• American Lagers
• Belgian Whites 
• Dubbles and Tripels
• English Ales
• Strong English Ales
• German Beers
• India Pale Ales
• Lambics
• Mixed Styles I
• Mixed Styles II
• Mixed Styles III
• Mixed Styles IV
• Mixed Styles V
  
• Oktoberfests 1999
• Oktoberfests 2000
• Pilseners
• Stouts 
• Strong Beers I
• Strong Beers II
• Strong Beers III
• Strong Beers IV
• Wheat / Golden Beers

• Alpharetta / Cumming, GA
• Athens, GA
• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX 
• Belgium 
• Chicago, IL 
• Fort Collins, CO
• Minneapolis, St. Paul
• Nashville, TN
• New England - RI, NH, ME
• New Orleans, LA 1999
• New Orleans Beer Tour Photos 2001
• New York, NY 
• Philadelphia, PA
• Germany: Munich, Bamberg, Kulmbach, and Berlin 
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Tampa, FL 
• Chimay Trappist 
• Orval Trappist 
• Rochefort Trappist 
• Westvleteren Trappist 
• Westmalle Trappist
  
• Globe Bar, Athens, GA 

Athens Steam Company Pub was kind enough to host our evaluation of these beers. Steam Company offers a nice beer selection and an impressive pub menu.  It is located in the complex of the beautiful Athens Foundry Park Inn and Spa at 295 E. Dougherty Street in downtown Athens. www.foundryparkinn.com

Deep Shaft Stout Foreign Extra Stout  Freeminer Brewery, Wessex Craft Brewers Ltd., Gloucestershire, England, UK  FIRST PLACE Aroma: Rich, coffee, licorice, smoke, molasses, dark candy, malt -- very complex. Appearance: Dark, viscous, with a thick lace of foam on glass, great head retention. Flavor: Coffee, roast, smoke, spice, apple hints.  Roast barley flavor is sharp.  Hops are a nice bitter balance. Alcohol is perceptible.  This is a full-bodied, rich Stout with loads of character.

Beamish Irish Stout 
Dry Stout (pub draft can)
Beamish Brewery, Cork, Ireland, UK 
SECOND PLACE (tie)
Aroma: Coffee hints, tart hints, grain, smoky undertones.
Appearance: Creamy, lacy head, very dark color.
Flavor: Creamy mouthfeel, smoky hints, low carbonation, dry, good for style, roast notes, light coffee aftertaste.  This is complex for a Dry Stout -- well made.

Sierra Nevada Stout
American Style Dry Stout 
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA, USA
SECOND PLACE (tie)
Aroma: NW hop aroma, citrusy, floral, coffee notes.
Appearance: Deep black with ruby highlights.
Flavor: Medium mouthfeel, dry from hops. Hops mask the roast character somewhat.  Hops are present in bitterness, flavor, and aroma.  High carbonation for style?  Creamy, tongue-coating body.  This is a delicious, complex, drinkable beer.

Young's Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout (pub draft can)
Ram Brewery, Wandsworth, UK
THIRD PLACE
Aroma: Malt, roast, bread, grain.  Complex with mild fruity esters.
Appearance: Great head retention and carbonation level, dark color with garnet hints.  Smooth, creamy head.
Flavor: Silky mouthfeel with a light-bodied flavor of mineral-rich water and grains.  Subtle flavors of oats and roasted barley.  This beer has a chewy texture with a chalky water character.  Low in alcohol with pleasant oat character -- very drinkable.  A bit more dark roasted barley character would be nice.  This is a complex, beautiful ale.

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout 
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery, Tadcaster, N. Yorks, England, UK 
HONORABLE MENTION
Aroma: Caramel apple-like.  Notes of bread, cereal.  Light aromas.
Appearance: Very black, rich, beautiful.
Flavor: Rich, malt sweetness.  A bit overcarbonated?  Caramel is strong and coffee/malt/tart/sharp/hop balance is appealing.  Complex flavors of dark grains.  This beer is a bit on the sweet side.  Oily, rich mouthfeel is nice -- a very flavorful beer.

Guinness Stout
Dry Stout (pub draft can) 
Guinness Ireland Group, St. James Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland, UK
Aroma: Fruity, tart, caramel, light aroma.
Appearance: Black and dark with a creamy, attractive, light tan head.
Flavor: Coffee and fruit.  Light mouthfeel with slight roasted coffee notes and hints of toffee. This is a low alcohol, good session beer.  Pleasant with a hint of tartness.

Dragonhead Stout 
Dry Stout 
Orkney Brewery, Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland, UK 
Aroma: Bready, hints of coffee grounds and raisins.  Green apple hints.
Appearance: Dark with garnet hints.  Dark coffee color with a creamy head.
Flavor: Very dry.  Slight celery hints.  Bitter coffee.  A bit overcarbonated for style.  This beer has a light/medium mouthfeel that is very pleasant.

O'Hara's Celtic Stout 
Dry Stout
Carlow Brewing Company, Carlow, Ireland, UK
Aroma: Fruity, winey, light aromas.
Appearance: Black with gorgeous ruby hints.  Moderate creamy head.
Flavor: Creamy, pleasant, soft.  There is a nice dry aftertaste with slight roasted grain notes.  Fruity esters are notable.  Could have more rich, dark malt character.

Whitstable Oyster Stout
Dry Stout
Swale Brewery Company, Sittingbourne, Kent, England, UK 
Aroma: Fruity, salty, licorice, hints of soy.  Aroma is very light.
Appearance: Light carbonation with low head retention.  Pretty, dark color.
Flavor: Low carbonation, licorice, spice flavors.  Fruity with low roasted barley character. Hints of sour/tartness.  This is an interesting beer that seems richer in body than most Dry Stouts.  Nice complexity.

Mineshaft Stout 
Dry Stout 
Only The Best Brewing Company, Divide, CO, USA 
Aroma: Nutty, caramel, fruit.
Appearance: Dark red -- not black.  Too light in color for style.
Flavor: This is NOT a Dry Stout.  This is more like a fruity red ale.  Could also be a Brown Ale -- slight grainy flavors with a malty character.  Needs much more roasted barley color and flavor.

Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout 
Dry Stout
Wye Valley Brewery, Hereford, England, UK 
Aroma: Light, fruity aroma with hints of molasses and syrup.  Roasted grain character is slight.
Appearance: Dark with red highlights.  Very little head retention.
Flavor: Roasted bananas, dry, coffee hints, very bitter, slightly astringent.  This could be an older bottle.  There are slight notes of cherries.  Sharp character from roasted grains.

Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout
Sweet Stout (with lactose)
Kiuchi Brewery, Japan 
Aroma: Sweet/sour character.  Cherries and vinegar with no Stout character.  Fruity.
Appearance: Dark tan foam, dark color with nice red highlights.
Flavor: Tart, vinegar-like, sour.  Something is wrong here -- there is no Stout/roasty character left.  This has a sour, coating character that is not to style.  This bottle tastes infected.  We will try this brand again in the future.