Premier Wine & Spirits carries a good selection of brews from the North Coast Brewing Company. This is one of the several I've picked up, Old No. 38 Stout... a name which makes one think of old-time beer... black as a railway tie and thick as molasses.
The beer is pretty dark. Its colour is quite dense. I thought this one would have a mammoth head, for whatever reason, but couldn't squeeze any more out of it than you see here. About a finger's worth that lowers to pretty much nothing, with very limited lacing.
It has a bit of an alcoholic smell... a bit of bourbon / dark rum, perhaps. Some sweetness / molasses?
The flavour is mostly all coffee bean, with a bit of chocolate. Also there is a bit of fruit, like cherry or raspberry. That alcoholic smell is pretty well all gone in the taste.
The feel is fairly watery. Not what I expected. I like my stouts a little thicker. I'd almost call this more of a dark ale in how it feels. The carbonation is fine, as is the balance of bitter & sweet. The finish is fairly dry.
It's easy to drink, as it's not very rich. You could put a few down, but if you're looking for a great stout, there are other better picks.
