Ottos Sumatra Stout

Brewed by Ottos Pub & Brewery
Style: Dry Stout
State College, Pennsylvania USA

Sample courtesy of axilla. Poured a dark and deep brown (nearly black) color with a very small sized off white head. Without initially knowing what beer had been poured, I immediately though, yummmm, coffee beer! Aromas of coffee, coffee grounds, roast and some chocolate. Tastes follow with some vanilla (coffee latte). Nice - I sure love real good coffee beers.

Draft (nitro)... Harrisburg Beer Festival 2... Pitch black ale with a large, creamy, beige head. Wonderful retention. The aroma is of freshly ground, dark roast, coffee with traces of vanilla, hazelnut and caramel. The flavor is of "second runnings" coffee with whispers of dark chocolate and hazelnut. Medium-bodied and astringent with pillow-soft carbonation. Lengthy, bone-dry finish. Best of show, IMO!

On tap at the brewpub on 5/16/07: Pours an opaque black with a dense, dark tan frothy, well-lacing head. Aroma of fresh brewed espresso and dark chocolate with a touch of roasted malt and sweet caramel. Body starts fairly full and lightly sweet with great balanced coffee presence and mild complexity toward a smooth, creamy finish. This would make an awesome session brew.

Nitro at Otto’s... This stout has an amazing look... rich and creamy head that cascades from the pitchblack body to a dark brown layer to a light brown layer to a creamy ice cream foam head. The lacing it leaves on the glass is pure art. Nose of rich, pure espresso and cream, an amazingly rich cream and coffee and even some dark fruit, one of the best smelling coffee beers ever. The coffee flavor is rich dark roast, fresh and lively, even has a small peppery note in the finish... overall just a quality tasting tout... with a additional milk chocolate creamy quality that works really well. The body is the only thing I’ve had similar to Peche Mortal at the brewery... so amazingly rich and creamy without being viscous. I’m not a fan of nitro but for this beer it works so damn well. Hands down this is the best dry stout I’ve ever had, and one of the best coffee stouts. 4.3.

Late 07/early 08 batch: lacking the richness and texture of previous batches. Slightly greenish, less-integrated coffee aroma. 3.9.

Wow, I had this as French roast stout and didn’t even realize it was Sumatra until this rating. Pours onyx with a creamy off-khaki head. Nose was heavy coffee, roasty dark malt, cacao. Tastes like freshly brewed Sumatra coffee, very heavy with the coffee flavor, and with dark malt, dark choc, and an oily palate. Smooth and very flavorful, this one is great, although coffee haters likely will abhor it, which is a shame because it is quite good.

Draft at KClinger’s. Pure black gold, nice resilient and foamy thick top. With just a light ashy aroma, this drinks creamy and smooth, mildly chocolatey. Not too much different than chocolate milk. Quite mild and enjoyable. (#3285, 1/10/2008)

Poured a black color, with a medium sized, tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malts, coffee (the good stuff, not the shitty coffee you sometimes find in stouts...) chocolate, and a bit of vanilla bean as well. Taste of more chocolate, with dry, roasted malts, and a bit more vanilla in the taste.

HBF 2005. Nitro. Pours rich deep black with a tan head. Aroma is instant coffee, similar to espresso. The flavor reminded me of a frappacino- lots of rich coffee and some chocolate with roasted hints. Very smooth too. I wish I could have tried more of this at the fest.