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8 Maids-A-Milking
The Bruery
- From:
- The Bruery
- California, United States
- Style:
- Sweet / Milk Stout
- ABV:
- 11.3%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.82 | pDev: 12.3%
- Reviews:
- 86
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 27, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 06, 2015
- Wants:
- 20
- Gots:
- 143
8 Maids-a-Milking is the 8th beer in our "12 Days of Christmas" series, and we'd be udderly crazy to release anything but a milk stout. So we made an imperial milk stout to stand up to whatever Old Man Winter throws our way from now through 2019 with the final release of our series. 8 Maids-a-Milking is brewed with lactose, which is commonly referred to as milk sugar. It's the only type of sugar that is unfermentable by yeast, which adds more perceptible creaminess and sweetness to the finished beer. This mouthfeel and sweetness is complemented by robust layers of milk chocolate, subtle spice accents from our house Belgian yeast and roasty, cafe elements indicative of our take on the style. Celebrate the seasons with the best of both worlds: enjoy some now, and lay a few down for up to 4 years to be enjoyed upon the release of 12 Drummers Drumming.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by somardivad:
Rated by somardivad from Washington
3/5 rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dec 06, 2015
3/5 rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dec 06, 2015
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BubbleBobble from New York
4.02/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
Pours near black with a 1" tan had, mild retention and streaky lacing. Nose is milk chocolate, coffee milk, chocolate syrup, light booze. Taste is cherry-filled chocolate, Hershey bars, sweetened black coffee. Mouthfeel is exceptionally smooth with very little carbonation. Pretty good - the fruity notes meld well with the chocolate, and the smoothness can't be beat. Little to no alcohol presence either despite the high ABV, and appreciate how it doesn't become cloyingly sweet.
Dec 27, 2023Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho
4.27/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Review: 1992
Name: 8 Maids A Milking
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Imperial Milk Stout
A.B.V.: 11.3%
Date: 09 Sept 2015
I am drinking 8 Maids A Milking today using a tulip glass. I served it at 46 degrees. Prying the cap off, this eight-year-old beer emits a lovely hiss of carbonation. The pour created a creamy, foamy, two-fingered, light tan head with above-average retention. The color is brown, nearly black, charting around S.R.M. 36. The beer is opaque. The slow dissipation left lacing on the glass. The appearance is above average for this style.
The initial aromas are caramel, bready, toffee, molasses, cream, and dark roasted malts. I had concerns I may have aged this beer too long; so far, I have not detected any off-flavors. Swirling the glass, I nose it again; I smell chocolate, coffee, earthiness, vanilla, slight char, and soy sauce.
Damn it, I pushed the aging too far. I do taste little off flavors of oxidation and cardboard. I will not drop the score for that; it was my fault. Other flavors in the beer are caramel, toffee, chocolate, cream, molasses, vanilla, slight char, a hint of soy sauce, dark roasted malts, bready, and earthiness.
The mouthfeel is creamy and chewy, finishing smooth. The body is heavy, and the carbonation is low.
Despite the overaged off-flavors, the beer is still enjoyable. I am glad I did not wait any longer. I enjoyed this beer before aging it, and 3 to 4 years is the maximum, not eight years. A tasty beer to enjoy nonetheless.
Dec 26, 2023Name: 8 Maids A Milking
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Imperial Milk Stout
A.B.V.: 11.3%
Date: 09 Sept 2015
I am drinking 8 Maids A Milking today using a tulip glass. I served it at 46 degrees. Prying the cap off, this eight-year-old beer emits a lovely hiss of carbonation. The pour created a creamy, foamy, two-fingered, light tan head with above-average retention. The color is brown, nearly black, charting around S.R.M. 36. The beer is opaque. The slow dissipation left lacing on the glass. The appearance is above average for this style.
The initial aromas are caramel, bready, toffee, molasses, cream, and dark roasted malts. I had concerns I may have aged this beer too long; so far, I have not detected any off-flavors. Swirling the glass, I nose it again; I smell chocolate, coffee, earthiness, vanilla, slight char, and soy sauce.
Damn it, I pushed the aging too far. I do taste little off flavors of oxidation and cardboard. I will not drop the score for that; it was my fault. Other flavors in the beer are caramel, toffee, chocolate, cream, molasses, vanilla, slight char, a hint of soy sauce, dark roasted malts, bready, and earthiness.
The mouthfeel is creamy and chewy, finishing smooth. The body is heavy, and the carbonation is low.
Despite the overaged off-flavors, the beer is still enjoyable. I am glad I did not wait any longer. I enjoyed this beer before aging it, and 3 to 4 years is the maximum, not eight years. A tasty beer to enjoy nonetheless.
Reviewed by Orca from Washington
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 mL bottle (original vintage, so 2023) into a tulip. Pours a deep brownish black with a 1-finger mocha head.
