Mackeson

Name- Mackeson Triple Stout
Brewer- Inbev
Country- UK
Type- Milk Stout
Alcohol Content- 4.9%
Summary - Subtle, yet complex stout. All the expected characteristics of a good stout without overdoing it. Equal amounts of a little chocolate and a little coffee with an overall blanket of roasted malt flavor. Not overbearing nor too heavy. A creamy stout but a brownish, non-creamy head. Wonderful roasted malt aroma. Is that hint of caramel/molasses I detect?

After my negative critique of Old Rasputin I was eager to showcase a stout that I feel delivers. Too often stouts lean on their thickness or high ABV. Not Mackeson. In fact, I have often drank stouts that I feel I had to work through, thinking, "At least with the higher alcohol content I won't have to drink so many of these." But with Mackeson, I can slowly savor the taste and almost forget I'm drinking a "stout" and yet there is no mistaking it is one. It is a creamy and subtle brew that lets you discover it's character rather than hitting you in the face with it. If I had to get really artsy about the description, I'd say that the roasted maltiness anchors the beer while it's flanked equally by coffee and chocolate flavor.

Brewed in the UK, Caribbean, and the US by InBev, it has an exceptionally high quality normally found at a smaller singular brewery like Samuel Smith's line. If you are looking to try a stout for the first time (for real, not like having a Guinness because you're at an Irish pub or your friends are egging you on), this is your stout. Drink it slowly, not because it's heavy, but because the flavor will attach itself to your tongue and linger in a good way until that next sip. I liken it to good chocolate- if you gobble it down you'll miss out on how wonderful it is. I've read others' reviews that make note of the sweetness- I don't find it sweet at all.

Old Rasputin

Name- Old Rasputin
Brewer- North Coast Brewing Company
Country- United States
Type- Imperial Stout
Alcohol Content- 9%
Summary - Strong, even for an Imperial Stout. A little too strong, in terms of taste and character. Head is thick like a well-poured pub draught of Guinness. However, it needs refinement, lots more complexity, and in that sense, it lacks character.

Pouring this beer got me excited- I remember when I had my first properly poured Guinness at a pub in Gainesville (not the one I worked at, hehe) years ago, and I was impatient with the bartender because it took forever. But I remember seeing (as I would many times again) the head on the beer- echelons of cascading layers of foam, slowly falling until it was at a proper point to either pour more or serve and consume. The head on Old Rasputin quickly brought me back to that moment in time (and any experience that can bring you back to a sweet memory is worth mentioning.) I had recently been recommended Old Rasputin, so I thought that I was in for a real treat. I felt that I would be plunged into a beer that would satisfy my cravings for complexity that are sometimes missing in some Imperial Stouts.

I was wrong. It's bold, very bold, and you can almost taste the alcohol in it. This is in spite of it (here we go) only being 9% ABV. That's right, 9% and I said "only." Normally I would expect the hint of actual taste of alcohol for a stronger beer (not that this is weak by any means), but for some reason, I can almost taste it here. The temperament of roasted malts isn't missing, but considerably weak, IMHO. And any complexity of fruit flavors is all but missing for me.

It's not that I enjoy being harsh when commenting on beers that I try and feel do not hit the mark, but I suppose that Old Rasputin was a bit of a disappointment for me. It's not bad, but to be frank, it's not as good as I expected. Before you get the wrong idea, I realize that Imperial Stouts (and any Stouts or Porters for that matter) have a longer ladder to climb in terms of "ease of drinkability" (I just coined that term, thank-you) but I've had better. It's not a standard-bearer.