Bring in the old! No. 38 Stout that is.
Naming a stout after a train can really go wrong: either by implying a certain coal-tar flavor (mmmm…burnt), or with a foreshadow to the effect the stout will have on your head after drinking. Lucky for me, neither apply to North Coast Brewing’s Old #38 Stout. Its more like a smooth ride down a track of air than the smoky clackety rumble its name implies. This stuff is good. Real good. Smooth, and “just right” flavorful, it puts to shame all the stouts that feel the need to brew themselves with some other flavor to mask the funk (Abyss excepted of course).
I had never seen this before, and frankly found it in the bargain bin of Market of Choice. I’m not sure why, but if I see a 6 pack of this lying around, it will most certainly become an automatic buy. If you can find it, I give a hearty thumbs up, as its now one of my favorite stouts of all time.(Sorry Black Seal, it was a good run)