hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Trailblazer Stout

Tap to rate

A smoky, dark-roast coffee aroma with hints of treacle, liquorice and nutty notes leads to dark chocolate and malt, bitterness and sweetness in balance, and a fine, dry finish. Served chilled on nitrogen, Trailblazer has a velvety body and a tight, creamy head at 4.3% ABV. It won gold in the SIBA North West keg stout and porter class in 2026.

ABV
4.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Gold · 2026
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, North West)
Keg Stout & Porter (up to 6.4%)
★Gold — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, North West) (Keg Stout & Porter (up to 6.4%))
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
smokycoffeeroasted
smoky
coffee
roasted
chocolate
malty
nutty
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced smoky and roasted coffee character, grounded by dark chocolate and malt sweetness.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,spicy

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Trailblazer Stout

◎ Appearance

Deep opaque black with ruby edges when held to light, revealing the beer's substantial color depth. A tight, creamy head forms and clings persistently to the glass, characteristic of nitrogen service. The body carries a velvety density that moves slowly when swirled.

deep blackcreamy headopaquevelvety body

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced smoky and roasted coffee character, grounded by dark chocolate and malt sweetness. Secondary notes of treacle, liquorice, and subtle nutty undertones add complexity and depth. These layered aromas suggest careful roasting and a restrained use of roast-forward malts.

smoky, roasted coffeedark chocolate, treacleliquorice, nuttycomplex malt base

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and full-bodied, delivering coffee and roast flavors that build into chocolate and malty sweetness through the mid-palate. Moderate bitterness arrives without harshness, created by careful hop selection rather than aggressive bittering. The interplay of residual sweetness and dry bitterness creates genuine balance, neither dominating the palate.

smooth entrycoffee, chocolate, roastbalanced bitternessmalty sweetness

◑ Finish

The finish is notably dry and clean, with lingering roasted malt character that fades without astringency. A subtle bitter edge persists gently into the aftertaste, complemented by the beer's low alcohol warmth.

dry, clean finishroasted malt fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
85
Finish
78
Serve at 10–14°C

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within a year. Standard stouts are best fresh but hold reasonably well for 6–12 months.

+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Food Pairing

What to eat with Trailblazer Stout

More from Joseph Holt Brewery

Chorlton Pale Ale
Chorlton Pale Ale
Blonde Ale
4%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →
Crystal Gold Lager
Crystal Gold Lager
Pale Lager
4.5%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Crystal Lager
Crystal Lager
Pale Lager
3.8%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Diamond Premium Lager
Diamond Premium Lager
Pale Lager
5%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Fool's Gold
Fool's Gold
Golden Ale
3.9%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Humdinger
Humdinger
Golden Ale
4.1%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Joseph Holt American IPA
Joseph Holt American IPA
American IPA
4.5%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →
Joseph Holt Bitter
Joseph Holt Bitter
Ordinary Bitter
4%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →

About Irish Dry Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Irish Dry Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Irish Dry Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same smoky, coffee, creamy character as Trailblazer Stout will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →