Epic Brewing - 825 State Stout Release #23

Epic always makes a good beer. The 825 Stout is no exception. My only complaint: the 825 Stout strikes me more as a black Porter and the Galloway Porter strikes me more as a brown Stout.

What is the difference between a Stout and a Porter? Not a whole lot really. Primarily it's marketing and shades of color and shades of roastiness.

If you blind taste test beers marketed as porters vs. those marketed as stouts, you'll be hard pressed to find a clear commercial distinction between the two.

My personal bias comes down to the level of roastiness. If more chocolate-coffee flavors come through -> porter. If more coffee-espresso flavors come through -> stout.

The 825 Stout always hits me as a chocolate-coffee beer. The Galloway Porter hits me as a coffee-espresso beer.

Lets be clear though: no coffee, espresso, or chocolate is in these beers. The flavor comes from different roasted malts.

Dark brownish/black. Short, tan creamy head. Light hops. Lots of maltiness. Not much on the aroma, but that could be my plugged sinuses. Carbonation is light with a slight ticking sound. Some creaminess. Opaque when held to the light. Hops are floral.

Roastiness is present in a light coffee flavor. It is not so strong to come across as espresso. Chocolate malt flavors are more present than roasted barley notes.

Its an all around excellent beer.