AleSmith Brewing Company - Speedway Stout

What, you really thought I wasn't going to do a stout for St. Patrick's Day? Come on now.. But we're not just tackling any stout today. We're going for perhaps the mother of all stouts in San Diego- AleSmith's Speedway Stout. Speedway has been around for quite a while now, but (in my opinion at least) it's yet to be surpassed by any stout I've had from San Diego. Somehow, in my infinite wisdom, I've been forgetting to review this beer for far too long. It's been a staple on the Top 100 (and now on the Top 250) List for a long, long time and it's time to give this beer it's well deserved time to shine. At #45- Speedway Stout.

Speedway Stout pours a jet black color with a monster, three-finger mocha colored head. It's not the thickest beer I've come across, but it still manages to leave some tracks of lace soaring high up the glass. When I first poured the beer, it had just come from the fridge and the smell seemed to be lacking a bit. But as it warmed up, it began to really intensify, bringing rich notes of dark roasted coffee mixed with the slightest trace of booze. When the beer warmed even more, I got a sweeter aroma that reminded me of milk chocolate, Whoppers, caramel, wet earth and toffee. This beer smells incredible.

The taste is a luscious blend of dark roasted coffee and rich dark chocolate. The middle shows just a hint of brownie/fudge and toffee sweetness before a big hit of espresso. The finish is pure dark roasted coffee bean deliciousness. At 12%, you would think this would be a challenge to drink, but it shows little trace of it's weight. The only hint is a slight warmness and dryness on the finish, but the beer is far from tasting harsh.

As far as coffee beers go, this is up there with the best of them. The coffee (brewed in San Diego by Ryan Brothers Coffee) isn't as intense in the smell or the taste as a beer like KBS, but it's so well melded into the other flavors here that it just might give KBS a run for its money. And while warming some stouts might bring out some off flavors you don't really want, warming this beer up only enhances the experience. If you haven't tried this beer, get on it. It's fairly easy to find and well worth the price. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all (or what's left of it).

Final Grade: A

Top 250 Beers Tasted: 115

Alesmith Brewing Company - Alesmith Speedway Stout-Barrel Aged

Yesterday was the release of Alesmith's highly anticipated Barrel Aged version of Speedway Stout. Originally, it sounded like it would be easy enough to pick up a bottle. But as more and more people became interested, it quickly became apparent that the beer was going to be tougher to get than I had originally thought. The brewery originally said that there was going to be a 4 bottle limit per person, but a few days before the release, they bumped it down to 2 per person. After over 500 people showed up at the brewery for the release, the bottle limit became 1 per person. I was moving all day and was hoping that there would still be a few bottles left in the afternoon. Quickly, it became apparent that I had no shot at a bottle. However, the brewery had it on tap throughout the day, so I decided to drop by and hope that some was left. It was my only shot and, at #25 on the Top 100 list, I didn't want to miss this one. Fortunately for me, there was still some on tap when I got to the brewery.

Barrel Aged Speedway Stout pours a pitch black color with a slightly reddish dark brown head and good retention. The beer smelled of freshly ground coffee, raisin and dark chocolate along with a touch of bourbon. Since this beer has been aging in bourbon barrels since 2009, I expected it to smell pretty hot, but it was surprisingly restrained.

The taste certainly didn't disappoint. I picked up a lot of dark chocolate and cocoa flavor right away along with some coffee, fudge, plum and black currant. The only hint of bourbon was a slight drying on the finish and a bit of a peat taste that lingered. Overall, a fantastic beer and while I'm bummed I didn't get a bottle, I feel fortunate to have gotten to try it.

Final Grade: A

Top 100 Beers Tasted 21