All right stop, collaborate and listen, Two Guys are back so please pay attention. For our next review we sampled an Extra Stout. Two Guys are no strangers to stouts as we have previously reviewed a chocolate oatmeal stout, an oyster stout and a regular oatmeal stout. The Extra Stout sub-style is a descendant of the British and Irish porters of the 18th Century. These strong porters eventually became known as strong stout, then Foreign Stout or Extra Stout. Much the same way IPA’s were brewed with more hops and alcohol so it could survive transport to India, this style of stout was originally designed with more of everything so it could last through a similar journey. The style can sometimes resemble dry(Irish) or sweet stout but with broader flavors and generally higher alcohol--a bonus if you're looking for a little extra push to get on the dance floor. The Dry or Irish sub-style represents the typical stout in most people’s minds. It is usually black in color and often has a roasted or coffee-like taste. I would like to take time now to apologize to the readers that still have the “Ice Ice Baby” song running through their head. Word to your mother! Now onto the beer!Joe:
For this sampling we tried a Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout from the St. Louis Brewing Company. After a painstaking search involving Holmsian deductive reasoning I discovered that it is located in St.Louis Missouri. The beer is lightly carbonated with a very stoutish 8.0 ABV. It is brown in color with a creamy head. The aroma has a very pleasant chocolate and coffee odor---remember drink out of a glass in order to truly experience the aroma. The taste started with a slightly bitter coffee taste mixed with a hint of toffee and fruit. The back end flavor had a bit more of an astringently bitter hops taste. I wasn't sure of this beer at first because of the back end flavor but once I was acclimated to it, I enjoyed it. I give it a 3.5. |
| Does this beer make me look stout? |
Schlafly's Irish-Style Extra Stout is part of their Special Release Series - it "represents a seasonal lineup showcasing bigger beers (all 7-8% abv) with a focus on unique process and huge flavor." This was another nice beer from Schlafly. As mentioned above with Extra Stouts, the alcohol and flavor was strong but I found it very enjoyable. I was a little surprised by the hoppy bitterness but it paired nicely with the coffee and chocolate undertones. It was a delicious version of a "bigger" traditional Irish Dry Stout that was perfect for the changing of the seasons from winter to spring. Four stars!
