Maple Stout
Payette Brewing

tasty one from payette that is kind of flying under the radar i reckon, really quite good, especially if you dont mind them a little sweet, which this certainly is, but you know what? so is maple syrup, so it makes sense that the beer is sweet too. nice and black from the tap with a frothed up half an inch of burlap colored suds, tons of roast in the nose and it immediately seems like there was an attempt to balance maple sweetness with a pretty dark bitter back end, almost burnt strong coffee character to it and trace acidity even to my senses. the maple is strong, somewhat perfumy but natural enough, toffee candy and milk chocolate sweetness abound, but the low end is robust. the maple dominates the front end of the flavor, cloying. they call this a maple bar stout, i believe that should even be in the name here, not sure what else would be in that, but this could easily have chocolate added, or even be made from like maple donuts with that artificially maple flavored frosting, there is more of that as this warms to me, but i do get rich real syrup character too, and there are some well layered middle malt aspects to this that really bring that element forward. i am thankful for all the roastiness at the end, this is still a little too sweet, but without that it would be way too much. thankfully it hides its alcohol pretty well even at temperature, and the body isnt over the top enormous, so this isnt that big of a commitment even though its a boldly flavored as it is. i dont want a lot of this, but a little bit is a pleasant desserty experience, wintery and cozy, light smoke and some bitterness hanging around long with the sweetness too. good to see something new from payette.

Draft at CopenRoss. Ddark brown pour, razor thin ring of beige head. Aroma is subtle maple notes, roasty malts. More maple in the taste, mild sweetnerss ad a solid roasty backbone. Very well balanced.