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Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Novato, California
BJCP Category: 13A Dry Stout
Moylan’s Brewery <visit site>
40
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[expand]Total Score: 42/50
A malt-focused stout emphasizing roasted malt rather than roasted barley at the upper end of the OG range for the style, but not the upper end of the bitterness range. Roasted barley would have added depth more >
[close]Total Score: 42/50
Aroma: Chocolate malt aroma dominates. No coffee-like roasted barley aroma. Low to medium earthy hop aroma. Low fruity esters. No diacetyl. No DMS. No apparent alcohol aroma. (10/12)
Appearance: Black with ruby highlights. Opaque. Dense, tan, long-lasting head. Almost like it was packaged on nitrogen, although it wasn’t. (3/3)
Flavor: Chocolate/roasted malt dominates without coffee-like roasted barley character. Low earthy hop flavor. Medium hop bitterness. Very malty. Finishes a little sweet for a dry stout. Some mineral notes, chalky and a bit salty. Light acidic tang. Low fruity fermentation esters. Balanced toward malt. No DMS. No diacetyl. No apparent alcohol flavor. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Acidity creates a lighter mouthfeel impression. No alcohol warming. Creamy and smooth with a little chalky, mineral mouthfeel. Slight malt astringency. (4/5)
Overall Impression: A malt-focused stout emphasizing roasted malt rather than roasted barley at the upper end of the OG range for the style, but not the upper end of the bitterness range. Roasted barley would have added depth and complexity. Well made and very drinkable. Bigger than draught session versions of the style. This sweeter dry stout goes especially well with oysters and desserts. (8/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 43/50
Exhibits a well balanced blend of roastiness, dark chocolate, and coffee-like acidity, with a hint of black currants for complexity. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Mocha chocolate coffee at first, backed up with moderately strong brown sugar sweetness. Low notes of black currant esters; no diacetyl; no hop aroma. (10/12)
Appearance: Opaque deep black/brown with hints of ruby highlights when held to the light. Substantial brown head is somewhat persistent; it falls slowly to a fine layer of foam and a thick ring around the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Cocoa powder and mocha coffee malt dominate at first, balanced by a medium-low dark brown sugar molasses sweetness in the background. No hop flavor, but a low bitterness becomes more pronounced as the sample moves across the tongue. A light roast acidity provides a pleasant, sharp, somewhat fruity black currant note, reminiscent of high quality, high-cocoa-content baking chocolate. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, with a creamy texture and moderately low carbonation. A bit of astringency accentuates a dry finish with a suggestion of an almost chalky impression that never quite materializes. Very low alcoholic warmth. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Exhibits a well balanced blend of roastiness, dark chocolate, and coffee-like acidity, with a hint of black currants for complexity. This is a great food beer that would go well with chocolate raspberry cake, black cherry cordials, a roast beef sandwich, or even a veggie lasagne, but can serve equally well as a hydraulic sandwich on a lazy, rainy weekend. (9/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 39/50
Solid example of a Dry Irish Stout, and this would be a very good session beer. A little more roast barley would enhance the aroma, bitterness, and mouthfeel without making the beer aggressively roasty more >
[close]Total Score: 39/50
Aroma: Lightly roasted coffee beans waft out of the glass, with a hint of bitter chocolate and vanilla underneath. No burnt notes or sharpness. The ester profile is clean, and there is no diacetyl. I do pick up some sulfur notes as it warms. (10/12)
Appearance: Pours with a bountiful, creamy, beige head. The clarity is pristine, the head retention is superb, and the black-opaque color is as expected. Nicely done. (3/3)
Flavor: Very smooth from start to finish, perhaps a little too much so. There are light roast malt flavors that include nutty, coffee, and chocolate notes, but the complexity is diminished compared to classic examples of the style. The bitterness is medium-low, which elevates the apparent sweetness rather than yielding a classic dry finish. Low fruit esters are present in just enough strength to benchmark this beer as an ale without interfering with other flavors. Light grainy and sour notes help round out the finish. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Good creaminess from the excellent conditioning, and the light-medium body is appropriate without being too big for style. A little astringency would be welcome to add another dimension. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Solid example of a Dry Irish Stout, and this would be a very good session beer. A little more roast barley would enhance the aroma, bitterness, and mouthfeel without making the beer aggressively roasty. A little more hop bitterness might also be appropriate, but I would only tweak one aspect at a time since it is already an excellent beer. (7/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 38/50
The toffee quality is a little unusual but it does make it quite smooth and drinkable. The bitterness isn’t over the top, and there is no harshness at all—great! Could be drier to my taste, but the roast more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Smooth coffee roast with a caramelly-sweet accent and a hint of milk chocolate. No hops. Very little esters. Caramel character is a little unusual—has a toffee-like aroma. No sharp aromatics. Like a coffee with one of those caramel flavorings added. (9/12)
Appearance: Tall head with deep tan color, settled a bit fast. Brownish-black color. Opaque. (3/3)
Flavor: Smooth coffee and dark chocolate flavor with medium to medium-high bitterness slightly offset in finish with a light caramelly sweetness. No hop flavor. Very light esters. Off-dry finish. Aftertaste is mostly roast with a clean bitterness and a light toffee sweetness. Seems fairly clean. The bitterness isn’t aggressive and the coffee character is subtle. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy palate. Light roast astringency in finish. Medium-high carbonation—seems on the high side. Medium-full body. Not warming. (4/5)
Overall Impression: The toffee quality is a little unusual but it does make it quite smooth and drinkable. The bitterness isn’t over the top, and there is no harshness at all—great! Could be drier to my taste, but the roast does add a little dryness of its own in the aftertaste. Quite tasty. More like a Murphy’s than a Guinness. Sweeter than many with less of a pure coffee flavor. Really does remind me of a not-too-strong coffee with caramel flavoring added. (7/10)
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