Beer of the Weekend #218: Special Double Cream Stout
Despite the fact I have three more beers to try for my LV recommendation, I cannot resist the urge to do a proper BotW tasting. Lame? Only history will tell.
(On a side note: besides Einbecker Schwarzbier, I retried Fuller’s ESB and London Pride recently.)
The beer of the weekend is one recommended by my parents’ neighbor: Special Double Cream Stout, brewed by Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Comstock, Michigan.
I once saw him in the beer room at John’s with a sixer of SDCS. While helping shovel his driveway after the Blizzard of ’11, I asked him if he liked the dark stuff. “Oh, yeah!” he said. “Bell’s makes this double cream stout. It’s awesome stuff.” I have been meaning to try it ever since and finally snagged a sixer today.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. The “10144” batch code on the back label corresponds to a December 16, 2010 packaging date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is an opaque black; zero light passed through when I held it to a lamp. Two fingers of dense, tan head developed and dissipated to leave a spotted and bubbly lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: Roasted dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, coffee, and there is a hint of black licorice.
Taste: Smooth like an oatmeal stout, but it has a slightly bitter edge from the roasted characters. It mostly mirrors the smell: roasted dark chocolate, caramel, and a little coffee. Thankfully, the black licorice did not come through in the taste. I hate that stuff.
Drinkability: Pretty good. I like the fact the roasted malts do not dominate, but it is still a solid stout. It just tastes like a Bell’s stout.
Fun facts about SDCS:
-Style: American Stout.
-Price: $10.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF. Here’s something I desperately need: a thermometer for the fridge.
-Alcohol content: 6.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate, beef, shellfish, smoked meat, game meat, and grilled meat.
-Here’s some verbage from SDCS’s webpage:
-The Bell’s website says SDCS is available only in the winter. I really wish they would give some damn dates.
-On the carrier handle it says “Decant to Serve.” Decant beer? I have never heard of anyone decanting beer, but I am sure it is done. I, however, won’t be doing it. I don’t have a decanter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
(On a side note: besides Einbecker Schwarzbier, I retried Fuller’s ESB and London Pride recently.)
The beer of the weekend is one recommended by my parents’ neighbor: Special Double Cream Stout, brewed by Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Comstock, Michigan.
I once saw him in the beer room at John’s with a sixer of SDCS. While helping shovel his driveway after the Blizzard of ’11, I asked him if he liked the dark stuff. “Oh, yeah!” he said. “Bell’s makes this double cream stout. It’s awesome stuff.” I have been meaning to try it ever since and finally snagged a sixer today.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. The “10144” batch code on the back label corresponds to a December 16, 2010 packaging date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is an opaque black; zero light passed through when I held it to a lamp. Two fingers of dense, tan head developed and dissipated to leave a spotted and bubbly lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: Roasted dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, coffee, and there is a hint of black licorice.
Taste: Smooth like an oatmeal stout, but it has a slightly bitter edge from the roasted characters. It mostly mirrors the smell: roasted dark chocolate, caramel, and a little coffee. Thankfully, the black licorice did not come through in the taste. I hate that stuff.
Drinkability: Pretty good. I like the fact the roasted malts do not dominate, but it is still a solid stout. It just tastes like a Bell’s stout.
Fun facts about SDCS:
-Style: American Stout.
-Price: $10.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF. Here’s something I desperately need: a thermometer for the fridge.
-Alcohol content: 6.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends barbecue, buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss), earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate, beef, shellfish, smoked meat, game meat, and grilled meat.
-Here’s some verbage from SDCS’s webpage:
Double Cream Stout derives its name from its smooth, creamy texture, not the ingredients. Completely dairy-free, this stout blends ten different specialty malts to yield a remarkable depth of flavor. With only a touch of burnt notes, Double Cream Stout focuses on the softer, cocoa & espresso-like aspects of roasted malt.
-The Bell’s website says SDCS is available only in the winter. I really wish they would give some damn dates.
-On the carrier handle it says “Decant to Serve.” Decant beer? I have never heard of anyone decanting beer, but I am sure it is done. I, however, won’t be doing it. I don’t have a decanter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
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