Nick Carr on April 4, 2016 0 Comments Quick Characteristics Brewery: Dieselpink Beer Style: American Stout ABV: 5.8% IBU: ? Appearance: Black & opaque with amber edges; Finger of tan-colored head. Aroma: Sweet & roasty malts with notes of chocolate, mocha and nuttiness; Underwhelming aroma overall. Flavor: Malty sweet with hints of chocolate and coffee; Dull roasty aftertaste. Hops: Galena Shelf Life: 9-12 months Suggested Glass: Shaker Pint, Nonic Pint or Mug Serving Temp: 45° – 50°F Availability: Year Round Pairs With: Beef Stew, Fish & Chips. Grilled Lamb, Blue Cheese, Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream Alright, my last several beer reviews have jumped back and forth between different IPA’s and lighter fare, so today it is time to delve a little darker once again. I can’t stay in the light stuff too long or I start having roasty/toasty/chocolate/coffee withdrawals. Yes, a hit of dark malt is in order. Hopefully this does the trick. I found this Dieselpunk Stout while looking though the Los Alamos Smith’s libation department. The first thing that caught me about it was the artwork. In brass and black colors the label displays some conglomerate of a spaceship and a deep sea diving helmet; or some being in deep sea helmet, eyes shining bright and arms that end in something like spaceship engines (or lights). Like other steampunk and dieselpunk art, what is represented isn’t all that clear all the time. Many times it’s a mesh of gadgets and gears that give some sort of impression as to something we should recognize. I like it though. They also had the Dieselpunk IPA, but again I was in the mood for something dark and, always ready to try something new, the stout left the store with me. Just in case anyone is wondering what exactly dieselpunk is… well, it’s basically the same as steampunk but brought forward in history to the diesel age. A definition from Urbandictonary.com describes it like this: “Dieselpunk is an art style and subculture that blends the aesthetics / pop culture of the 1920s – 1950s with today. To dieselpunks, the “diesel era” was a time defined by warfare, Art Deco, pulp heroes, swing music, and noir gum shoes. It’s kind of like steampunk, except with internal combustion, because steampunk wasn’t dirty enough.” This beer is made, or rather contracted out to be made, by Winery Exchange/World Brews. This is a company that manages all areas of their beer business, including, oddly enough, contracting breweries to make beer they’ve branded for certain market places. In essence, they get specific beer made for a specific market or markets. It’s a strange concept, I know. For Dieselpunk they contracted with Genesee Brewery in Rochester, NY. It’s a brewery that has a 125 year history backing up their beer. Honestly I’ve never tried their beer and I’m not sure a contracted hit is the best way to start exploring what they offer. But, let’s see… THE TASTING Below are the tasting notes I took while drinking DieselPunk Stout. If you’ve tasted this beer, please share your thoughts with me in the comments below. Pour and Aroma Pours black and opaque with some amber edging only showing at the bottom. A finger of tan head doesn’t stick long. The popping and fizzing on the surface continue to build islands of small-bubbled foam. Carbonation seems quite high. Aroma is a little less then I’d expect from a good stout. Get sweet roasty malts in a mix of bittersweet chocolate, mocha, and a bit of nuttiness. Hardly any fruity esters to speak of. Mouthfeel and Taste The carbonation isn’t as over the top as the pour may have indicated, but still seems a little high. Thin to medium bodied, with slight metallic undertones. Malty sweet with hints of chocolate on the front of the palate. Mid-palate shows coffee and a mineral-like quality before becoming acrid and coffee bitter on the back end. On some sips this really hit hard, reminding me of coffee that’s sat to long. Aftertaste is a rather dull impression of roast, cocoa, and coffee. As it warmed the taste mellowed, reducing the bitterness substantially, but giving it a Coke-Cola like feel. Finishing the Impression At best I would call this a not bad entry level stout. It would work as a homebrewer’s second or even fifth try at a stout, but compared to the myriad of excellent stouts on the market, this one can’t compete. When I get a beer that just doesn’t seem right I always consider the possibility that it’s a bad apple. So maybe… though a quick search on BeerAdvocate and RateBeer (I try not to look at these before I do a tasting review) doesn’t seem to paint a very promising picture. Some people will like this beer, heck some people seemed to like it one these rating websites, but no one, seemed to rate it all that high. So basically if you are a discerning stout drinker you will have problems with this beer. Don’t buy it. If you are not so discerning, well you can take your chances. You might like it, but know there’s better out there. Cheers!
