Whole Foods Old Plowshare Stout

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

Brown with a big tan head. Aroma of roasted malts and al little coffee. Flavor of coffee. Finish of coffee biterness. Over carbonated.

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark, almost black color with a thick tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, chocolate, and a touch of coffee. Flavor is quite pleasant, with a nice creamy chocolate, coffee, and roasted flavor. Definitely one to check out again.

Frothy, big bubbled head - plenty of carbonation here. Cocoa and slight hints of coffee in the flavo nad roasty maltsr, but the flavor is also somewhat too watery. The finish is bitter and seems "off", metallic even. I was happy about the idea of the "organic" thing since I love Brooklyn’s organic porter so much, but this was pretty disappointing. I wish that I had known it was made for Whole Foods before I bought it, and I probably wouldn’t have. Oh well.

Brew is light chestnut in color with a well retained beige colored head. A bit light in color for a stout. Aroma is pretty solid, with toasted nuts, cream, and some coffee in the background. Flavor is pretty tasty. Coffee, chocolate, cream. The finish is dry and bitter. I don’t think the palate is thin. This is a dry stout, not an imperial. Good beer.

Clear, reddish brown appearance with a small khaki colored head and very nice lacing. The roasted malts elicited aromas of chicory and chocolate along with some earthiness. Medium bodied mouthfeel and good carbonation. Taste was dry, a bit smokey, lightly hopped, with hints of bittersweet chocolate, molassas and caramel, all without being too sweet. Clean, dry finish. I enjoy this style of stout and this is a pretty good example; not the best, but good -- and very drinkable. From a brewery I respect a lot.

Roasted cocoa and molasses nose. Bready and slightly lactic up front on the palate. Mocha and coffee notes come in at the midpoint with a lingering over roasted lactic finish.

Translucent ruby. Moderately sweet aroma, touch of roast. Medium-bodied, dry. Plenty of roast, a bit brittle. A little bit of iron in the finish, with unpleasant meaty hints.

12 oz bottle
Thanks to bu11zeye for sending this my way as a bonus. It’s a decent stout but I didn’t find it that impressive in the end. It’s kind of a disappointment coming from North Coast but maybe I just don’t like pure organic beers.

Aroma / Appearance - The semi-transparent body trickles around the glass leaving a light ashy head. Blackberries, cold ash, and buttered scones form a bland mixture of flat scents.

Flavor / Palate - Smoky, fruity, and delicate it hits the tongue, sprints across the palate, and is down the throat with barely a trace left behind. Plain and dull the most interesting aspect is a weak chocolately aftertaste. It’s not that it is flawed or has any negatives; it is just lacking in anything to make it worthwhile.