Cooperstown Strike Out Stout

Strike Out Stout, 4.60% ABV, 12oz (bottle)

Color: A thin but tight head emerges when poured. This seems to be characteristic of Cooperstown beers. The color is impeccable, a deep ebony with a slightly purplish hue.

Tasting Notes: The nose is smoky, yeasty and contains an intense blast of dried coffee – resembling the scent of dried beans, not the drink. An interesting analogy comes to mind, that this stout’s aroma oddly reminds me of a soy latte. On the palette it is no less compromising, but monolithic rather than eloquent: the body is silky and bulky, supported by huge roasted malt sweetness and a condensed gust of coffee/smoke. Despite the pronounced flavors, a lack of hop bitterness makes it quite easy to drink. So far, Guinness Extra Stout seems to reign supreme in its balance of hop and coffee flavors. A round, clean finish strengthens the soymilk connotation further. Highly enjoyable, solid and unadorned, this is what I really like about Cooperstown’s ales.

3/13/09