Echigo Stout

 

          As I ready this review for publication, I can’t decide if I’m going blind in my old age or if I just can’t navigate the information superhighway. Either way, it took me forever to find anything approaching a website for the company making the beer I’m reviewing today. After asking Google to translate the website for me, I found nothing helpful. Poor me, suffering the burdens of having to do research before posting a review. So, let’s tackle this from another angle: exactly what kind of stout is this?

As I refer to the BJCP style guidelines, I take a process of elimination approach to figuring out what kind of stout Echigo is offering me. At 7% abv, it’s too strong to be a traditional Irish stout, and not strong enough to be a Russian imperial stout. It lacks the complex, rich mouthfeel of an oatmeal stout but does have the sweetness of a milk stout. The alcohol content and hints of roasted grains make me think this might be a Japanese version of a foreign extra stout. Until I hear otherwise, that’s what I’m going with. Echigo Stout pours into my glass jet black with a dense, cream colored head.

          Taking a sniff, Echigo’s aroma is sweeter than I expected. Echigo’s aroma is also more subdued than I expected, given that it’s a stronger than average stout. It starts off with the sweetness I’ve seen in milk stouts. From there, I find hints of deep malt and the obligatory roasted grains. The aromas are very pleasant, just not as assertive as you would expect from a strong stout.

          Echigo Stout is full bodied, lush, and smooth. Malt flavors come forward in a way similar to dried fruits somewhere between raisins and dates. Up front smoothness gives a brief illusion of sweetness before moving into darker, maltier flavors. Towards the finish there’s a hint of roasted grains, giving a finish similar to what you’d find in a dark roast coffee. Roasted coffee moves into a brief, dry finish.

          I think Echigo stout deserves a 6.25 out of 10. It’s fine, but nothing in this stout really stands out in any way. The aroma isn’t as robust as I would expect in a stout, let alone a stout over 6% abv. The mouthfeel is smooth, the finish is roasted but there isn’t an overall balance to the beer’s flavor. Interesting example of the style, but there is some room for improvement in my opinion.