Sextant is a draft-only Ballast Point beer, which means most drinkers will only ever meet it on tap at a bar or taproom. That scarcity is part of its charm: it is a nitro oatmeal stout built for the slow pour, with a creamy texture you cannot get from a bottle.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: Oatmeal Stout
• ABV: 5.5%
• IBU: 24

What to expect

Sextant pours opaque onyx with red highlights at the edges under a thick beige head from the nitro treatment. The aroma leans toward freshly made cappuccino, milk chocolate, and roasted barley. On the palate, chocolate malts and flaked barley build a cookie-dough sweetness and a velvety, silky mouthfeel, with UK Fuggle hops adding a smooth bitterness and a faint earthy, herbal note in the finish.

The body is medium and remarkably drinkable for a stout. The nitro pour makes it creamy rather than heavy, so it finishes roasty and clean instead of coating your palate. It is a stout for people who like their dark beer smooth.

Our rating

6.83/10

Rated by Sam (4) and Alex (7.5, 9). This is the rare beer where our raters genuinely disagree: Sam came in cold at 4, while Alex loved it across two tastings at 7.5 and 9. The honest read is that Sextant is a well-made, silky nitro stout that will win over drinkers who like their stouts smooth and chocolatey, but it will not convert anyone looking for a bigger, roastier punch. If you find it on tap, it is worth the pour.