Samuel Adams Cream Stout (Alcohol Content: 4.69 percent)The Boston Beer Co.

Four out of four mugs

Cold, blustery weather calls for a hearty beer that will keep you warm and toasty on the inside. Few brews do the trick as well as the Samuel Adams Cream Stout.

Stouts first originated back in the United Kingdom during the 18th century. The beer style has since branched out into subgenres by region (American, Irish, Russian Imperial and English) and by flavor (chocolate, cream, oatmeal). The common themes among all the styles are dark colors, heavy foam and rich textures.

Sam Adams’ cream stout fits the bill to perfection.

It pours a pitch black. A finger and a half of khaki-colored head sits atop the beer and remains there after each gulp. Intricate patterns of laced foam stick to the sides of the glass as the beer is consumed because of the unmalted barley – which increases head retention – used in the brewing process.

Smells of espresso and whole wheat are prominent in the beer. Aromas of vanilla and toasted graham cracker rise briefly after the stronger initial smells dissipate.

A malted espresso taste dominates any other flavor in the brew. The warm, smoky stout flavor lingers long after the beer is swallowed. After a few sips, the beer’s stronger, bitter taste begins to give way to a sweet, wheat bread-type of finish.

The cream stout feels rich and robust on the palette. It falls short of the milkshake quality of Guinness, but it definitely contains the minimal carbonation and velvety texture required of a great stout.

Sierra Nevada Porter (Alcohol Content: 5.6 percent)Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

One out of four mugs

Perhaps it was poured wrong, but the beer smelled like marijuana and tasted like beets. A porter’s typical smell and flavor: chocolate or coffee.

Harp Lager (Alcohol Content: 5 percent)Guinness Ltd.

Two out of four

A crisp, tangy smell pairs well with the brew’s lemon and straw flavors. Consider it the imported version of Budweiser.

Delirium Tremens (Alcohol Content: 9 percent)Brouwerij Huyghe

Three out of four

Lively carbonation creates a mouth sensation rarely experienced with beers. Strong fruity aromas and flavors mask Tremens’ high alcohol content.

Published on November 7, 2007 at 12:00 pm