AleSmith Speedway Stout - Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Coffee
Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with Vietnamese coffee. We traditionally brew gallons of Vietnamese Coffee with a phin-style filter that gently percolates water through ground coffee. The result is a chocolatey and bold tasting coffee that perfectly complements the notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon barrel in this massive barrel-aged stout, a true AleSmith legend.
14.2%
(from 2022 label)
14.2%
(from 2022 label)
4.3
221 reviews
San Diego, United States
Community reviews
On tap at the Flying Saucer. Black with a brown head. Rich. Coffee, chocolate and bourbon barrel. Sweet and roasted taste with just a hint of alcohol. Full bodied and smooth.
Tap at kool keg. Pitch black pour. Opaque. Brown ring of head. Small bubbles. Big chocolate aroma. Sweet milk chocolate, some coffee roast and tobacco. Full bodied and thick. Big time chocolate syrup, raisins, coffee ground and roasted grain. Fairly smooth finish. Alcohol is hidden. Damn.
good taste and mouth feel，overall it's a great stout.
750ml (thx, Brian S.!) @ Andrey's in honor of his birthday. Vintage 2017.
Appearance: dark brown with the same color head.
Aroma: nice molasses and bourbon, lots of chocolate, maybe some slight spices.
Taste: along the same lines, medium body.
Overall: pretty complex and nice beer.
Aromas of decadent chocolate toffee cocoa toffee bourbon malted barley oak cinnamon espresso roasted barely cappuccino mocha black malts vanilla barrel wood sawdust corkscrew creme brûlée fudge brownie batter and toasted caramel. Taste is slick chocolate syrup cocoa nibs vanilla toffee biscotti graham cracker marshmallows toasted coconut creme brûlée malted barley oak creamy black malts immense espresso dark roasted coffee cappuccino candies caramel caramelized alcohol sugars sugared dates figs raisins oats dried malt extract wort malt noticeable ale yeast dark cacao corkscrew barrel wood bourbon sawdust and candied apricot. Overall, what a beauty. The pinnacle of bourbon aged stouts. Perfect sweetness. Heavy coffee and chocolate and a pillow of creamy vanilla.
Taster from a Bottle (2013 vintage) Black with brown head. Roasted malts, coffee, barrel, Chocolate.
Tasted from bottle. Pours black with tan head. Huge coffee aroma with some bourbon. Taste is thick and chewy. No booziness to it. Flavors of caramel, molasses, coffee, cocoa, bourbon. Dangerously drinkable.
Tap at AleSmith Brewery Tap Room
Aroma: well rounded roasted aroma, caramel, coffee. But this beer really have a great balanced flavor. The coffee, malt and bourbon scents are all there and very distinct. High definition, and great smell. Usually, a stout will have multiple levels of smells and they would be blended together, but this stout have all scents and they are very easy to pick out. And it's the authentic coffee, authentic roasty smell. 4.6/5
Appearance: At a certain stage when everything is correct, I look for the corners. This beer hits all the marks, and what I have to say is the lace. Truly beautiful. Great lace retention. 4.6/5
Flavor: again, very similar to the aroma, this beer is great on all flavors, and the barrel aging just make all the flavors more balanced and all rounded. I can clearly take the bourbon, caramel, vanilla, coffee, malt. I would say this is indeed THE BEST STOUT I have tried so far. 4.75/5
Mouthfeel: smooth, thick, full body, but with all the good sides on bourbon. 4.5/5
Overall: The reason why I love this beer is because it just brings all the designed flavors in a very great way. Since they have another blue mountain coffee stout version, and this Vietnamese coffee is just a bit better. I don't wanna give it a 10/10 since you never know if there are more good stuff outta there. 18/20.
5Dec2018 Intense dark chocolate, cacao, dark roast, rich coffee, roasted hazelnuts, slightly burnt caramel. Hazy, very dark brown, hardly any head. Light bitter. More dark chocolate, cacao, dark roast malts, dark chocolate cake, dark roast filter coffee, slightly sweetened, mocha smoothie, oily texture, very soft carbonation, full bodied. Outstanding, rich and well-balanced. Bottle sample provided by Theydon_Bois – thanks!
2016 750ml bottle. Pours pitch black in color and topped by a small tan layer of foam that settles in quickly to a thin film and leaves streaks of lace around the glass. The aroma is nice showing notes of dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, earthy roasted malt, some toasted hazelnuts and oak laden vanilla along with a soft touch of bourbon over a dark toasted caramel malt base. The flavor follows suit with the notes of rich dark chocolate and darkly roasted coffee and earthy bitterness up front and backed up nicely by the burnt caramel and the dark roasted malt base. As it warms the bourbon and oak laden vanilla really shine along with a nice nutty character. Really nice balance between the rich and roasty coffee and the bourbon barrel. Full bodied and smooth with soft carbonation that leads to a lengthy dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, and bourbon oak finish that just lingers long after each sip. Really nice coffee and excellent execution with the bourbon barrel aging with no sign of alcohol. Awesome imperial stout.
