Double Scoop Stout
8 Wired Brewing Co.

When a single scoop isn't enough, make mine a double! And 8 Wired has just a beer for folks who need a little extra. Coming in at near imperial strength and laced with chocolate, cherry and almond, their pastry stout is meant for the dessert bowl as much as it is for the beer glass.

Double Scoop pours generously black and with a frothy, rounded and creamy texture, eventually landing with a frothy, mocha stained, honeycomb cap. As its scent of cherry, vanilla, chocolate and nuttiness greets the nose, the familiar scent of Neapolitan ice cream. But to taste, its the robust and roasty sweetness that bring impressions of cappuccino, chocolate fudge, heavy cream and French vanilla.

As the dark ale extends across the middle palate, the sweeter cream flavors relax and the roastier flavors of dark coffee, bittersweet chocolate and burnt toast full the gaps and await a patient tone of hops to provide a bitterness which reinforce the espresso and nutty impressions.

Hints of amarillo step in late for a soothing but spicy taste as the almond and moderate alcohol come together. Double Scoop finishes roasty-sweet and with an aftertglow of Neapolitan ice cream and marzipan.

 

pours dark with thick head not as much flavor as i thought it ould have

 

I'm somewhat disappointed .all the flavours promised .. Chocolate , Almond , Vanilla and Cherry ..Cherry in particular , don't really come to the fore for me ..it's a decent enough Stout ..but there's nothing spectacular about it

Pours a very dark chocolate brown -- one shade to the right and it's black. A tan two finger head tops this brew. Aroma is cherry, chocolate and faintly vanilla. Taste is cherry first and foremost, with chocolate and a nutty flavor following. The body is slightly carbonated and on the thicker side of medium. The brew is sweet but the low carbonation does no favors. Still and all, I'm glad I tried it.

Sampled again nearly a year later - 1/12/25. Time has not done any kindness to this brew. Flavors have all but vanished, along with the carbonation. This one is past its' prime.

A- The head is a dark tan/coffee foam color, is about two fingers in thickness, before settling down about half I would say, and is super creamy looking, almost resembling what a root beer float top would look like. Not really anything in terms of lacing, with most to all of the foam sliding briskly back into the liquid. The coloration of the beer itself is dark brown, with deep reddish hues showing in the stream pouring into my glass....seems to have a thin consistency....we shall see! Overall a nice looking stout.

S- What I get right away is tons of milk chocolate, with slivered almond notes, fresh cream, yeast, lactose, and vanilla bean pods. After the initial sweetness, nuances of hot chocolate/cocoa, marshmallow, mocha, dry charred grains, damp Earth, and bittering dark varietal malts round everything out. The finish contains muted smooth hops and biscotti that somewhat linger. I was disappointed to not get really any sort of cherry here, and if it wasn't on the label as an ingredient, I would not have any sort of thought that the fruit was used. With this said, the overall smell is rich, and enticing!

T- The flavors are creamy....full of dairy, vanilla truffle creme, chocolate, toasted almonds, and perhaps.....perhaps a muted tart cherry flavor, that comes out after the swallow, and hits the back of the tongue, just to let you know that it is in fact there......I am actually finding that as the beer warms, the cherry character is becoming more prominent....a happy surprise! There are underlying flavors of sweet biscuit, black coffee and even some cola! Dry chocolate/black malt and a slightly bitter hop finish round everything out, with lingering char long after the swallow ensues.....a pleasantly flavored sweet stout I would say.

M/O- The body on this is thicker than the appearance let on.....I would say it is a solid medium mouthfeel, with velvety carbonation. The drinkability is very decent, and the 7.5% alcohol is barely noticed, with all of the flavors melding on the palate. A nice dessert stout that may surprise one, like myself, as the aromas give off one style vs. the actual flavors. I like it and think it does the trick.....nothing overpowering, yet each ingredient used shows itself and is rounded by traditional stout qualities. I recommend giving it a try! Good job 8 Wired!