Out Of Bounds Stout

Simply put, a transcendent beer that can fundamentally change the way one views bottled stouts. A deep, richly saturated mahogany, almost brown color is capped off by a high, creamy khaki-colored head -- this beer just looks appetizing. The aroma comes on strong, with big roast barley, French-roast coffee and bitter chocolate notes, followed by enticing hop aromas of orange peel, lemon zest and pine. Lee picked up some delicate traces of licorice, and Pete and Tim both commented on a notable alcohol presence. Intricate, complex flavor profile evincing, by turns, cacao, espresso, light caramel malt flavors and resiny, almost piney hop flavors. Assertively bitter from hops and dark roasted grains, but maintains an elegant balance. Panel members all commented on the masterful balance between malt and hop, with Rick commenting on a “stiletto of hop bitterness” and offering high praise for the delicate interplay between bitter and sweet from start to finish. There is a firm underpinning of alcohol working underneath the mélange of flavors. This is a richly creamy, quite full-bodied beer that epitomizes the American Stout style. A uniquely masterful performance by the good people at Avery, Out of Bounds Stout is a “must have” beer for any stout devotee.