Gritty Mcduff's Black Fly Stout

Review Date 4/9/1998  By John Staradumsky

  Style: Stout   Brewery: Gritty Mcduff's   Country: USA   State: Maine   $ Per OZ: N/A   ABV: 4.1%

I have often enjoyed this beer on the beer engine at the brewpub, where it can be pure bliss, and one of the finest stouts I've ever imbibed. It's an excellent dry stout, and at times has been a dead ringer for a pint of Guinness. Tonight I'm tasting the bottled version, and though not identical to the brewpub stuff, it is a truly delicious pint.

Bottled Blackfly builds a big creamy tan head when you pour it. There is plenty of roasted barley in the nose, and even more in the palate, where it joins with black patent and crystal to give a coffeeish, very bittersweet-chocolatey character with plenty of dextrin texture. The Ringwood is a bit more apparent than in the brewpub version, but is really overwhelmed by all the roasty notes and the impressive bitter finish. Willamette, Styrian Goldings, Clusters, and British Columbia Kents are used to good effect. An excellent dry stout.

Glad I tried it?  T