Bottle, many thanks anstei! Black color with beige head. Aroma is coffee, bourbon, super intense, but also balanced. Taste is bourbon, coffee, chocolate. Super smooth mouthfeel with fine-bubbled carbonation. Hard to improve on this one, it's worth all the praise!
Bottle. Aroma is indeed bourbon barrel aged Vietnamese Speedway. Slightly burnt, but also super balanced, with great intensity and flavours. An outstanding beer which deserves all the praise. Very close to perfection.
To już 40-ty Imperial Stout z Top50 RateBeer, który mam okazję degustować. Kiedyś obiecałem sobie, że jak spróbuje 40-tu RIS-ów ze ścisłej czołówki RB, przestanę gonić za piwnym hajpem ;)
Nie spodziewałem się, że ten dzień tak szybko nadejdzie i w dość szybkim tempie dojdę do tego poziomu.
Ba! Nie zamierzam się nawet wycofać i dalej podążam w poszukiwaniu tzw. beer whalez.
Zostało już ich na prawdę niewiele (oczywiście mowa o tych nieodhaczonych w Top50 RB;). Niektóre będą niezwykle ciężkie do zdobycia, ale wierzę, że uda mi się kiedyś wypełnić ranking powiedzmy do poziomu 45/50.
Cheers!🍻
Alkohol: 12% obj.
Wersja: 2016
Kolor: Czarny jak oczy diabła. Kompletny brak przejrzystości.
Piana: Trudna do zidentyfikowania, ponieważ po odkapslowaniu pojawił się mocny gushing. Beżowy kolor i struktura składająca się z małych, beżowych oczek.
Szybko skurczyła się do obrączki pozostawiając ładne krążki na ściankach.
Zapach: Niezapomniany, wszechobecny aromat.
Jest tutaj wiele warstw wtajemniczenia.
Beczka po bourbonie wnosi intensywną woń czekolady, cukierków Kukułek, wanilii i przypalonego karmelu.
Tuż za nią podąża aromatyczna, mocno palona kawa.
Kroku również dotrzymują akcenty lodów śmietankowych, kakao, marcepanu i mokrej dębiny. Na ostatniej prostej dobiega cukier trzcinowy i melasa.
Zapach układa się w poszczególne warstwy i otwiera się z czasem jak kwiat.
Smak: Na języku, gładziutkie, jedwabiste już od pierwszego łyka.
W ustach rozpływa się mleczna czekolada, kakao, orzechy migdałowe, Nutella i przypalony karmel. Kawa ma słodki profil i umiarkowany stopień nut palonych.
Słodycz wafelków kokosowych, drewna dębowego oraz beczkowej wanilii wypełnia i głaszcze podniebienie.
Posmak cukierków Kopiko oraz Kukułek wypełnionych chrupiącym karmelem i czekoladą, przez długi czas utrzymuje się w ustach. Piwo chociaż ma wysoką pełnię i jest niezmiernie syte i treściwe, charakteryzuje się dość wyraźnym palonym finiszem.
Tekstura jak wcześniej już wspomniałem jest gęsta jak olej silnikowy.
Ukrycie procentów - arcymistrzowskie.
Sama radość! Sztosiwo warte swojego hajpu!
Wysycenie: Niskie.
Podsumowanie:
BBVSS uwodzi smakiem i powala aromatem.
Kryje w sobie bogactwo różnorodnych nut smakowo-zapachowych.
Profil beczkowy jest niezapomniany, chociaż kawa nie jest aż tak esencjonalna, jakbym się tego spodziewał.
Balans i wielowarstwowość to dwie najważniejsze cechy tego trunku.
Prawdopodobnie najlepsze piwo AleSmith i w 100%-ch najlepsze z serii Speedway Stout.
Bottle from one of my IP trades with rischiesd, massive thanks! Pours a pitch black color and a brown head with little retention. Aroma's: roasted, umami, wood, bourbon, vanilla, some chocolate and coffee. Retronasal it's sweetish, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, a bit dark fruit. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, chocolatey, light roasty, bourbon, just delicious. Full bodied. Not too boozy. Long finish, with some wood, dark chocolate, roast, light bitterness. Superb!
Black color with brownish head. Aroma is a bit spicy with chocolate notes, bourbon and some booze. Taste has roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, bourbon in the background. Medium plus body with soft carbonation. Overall it's a really nice, well rounded imperial coffee stout.
75cl Bottle, massive thanks for sharing Kermis! Black colour, beige head. Aroma of perfect barrel ageing, soft bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, smooth coffee well-integrated in the beer, very fruity, roast, fudge. Flavour is sweet, lovely deep roast, soft smooth coffee, oak, vanilla, subtle bourbon, chocolate, fudge, bitter finish. Full bodied, slick. Are you paying attention green apple-loving Dutch brewers? This is how you barrel age a beer.
