Phantom Punch Winter Stout
Baxter Brewing Co. in Lewiston, Maine, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Foreign / Extra Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.04
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To honor our city's history, Baxter has named its winter stout in celebration of this event. Phantom Punch is a Foreign Extra Stout with a hearty 6.8% ABV. Its deep black hue and rich tan head complement the full, but not overly heavy, body. Roasted and toasted malts dominate the flavor, with hints of caramel and strong notes of chocolate.
Roasted cocoa nibs reinforce the malty chocolate, while real vanilla beans suggest a touch of sweetness without weighing down the brew. Lastly, Phantom Punch has just enough British hops to balance the stout's maltiness.
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Fresh can, Winter 2012-2013
Plentiful dark beige head tops this magenta-tinged ebony beer. Not opaque. Medium retention.
Lots of berry character; plums, blackberries, even a tart cherry like note. This gives way to light vanilla and dry roastiness, with only an afterthought of sweetness from the malts. Alcohol is well-concealed. Medium strength overall.
Not nearly as fruity in the mouth as expected, rather standard chocolate-like sweetness emanates from the malts, with the roast building up on the end, providing liquorice, prunes and light berry notes. As it warms, more sweetness emerges, making it more malt-forward. Carbonation is moderate, providing a good drinkability. Very impressed how well reserved the vanilla and cocoa nibs are. They barely play much of a role at all (the vanilla being slightly more noticeable).
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Can. Pours pretty black with a medium creamy brown head that sticks around and laces well. Aroma is chocolate roast. Flavor is much the same with a bit of coffee, some ashtray, and the faintest touch of vanilla. Light sweet, light bitter. Medium body, creamy. Far finish has lingering bitterness and cigarettes. Pretty decent.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Pours black into a snifter. Mocha head with little retention recedes to skim surface leaving spider lacing. Dark chocolate aromas. Dry with sweet chocolate and vanilla upfront turning to licorice before the lasting charred espresso finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
It pours black with a big foamy lumpy dark brown one inch head. It fades slowly to a half inch leaving spectacular clingy lacing. The smell has a spectacular blend between coffee, chocolate and a little bit of vanilla. Some nice smokey/charred-ness tends to show its face in the smell. The taste takes those smells and makes it fairly sweet with some nice toastiness in the taste. The palate is about a medium with a nice dryness to be expected with the style. I’d say this is fairly drinkable. Overall, a great beer by Baxter for its style and for me. I’d come back to this.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Stout in a can. Pours a solid dark brown/black color with a good sized tan head that slowly dissipates to a cap. Smells of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and roast with hint of dark sugar and ash. This has a light earthy hop aroma. The malt aromas in this are huge for the style. The flavor is bitter roast and earthy hop with bits of chocolate and caramel and a hint of vanilla, ash, and smoke. Medium to thick body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet roasty mouthfeel. I was surprised by this one its really quite good. The vanilla is subtle but it adds to the chocolate effect quite nicely.
CLW (16859) reviewed Phantom Punch Winter Stout from Baxter Brewing Co. 13 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
5 oz draft @The Great Lost Bear. Deep black in color with tan head that laced even in the taster glass. Nose is coffee and roasted grain. Taste follows with tons of roasted grain, chocolate malt and a touch of vanilla. Lighter body with a char and ash texture. Nice job by Baxter. Would love to have this again, quality stout.