Ground Control
Ninkasi Brewing Company in Eugene, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Regular|
Score
7.56
|
|
Special Release Series. Seven years after we started brewing in Oregon, we decided the sky was not the limit. One year, two rockets and countless lab hours later, we successfully launched a payload of brewer’s yeast into outer space with the help of rocket scientists. After a much awaited return to Earth, the mission of creating space beer is now complete. Ground Control boldly combines local and out-of-this-world ingredients. This rich, complex Imperial Stout is brewed with Oregon hazelnuts, star anise and cocoa nibs, and fermented with an Ale yeast that survived a trip to space and back. Mankind will enjoy the sweet finesse of this beer that only fares better with time.
Sign up to add a tick or review
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Ninkasi Ground Control
Bottle shared at tasting. Opaque black color, average to decent sized beige head. Aroma is malts, roasty a bit. Flavor is malts, roast, dark chocolate, espresso notes lightly, distant hazelnut, chocolate and espresso bitters, cocoa. Very pleasant, very enjoyable. 8-8,5-8-8-8
Bottle shared at tasting. Opaque black color, average to decent sized beige head. Aroma is malts, roasty a bit. Flavor is malts, roast, dark chocolate, espresso notes lightly, distant hazelnut, chocolate and espresso bitters, cocoa. Very pleasant, very enjoyable. 8-8,5-8-8-8
Tried
on 05 Nov 2025
at 22:18
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Gedeeld door Keukenman, geprobeerd met Benzai en Roelzie. Het is een diep donkerbruin tot zwart bier met een bruinig schuim. Het heeft een aroma gebrande mout en een aroma van anijs en kokos. De smaak is vol gebrande mout, chocolade en kokos.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Nov 2025
at 14:01
8.4/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
On tap. 2017 Vintage. Pours black with full foamy tan head. Aromas of chocolate and roasted malts. Flavors of vanilla beans, creamy coffee, rich chocolate and roasted malts. Has aged well.
Tried
from Draft
on 20 Oct 2019
at 22:33
8.5/10
Mmm!Especially for Thanksgiving!
Tried
on 23 Nov 2018
at 22:44
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
Bottle condition. Black pour with tan head. Aroma is nut, anise and chocolate. Malty taste, all over the mouth with chocolate and roast. Full finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jun 2018
at 22:07
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
2015 vintage. Bottle from Whole Foods. Holds up nicely. Dark brown, small skin of beige head. Roasty aroma some molasses, a hint of booze. Taste is full on roasty, chocolate, molasses. Mildly sweet, mildly bitter. Smooth AF. Should have bought more.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Mar 2018
at 05:03
7.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle. Pours a jet black color with a medium off white head. A big sweet roast, chocolate and dark fruit nose. The flavor is sugary sweet dark fruit, toffee, caramel, dark milky chocolate. Very good. Slick palate.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Jan 2016
at 01:45
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Black with a dark beige head. Aroma is full of toasty malt, chocolate, dark fruits, booze, vanilla, hazelnut. Thick and smooth body. Flavor is full of roasted malts, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, hazelnut, light spice. Noticeable booze in the finish but smooth and not harsh. Has a rich, sweet, chocolaty finish, too. Very enjoyable. I guess the space stuff is gimmicky but they made a good brew out of it.
Tried
on 27 Dec 2015
at 00:15
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
I couldn’t stomach the price the 22oz bomber this was going for (about $20). Luckily I waited and grabbed 32oz growler for half the price of the 22oz-er. Cool. The growler pours with a nice dark body that supports a thin tan head. The aroma offers up dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, sweet mineral sort of yeastiness and hazelnut. Interesting. The taste delivers smooth sweetened rich chocolate blended into nuttiness and molasses and dark roasted malts. To midway it picks up sweetened black licorice like spices, yeasty spices and some malt to molasses sweetness. Overall the spices and yeast notes distract from the roasty to chocolate goodness trying to happen here.
Tried
from Growler
on 13 Dec 2015
at 21:10
8/10
Beer brewed with yeast that was sent into space. Thanks random Barley Legal home brew club member for the bottle.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Dec 2015
at 21:17