This evening it's a Tropical Stout-Off between me and
@pilgrimhudd
First up, Tropical Stout by
@pilgrimhudd
1.067 -> 1.012 => 7.5% ABV
Nice tan head that sticks around and leaves the glass. Carbonation spot on, modest but sufficient.
Initially I thought it had more body, quite thick, but it's actually medium and certainly drinkable.
To begin with I thought it was kinda raisiney, but maybe it's more chocolatey - perhaps fruit and nut without the nut, with the hint of fruitiness presumably coming from the yeast.
I don't get any overt hoppiness. But it certainly works: It's not excessively dry. It's not too sweet. There's enough malt character there to keep it interesting without being overly roasty or ashy.
Based on the initial review from
@pilgrimhudd I suspect the flavours have rounded off a bit as it has conditioned. It's very nice and certainly very drinkable.
I see what you mean about it lacking a certain something but I'm damned if I know what - maybe worth playing with a more colourful yeast and maybe a combination of dark crystal malts and Special-B or similar???
But for sure I'd pay for a pint of this, and another one, with no complaints. Good work fella
And next, Tropical Stout by erm... me:
1.079 -> 1.023 => 7.7% ABV
Nice tan-brown head again - the head says it's more carbonated but it certainly doesn't drink "gassy". Decent lacing on the glass though.
I'm really struggling to avoid a cliché here but what the hell... it's like Terry's chocolate orange in a milkshake in a stout.
There's a lot going on - it's sweet but not cloyingingly so, more of a malt sweetness with lots of depth with the variety of malts in there.
I seriously doubt it fits the style with the orange notes coming through from the Amarillo & Citra dry hop - strong American Stout would probably be more apt. But it's certainly a tasty beer.
(Also interesting to note that my recent and much lower strength American Stout is much drier and more roasty - same yeast so I wonder if it's down to the different water additions)
I think my one is richer and has a much fuller mouthfeel than
@pilgrimhudd 's, which is more drinkable. I suspect this has a lot to do with the fact that despite similar ABV's, each beer has a very different OG & FG.
But no mistake, both were really enjoyable, albeit totally different, interpretations of the style