A Night To End All Dawns (2021) - Banana Pancake
Kane Brewing Company

 

On draught at the brewery. Served in a small snulip glass. It pours a dark walnut color approaching black with a pretty, foamy medium mocha head that dissipated quickly leaving almost no lacing. On the nose there is roasted malt, rich chocolate, and a whiff of coffee. The banana smell is subtle but noticeable. As expected, the base ANTEAD is rich with dark, sweet chocolate - like a brownie. As I swirl it in my mouth I can taste the banana; it's delicate but unmistakable. As the Stout warms I also taste freshly-brewed coffee and earthy, nutty notes. The barrel influence is also subtle but warming. The flavors blend very well. Like the other variants of ANTEAD this one is super rich and creamy - almost chewy - with low to moderate carbonation, and the 12.7% ABV is very well-hidden. Given the sweetness, it's a hard Stout to drink quickly. Overall, it's hard not to rave about any variant of ANTEAD. While I'm generally not a big fan of banana in stouts, Kane has displayed its usual deft touch with Banana Pancake.

 

ANTEAD Imperial Stouts are always exciting to try. Always a jet black pour, with a sweet roast nose. There is complexity as maple syrup and cinnamon joust for attention, mingling with chocolate malt flavors. This variant is called Banana Pancake, not Banana, so banana flavor is mild and never overwhelms the ANTEAD promise. In flavor, it really is the difference between biting into a sweet banana, and having banana blended within a pancake. Appropriately named, nicely brewed. Not my favorite ANTEAD variant, but its excellence is undeniable.

 

Charred oaken black, and a khaki head that quickly retreats to the edges. Dark roast aroma. Stickybonnthe lips, but smooth and syrupy on the palate; dry finish with some heat. The bananas are underwhelming like something out of a trail mix, and the finish is reminiscent of an Elvis inspired flavored coffee.