Brewmaster Jack Near & Dear Stout

Time to crack open another beer from Massachusetts.

ABV: 8%

Style: American Stout

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “There is nothing better than a pint of hearty stout on a cold winter night. This beer was tinkered with for over two years before we arrived at a final recipe. The base stout is layered with mountains of cocoa to provide a luscious chocolate flavor. A blend of espresso roasted by Esselon Coffee Roasting in Hadley, Massachusetts is added to enhance the flavors of roasted Carafa malt from Germany. The final product is a full-bodied brew with chocolate and coffee flavors percolating to the brim. 8% Alcohol by volume.”

Random: This beer is available in November.

The beer poured with a large, three finger, light brown head. It took awhile to dissipate and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was black with no visible carbonation due to the color. The nose was filled with dark roasted coffee and roasted malt with a hint of smoke. Bitter dark chocolate came through as well. The taste started with the same bitter dark chocolate up front. It transitioned into espresso and then some charred wood and smoke. There was a pleasant hint of burnt marshmallow with some booze at the end. The body was thick and chewy with moderate carbonation. It had a lengthy finish with chocolate and charred marshmallow. Since this was another beer gift, there’s no commentary on the price. I enjoyed this beer a lot and wish I had a few more to cellar.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0