with small tan head. Aroma is very malty, bittersweet, chocolate. Flavor is more sweet than bitter, slight caramel mixed with chocolate. Dry finish and bitter-roasty aftertaste.

[on tap at brewery] Red-black, with a lasting, fizzy, light brown top. Almost no aroma in this beer...maybe a little cream...then again, maybe my sniffer was not functioning up to par. Nice burnt coffee flavour with toasty bisctuits and gentle malt. Hops bitterness sort of worked nicely with the low-ish carbonation level. Light body and a lasting, bitter, burnt flavour.

Coffee/mocha nose, black, tiny toffee head. Mild coffee taste with a hint of treacle. Light bodied, bitter. Nice. Thanks Sammy.

pours a black color withg a small head and small, yet slightly sticking lacing. aroma is roasty and slighly malty with hints of warmth. flavor is roasty and slighty hot with a bitter aftertaste. Extremely mild stout that isn’t bad, it just doesn’t do anything for me.