Mill Street Cobblestone Stout

I've had Mill Street Brewery's Cobblestone Stout a few times now (at two different venues), and every time I've had it, the beer has been super flat with little flavour. Initially I thought that it was an issue with the taps, but given that the beer has been flat at every place I have tried this beer, I've begun to realise that it likely is the beer itself. Mill Street Brewery notes that their Cobblestone Stout is a: 

traditional styled Irish Stout that is served using beer gas to produce that familiar creamy pore. This is the same system that draft Guinness uses. Our black stout has a roasted malt flavour and a hint of toasted walnuts and chocolate in the finish. Select imported hops are used to dry out the finish of this ale.

I agree with one thing, the beer is definitely on the dry side. Otherwise I would say that the beer features very few of the qualities I normally look for in a stout - the "creaminess", roasted flavour, and malt finish. If they are there, I certainly do not notice them (and have failed to notice them time and time again).
Consensus: a very disappointing beer in my opinion, lacking in flavour.  3/10.

PS: I realize that such a critical review might lead to some backlash, but I would definitely be interested to hear from you if you've tried it before to hear your comments on it!

King Street Saison - Block Three Brewing Co.

Since I've been on a porter and stout mission of late, I decided to mix things up a bit and pick up a bottle of the King Street Saison by 3 Block Brewing Co.

Not a tea saison, which is what I was looking for (I guess these are not in season yet!), but it definitely opened with a citrus note. On the bottle, it claimed to have notes of coriander, but I would have to say that I certainly didn't notice it!

Consensus: it was a easy drinking beer, which went well with the pizza I had with it. It was missing the aromatics that I usually associate with (tea) saisons, but overall was enjoyable. 7/10.

Innocente Charcoal Porter

A favourite of mine! The first time I tried Innocente's Charcoal Porter was last summer, shortly after moving to Waterloo. I was immediately hooked! Not quite a coffee porter, but the brew has a rich roasted flavour with a hint of sweetness up front, and a coffee-like bitterness at the end.

It is brewed in collaboration with Beer Town, one of my favourite gastro pubs in Waterloo, with a ridiculious 70+ beers to choose from, so they certainly know their beers!

I highly recommend this one! A very solid traditional porter! 8.5/10

Swamp Head Midnight Oil Coffee Stout

A coffee first stout nevertheless! This beer doesn't mess around with "hints of coffee" or coffee flavouring - you definitely notice it right off the bat. Apparently 8lbs of coffee beans are used in the brewing process!

Initially I found the coffee flavouring a bit overwhelming, but as my palate adjusted to the flavour, I grew to enjoy it more and more! With an IBU of 40, it isn't super sweet, but not overwhelmingly bitter. Notes of chocolate are also present after.

Consensus: Initially it was a bit of an assault on the senses, but I grew to like this one. A bit more coffee than I'm used to in a coffee porter/stout. 7/10.

Maclean's Luck & Charm Oatmeal Stout

My inaugural craft beer review! Tonight I tried Maclean's Luck & Charm Oatmeal Stout from Hanover, Ontario. I would describe Luck & Charm as a hops first stout which has a floral, bitter note - almost like an ale.

Usually when I crave a stout, I am looking for that sweet, roasted flavour, and creaminess, that embodies the meaning of "barley sandich". This beer, however was a stout that masqueraded as an ale. There was a slight roasted flavour, but the predominant flavour was that of hops, mind you it doesn't quite have the bitterness that one might associate with a hops-first beer.

Consensus: Not your typical stout. If you like a hops-first beer, you might enjoy this more than I did. 5/10.