W aromacie kawa arabica, lekka paloność, bardzo intensywne nuty beczkowe. w smaku półwytrawne. Na finiszu znów przyjemna kawa, delikatna gorzka czekolada i subtelna paloność. alkohol szlachetny, dobre ciało, aczkolwiek mogłoby być większe. Po ogrzaniu sporo zyskuje na intensywności. bardzo dobre piwo
Barwa nieprzejrzyscie czarna z brunatna pianka. W aromacie jest bardzo duzo irlandzkiej whisky, mega wloskie espresso, bardzo prosty aromat mega palony z przelamanymi waniliowo/migdalowymi klimatami. W smaku jest palonosc i beczka. Mega klasyk ale troche przymalo cialo. Piwo mega nadrabia szlachetnym alkoholem, super klasycznym risem beczkowym. Klasa swiatowa. Po ogrzaniu i odgazowaniu jest jeszcze lepiej. 4.35/5
Pours black with low tan head. Aroma of coffee, mocha, vanilla, chocolate, can’t pick up any bourbon on the nose but this is world class as far as aroma goes! Taste is chocolate, mellow coffee, bit of vanilla, not tok much bourbon again, very balanced. Rich and creamy body with soft carbonation.
Bottle thanks Klimaet. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, milk chocolate, coffee, oak, roast malt. Black with tan head. Taste is moderate sweet, light bitter, light coffee, bourbon, oak. Full body, oily feel and bourbon roasted malt finish.
One of my favorite BA coffee beers. B2 poured full of barrel and coffee aroma. Flavors are same as the nose. Coffee, barrel, vanilla and toffee. Amazing. This has been a longtime favorite of mine.
0,75l bottle at Sanders shared by Sander, big thanks. drunk about 10 days ago. BB 2021. black color, small coffee colored head. smells bourbon, licorice, earthy, caramel, peppery, coffee, very nice smell. full body, soft carbonation, slick mouthfeel. tastes of bourbon, licorice, earthy, coffee, peppery, bitter chooclate. finishes medium roasty bitter with notes of bitter chocolate, coffee and earthy notes. very very nice one. great, balance very good to drink.. great.
8, 4, 9, 4, 17
650 ml bottle at Sander's place courtesy of Sander, many thanks! Pours a nearly black dark mahogany with a light brown head. Aroma of coffee, roasted malt, hazelnuts and caramel. Full body with a soft carbonation, a light to medium bitterness and a light to medium sweetness along with some noticeable alcohol. The flavor is similar to the aroma with more bourbon character, sweetish roasted malt, cocoa, dark chocolate and lots of mild coffee. Finishes with wood, bourbon, vanilla and some sweet roasted malt. Delicious!
Aroma: 9
Appearance: 4
Taste: 8
Palate: 4
Overall: 17
Score: 9 / 4 / 8 / 4 / 17
650 ml bottle shared by Sander, many thanks!
Black body, with a medium, creamy, dark fruits head.
Aroma of bourbon, melting dark chocolate, coconut, coffee,
Tastes similar, with subtle alcohol.
Medium, creamy mouthfeel, with a low carbonation.
Finishes medium roasty, medium sweet, with dark chocolate, coffee, bourbon, cocoa.
Delicous! Very balanced and smooth to drink. Lovely chocolate and bourbon notes throughout. Not fully on par with the regular Speedway for me, but another outstanding Imperial Stout by AleSmith.
Aroma of chocolate, licorice, coffee, toffee, bourbon, caramel. Intense. Taste of custardy vanilla, licorice, chocolate sauce, nuts. Velvety mouthfeel.
Nice, dark opaque colour. Massive coffee, lot of whisky (completely different from bourbon flavours though) little bit of vanilla, litle sour, chocolate, cocoa, marzipan, caramel, some cookies. Very strong alcohol, as for 12% - no need to drink fresh. Nice texture, oily body, but little disappointing for the legend.
Bottle shared at Aaron's. A gusher. Dark Chocolate and coffee and a medium mouthfeel. Ok.
750ml bottle shared with brother at parents house. Aroma: typical Alesmith Bourbon aroma, vanilla, lots of chocolate, lots of complex coffee. App: really dark brown with some red / burgundy tint, minimal to no head. Taste and palate: full body, so so smooth, medium high sweetness, soft carbonation, light to moderate high bitter and alcohol finish probably coming from the coffee. Overall: this is so well made. I so love the nose of this beer. The bourbon is so much present just like the "regular" BA but with a great touch of coffee. Perfect balance! Excellent!
23-09-17 // bottle shared at Zwanze Day 2017 @ Mon Petit Café Stuttgart. Thanks for sharing! Awesome beer! Deep black brown. Aroma of choclate, coffee beans, roasted coffee, Bourbon. Full bodied. Mild spices, vanilla. Dry coffee finish.
Pitch black pour, smaller tan head. Gobs of lace. Aroma of rich coffee, roasted malt, whiskey, fudge. Taste is nearly indescribable.... Fudge brownie, light bourbon, rich, freshly roasted and ground coffee, wood, light chestnut. Thick full body, oily mouthfeel, and not boozy in the least bit. Incredible!