If there is one thing that I always like to keep my eye out for, it is a good session stout. Believe it or not, they are much harder to find that one might think. Sure there are plenty of monster ABV stouts out there packed full of strong flavors that can really blow you away with their complexity, but going through several of those in one sitting can be both dangerous and exhausting. What abou when you just want those standard stout flavors, and want to be able to enjoy them all night long? Those are the times when a beer like the Old No. 38 Stout from North Coast Brewing Company simply can't be beat.

In the glass the Old No. 38 Stout has an extremely dark brown coloration with some deep purple hues around the edges. Almost three fingers worth of rocky, tan colored head forms on a hard pour and it sticks around for quite some time while leaving great lacing throughout the session. A great roasted and nutty aroma catches you right off the bat, and after giving it a few minutes some nice layers of burnt chocolate and coffee come through as well. Other than that, a few highlights of toffee and sour cherries can be detected, and that's basically it. Nothing too overly complex, but everything you look for in a session stout.

When the first taste hits your lips, you are again greeted by a roasted malts flavor that has an extremely nutty quality to it. It doesn't completely dominate the flavor train, but it is there every step of the way. A dark chocolate flavor comes through in the middle, and the slightly bitter coffee taste rounds things out in a simple yet delicious way. While it may sound rather basic, everything you really want in a stout is there. The mouthfeel is thin and maybe just a bit chalky, which adds to the level of drinkability, and the only real aftertaste is a hint of the nonstop roasted malts.

So while the list of session stouts may not be massively long, Old No. 38 Stout should definitely be on it. If there is any lesson to be learned from it, it would be that simple and basic doesn't necessarily mean average or bland. The flavors are spot on for the style, and the level of drinkability is through the roof. Recommending it to all levels of drinkers is a total no brainer. Those with less experience in the better beer world could really benefit from it as an introduction to whats out there waiting for them, and the veterans could session it til the cows come home. North Coast Brewing Company has impressed me in the past with offerings such as their Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, and they have again earned a tip of the cap with the Old No. 38 Stout. Well done my friends, well done.