Uncommon Stout by Bent River Brewing

This is a beer I got from a friend of mine who went up to Moline, IL where Bent River Brewing is located. This is called Uncommon Stout. It is pretty highly rated stout. Beer Advocate gives it an 87. On Rate Beer, it received a 96. As far as stouts go, it is supposed to be a pretty good beer so I was looking forward to tasting it.

Having said all of that, I did not like it. When I poured it into a glass and smelled it, I got flashbacks to when I smoked. The beer smelled like a dirty ashtray. Now, I know that it is the roasted malts that I was smelling but that's not what I was getting.

The taste is that same very roasted malt and ashtray. I had a hard time really tasting anything else. I finish my beer no matter how it tastes. I am not wasting beer. As I was finishing my glass, I could taste the coffee pretty heavily. I will say that the last sip was a tad bit better than my last sip.

I am going to give this beer 2 hop flowers because it finished a little bit better. I would like to try a fresher glass and then maybe change my thoughts.

Bent River Brewing Company