Aroma is chocolate, malty, and sweet. Malted milk balls, molasses, maybe some vanilla or coconut.
Taste is likewise sort of a blend between a stout and a Belgian strong dark ale—straddles the fence. There’s chocolate and bitter roasted malt but also sweet creamy milk sugar and some lighter fruity notes. Somehow it works.
Mouthfeel is on the medium side, lighter than what I’d expect from an “imperial” beer. But again it works here.
Overall a respectable offering. I’m not blown away but it’s a pretty good beer.
Oct 26, 2023Aroma is chocolate, malty, and sweet. Malted milk balls, molasses, maybe some vanilla or coconut.
Taste is likewise sort of a blend between a stout and a Belgian strong dark ale—straddles the fence. There’s chocolate and bitter roasted malt but also sweet creamy milk sugar and some lighter fruity notes. Somehow it works.
Mouthfeel is on the medium side, lighter than what I’d expect from an “imperial” beer. But again it works here.
Overall a respectable offering. I’m not blown away but it’s a pretty good beer.
Reviewed by q33jeff from New Jersey
3.95/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
**
01/08/2021
Bottle to snifter. Bottled 9/11/15.
LOOK: Deep dark black, small light brown head, very good retention.
AROMA: prune, plum, cocoa, raisin.
TASTE: milk chocolate, brandy and/or bourbon even though this is not barrel aged--must just be the 11.3% breaking down and concentrating over 5+ years in the bottle. Creates a nice bite in the finish and cuts the sweet chocolate.
FEEL: mostly flat, but with a underlying bubbly character. smooth, but there is a chalky texture in the finish. medium-to-full body.
Not bad for a 5 year old milk stout.
Interesting and great to try these old Bruery Christmas beers that are different each year. I've now tried 8-12 as well as this years partridge in a pear tree.
**
Jan 09, 202101/08/2021
Bottle to snifter. Bottled 9/11/15.
LOOK: Deep dark black, small light brown head, very good retention.
AROMA: prune, plum, cocoa, raisin.
TASTE: milk chocolate, brandy and/or bourbon even though this is not barrel aged--must just be the 11.3% breaking down and concentrating over 5+ years in the bottle. Creates a nice bite in the finish and cuts the sweet chocolate.
FEEL: mostly flat, but with a underlying bubbly character. smooth, but there is a chalky texture in the finish. medium-to-full body.
Not bad for a 5 year old milk stout.
Interesting and great to try these old Bruery Christmas beers that are different each year. I've now tried 8-12 as well as this years partridge in a pear tree.
**
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia
4.12/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer pours a nice brown and creamy head that dissipates at a moderate pace. The beer itself is a dark chocolate brown with a shiny and oily texture that looks nice.
The smell has a nice mix of different dark notes. The main seems to be a roasted malt note mixed with a latte note created by the lactose and milk chocolate. The sweet note from the lactose also seems to come out on its own without the roasted notes.
The taste is great and really shows off how well the different notes mix together to create a chocolate latte note. The taste consists of a roasted malt and chocolate note alongside the sweet lactose note, which completely changes the taste from what could have been a chocolate heavy beer.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body with a tingling carbonation note and creamy texture.
Overall, this is a pretty good beer and the best so far of all of the other beers. The different mix and work well together. Also, it feels fresh despite being aged for a year.
Jan 04, 2021The smell has a nice mix of different dark notes. The main seems to be a roasted malt note mixed with a latte note created by the lactose and milk chocolate. The sweet note from the lactose also seems to come out on its own without the roasted notes.
The taste is great and really shows off how well the different notes mix together to create a chocolate latte note. The taste consists of a roasted malt and chocolate note alongside the sweet lactose note, which completely changes the taste from what could have been a chocolate heavy beer.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body with a tingling carbonation note and creamy texture.
Overall, this is a pretty good beer and the best so far of all of the other beers. The different mix and work well together. Also, it feels fresh despite being aged for a year.
Reviewed by Stooven from Illinois
2.46/5 rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
2.46/5 rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Can't read the bottle date. Purchased in December 2019 in Northbrook, IL. From glancing at the reviews below, I got one from the bad batch. Really sour. Not enjoyable.
Jan 27, 2020Reviewed by CaptainHate from Ohio
4.02/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Picked up a 750 ml bottle at Lupulo's in Santa Cruz and split with my son in law. Poured dark brown with an average sized tan head into an oversized wine glass. Aroma was nicely sweet with milk chocolate having an undefined spice tinge. Flavor was chocolate cream with the alcohol well hidden. Mouthfeel retained the flavors nicely while still being light and refreshing. An exemplary milk stout that is right in the Bruery's wheelhouse and an excellent addition to their Christmas series.
Feb 01, 2019Rated by OompaMentor from Georgia
3.75/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12/29/2018
Jan 04, 2019
8 Maids-A-Milking from The Bruery
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
386 ratings
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