So there I was
this evening, seated at the bar at Summit’s Wayside Tavern. I was ready for
a beer, as you might imagine. I perused the brew menu, as I am wont to do,
in search of a new beer. What’s this? Bare Knuckle Stout, form
Missouri? Hadn’t had that before. So I naturally gave it a try.
Admittedly, I was skeptical about this beer. It is an Anheuser-Busch product
after all, and for those of you who have been hiding in a cave for the past
hundred years or so, this is the company that brings us Budweiser. So how
good could this stout be?
Before I go on, I need to add that this is a stout poured on nitrogen to
give it a creamy, smooth and luxuriant head. Extra credit to you if you can
guess where Anheuser-Busch got the idea for that. Can you say Guinness? I
knew you could.
Guinness is truly the 800 Gorilla among stouts. So I suppose it’s natural
that Anheuser-Busch would go after a share of their market. But how
successful can they be? Guinness drinkers are a loyal breed after all, and
if they aren’t drinking Guinness, they just might be drinking Murphy’s or
Beamish.
But a stout brewed by an American megabrewer? Let’s see what
Anheuser-Busch has to say for themselves:
Stout lovers all over the world will appreciate its smooth Irish
character and strong American spirit - a domestic stout of the finest
quality, using only the best ingredients to achieve its rich taste and
creamy head. .
I can honestly applaud Anheuser-Busch for wanting to make a stout. I really
can. After all, we beer geeks constantly complain about the large brewers
making “dumbed-down” lagers that have no flavor. We admonish them for
selling swill to the public. So, when they try to make something with
a bit more flavor, shouldn’t we be happy?
Bare Knuckle Stout certainly has more flavor than just about any beer
you’ve tried from Anheuser-Busch. It pours to a deep black color with a
thick creamy tan head from the nitrogen pour, and lots of Brussels lace
clings to the side of your glass all the way down.
As you sip, there’s a touch of roasty flavor here, as well as a little bit
of chocolate. The flavors are fairly restrained for the most part, however.
The beer is creamy and very drinkable, and in the finish it has just a touch
of roasty bitterness to balance it out.
But Guinness has nothing to worry about, I think. Bare Knuckle Stout is
thinner in body, much less roasty, and lacks the light sourness that makes
Guinness so quenching. You’ll never mistake a Bare Knuckle Stout for a
Guinness.
Still, kudos to Anheuser-Busch for the effort. Imitation, they say, is the
most sincere form of flattery. And with just a bit of tweaking, this decent
and drinkable stout could give the Irish stouts a run for their money yet.
But not quite yet.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft