North Coast Old No. 38 Stout

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Dry Stout
Fort Bragg, California USA

Pleasant smoky, earthy malt flavor--with a hint of blackstrap in the finish. Old No. 38 is an easy drinkin’ stout--exceptionally light. Little body. Lacks the silky mouthfeel of better stouts, though. (If it’s coldish outside and you really want a stout and you’re in the mood to drink 3 pints--or more--this a perfect choice.)

Great aroma, full flavor. Dark color and a choclatey nut taste. Doesn’t linger any longer than it needs to.

Pours a pitch black with a medium light tan head. Pretty big roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, and walnuts. I really like the nose on this one. Taste isnt as good as it smells. Still not bad though. A little light for my taste for a stout, as I love the imperial stouts. Pretty roasty but not very much chocolate. Kind of a bitter roastiness. I wish it was a little more full bodied. Kind of a burnt wood taste in the finish which I really wasnt digging. A little disappointed in this one.

This black stout has a nice nougat head, that leaves a good, thick lace. The aroma has notes of dark roasted malt and the mouthfeel is oily. The flavour has a nice bitterness all the way through and it develops further in the finish. It has notes of roasted malt and nice, strong licorice, light sweetness and a hint of coffee. Later I also get notes of chocolate.

Pour was an attractive dark brown with a nice light tan two-fingered head. A bit of lacing but nothing dramatic. The aroma was of coffee, cane sugar and some roasted malt and barley. The flavor was smoky initially but it didn’t manage to hang around once the beer opened up. Initially the combination of smoke, coffee and roasted barley made me think that this one might be a real sleeper hit, however as it opened up it lost steam. It ended up reminded me more of a sweet milk stout. This beer was a medium bodied brew that as is often the case with these microbrews, had a world of potential but fizzled.

not to impressed with this beer. strong hoppy taste. bought from a beer store in tampa fl. if you like hops you might enjoy this more than me.

Bottle sampled with Stegosaurus. Pours dark with a tan head. Aroma of roast, coffee, and fruit. The flavor is roast, coffee, fruit. Good beer.

Bottle - a huge coffee nose. Black body and a huge, creamy beige head. It looks nearly like a nitro pour. The brew is big and roasty and full of coffee. Very nice!