Feature Beer Friday! - Red Stripe Dragon Stout

Huh?  A stout from Red Stripe?  Yeah, that's what I thought too, but apparently it does exist. In fact, Desnoes & Geddes, who brew Red Stripe, have a few other stouts in their lineup, inlcuding Guinness, but since D&G is owned by Diageo, that makes perfect sense.  I always knew that Jamaica was one of the brewery locations for Guinness but I never realized it was the same brewery that did Red Stripe.

Followed all that?  Great!  The real point is that "Red Stripe" brews a stout, and we had one to try. It comes in at 7.5% alcohol, and is listed on BeerAdvocate as a Foreign / Export Stout, which is a little stronger than a normal Dry Irish Stout, but not huge like a Russian Imperial Stout.  They are traditionally brewed in tropical climates and made to last a little longer before going bad.  Well, Jamaica classifies as tropical in my book, and it had to survive the journey to the USA... so here goes...

Reviewers: Eric Ducote (BR Beer Scene), Jay Ducote (Bite And Booze), Brenton Day (The Ale Runner), Chuck Pierce (Me And My Big Mouth), and Kevin Cowan.

Serving: 12 oz. bottle.

Appearance: Dark, with an off-white head. Hints of ruby but a general stout-ish appearance.

Aroma: Fruity and malty... odd to pick up fruit notes in this one. Jay and Brenton also picked up on some fruit notes so it's not just me.  

Taste: A little thin, not all that roasted, still some fruit flavors that are odd for the style. A little chocolate flavor as well.  

Mouthfeel: Thin. 

Overall: Honestly, it's not a bad beer, but it's mislabeled as a stout. I'm not sure what a better style would be... maybe some sort of English Old Ale, but not as strong as those typically run.  All said, I'd drink it again, but I'm not going to run out to buy more. 

Overall Rating: 66
My Rating: 61