Medovik
Kane Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

While I'm sure that the flavors of imperial stout link up well with the honey cakes of Russia, the expectation of having the two in a beer and food pairing would be first order. But Kane Brewing is seeing beyond the pairing and taking their fusion much more literal.

The Medovik pastry stout pours with a luscious black creaminess and patiently builds a short but dense mocha whipped creme. Its decadent scent of chocolate, coffee, cream, caramel and kahlua spice tease the nose with high desserts and elixir. Sweet to taste, the complex malt profile is much more than just honey. It's also savory with toasted nuttiness, caramelized, rich with sweet cream and sharing hints of milk chocolate.

As its soothing but lavish malt sweetness washes the middle palate, the irresistible flavors of amarillo, baklava, mocha latte and cream candy playfully dance about the tastebuds. The mild spice of coffee adds a slight earthen bitterness that invites a peppery taste of chai tea, candied almond and rum soaked tiramisu to frame a long and nougat-like late palate.

Full bodied and nearly marshmallowy in its creamy mouthfeel, a finish of kahlua and chocolate play out deep in aftertaste with the simmering warmth of coffee liquor taking an edge off of its caky sweetness and cloying texture. Without having Russian honey cake, I can't imagine it being any better than this beer.

 

 

750 mL bottle purchased around Thanksgiving. Poured into Kane chalice and allowed to warm.

L: Dark black. Light tan head, about 1F, with no retention, leaves nothing.

S: Graham cracker comes through most, with cinnamon and vanilla, and a hint of honey thrown in. It does indeed smell like Russian honey cake. Nicely done.

T: Follows nose pretty nicely. Lots of graham cracker and vanilla, with honey and cinnamon doing their thing. You can sense the chocolate malts way in the background. Sweet, but not cloying.

F: Closer to medium bodied than full, not much carbonation. Construction and balance are very good. Think the decision to keep the ABV in single digits is a wise one, as it stays pretty hidden, but still does its thing.

O: This is REALLY CLOSE to the superiority of a Trillium dessert beer. Great job. I hope they boubon-aged some of the batch, because I can see that working out well.

Incredibly tasty stout. So much to this beer: graham cracker, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, multiple malts, and when the brewing process is complete, you're left with the delicious taste of Russian honey cake in liquid form. More brilliance from Kane!

 

This pours just like a Kane Stout, perfectly black with a tall, dense mocha foam that builds to a convex dome with cascading carbonation. The head slowly settles to a thin ring.

Smell is uniquely complex. Licorice, honey and ginger snap are paired with some light smoky roast with hints of coffee. A slight presence of oaky alcohol has a character of cinnamon that hints at rice pudding.

Taste is pretty consistent with aroma, complex and unique, with a moderate roast that has hints of coffee. A touch of mead-like booze has notes of graham and faint cinnamon. Everything is in balance here, nothing is over the top, while simultaneously maintaining a high quality. Some vanilla comes out in the swallow, which brings out a flan-like flavor, before a tobacco-esque exhale.

The medium body has a light and crisp fizz that unexpectedly fills to a round creamy feel before finishing semi-dry, tingly of light heat, and a bit sticky.

This is like taking Sunday Brunch in a totally unexpected variant direction, and that's a wonderful thing.

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This is even better cellared, almost exactly 2 years later, which is not at all the norm for most any beer and I normally wouldn't recommend it. The vanilla, cinnamon and honey have bloomed to a very pleasant degree, and the body is still fulfillingly substantial. It's even more like a Sunday Brunch variant than it was at release, with a unique, but more delicate flavor profile.

 

Poured from 750 ML bottle into Kane tulip glass. It pours a very dark walnut color with slight cola hues, and a large, frothy, medium-khaki cap and spotty lacing. The nose features light roasted malt, fresh coffee, chocolate, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. It smell becomes more evident as it warms. This is unique and delicious. It opens with freshly-brewed coffee, honey, and cinnamon. At mid-sip I pick up chocolate, vanilla, and graham cracker. It finishes with a dose of bitter char. The flavors come in waves but they compliment each other very well. The tastes are easily recognizable yet delicate. I don't think I've ever had this combination of flavors. Then again, I haven't had Russian honey cake. This stout has a medium mouth feel with moderate carbonation, and at 9.7% ABV it's a big stout without overwhelming. It's clearly a dessert stout and a mighty fine one. It appears this is a limited release and I wish I bought another bottle or two.

 

Pours very dark with ample head that slowly recedes. Aroma is chocolate, vanilla, faint cinnamon, sweet honey. Taste is very sweet, like chocolate cake with vanilla icing. Honey adds to the sweetness, and the cinnamon gives it a little heat when you swallow. Pretty creamy mouthfeel. Overall a fun beer, definitely an after dinner sipper, big bottle format is meant for sharing - too sweet to drink solo in 1 session.

11/18/18
750ml bottle
4 rating

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass. Bottle purchased directly from the brewery in Ocean Township, NJ.

A: pours a jet black color, completely opaque with a khaki-colored head, which slowly settles into a thin lacing around the glass. 4/5

S: roasted malts, a bit of sugary graham crackers and vanilla. subtle cinnamon and alcohol. 4.25/5

T: quite sweet from start to finish, but that is to be expected for an imperial stout that is evoking the flavors of medovik (russian honey cake). honey sweetness hits first, balanced out by some roasted malt bitterness, which adds a bit of coffee/chocolate/mocha character. Finishes with some vanilla bean and lactose sweetness. Cinnamon is more of an aftertaste, adding just a hint of spiciness to round it all out. a delightful beer. 4.5/5

M: full mouthfeel, somehow thinner than i was expecting for a 9% imperial stout but that is a good thing. good mouthfeel for the strength and sweetness of the beer. 4.25/5

O: this is a really decadent imperial stout. this would go great after dinner with dessert or as a brunch beer. highly recommended. 4.5/5