Horchata
Sawdust City Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Dec 5 2023 and served slightly chilled. White stouts are not stouts - there, I said it.

Pours a hazy, translucent pale yellow colour, sporting an inch of creamy, foamy white head that lasts for the better part of five minutes. Its remains include a tight collar of froth, as well as some delicate strands of lace flung onto the glass - looks ok so far. Moderate vanilla on the nose, with subtly spicy hints of cinnamon; other than that, I'm getting hints of white chocolate, rice milk and oats.

Odd flavour profile that isn't entirely off-putting (or all that stout-like, either) - I've never had horchata before, so I can't say whether or not this is a good representation of that beverage. A little sweet at the forefront, with milk sugar, vanilla, white chocolate and steel-cut oats; the cinnamon asserts itself on the back end, resulting in a spicy conclusion to the sip. Some residual oats, lactose and vanilla dissipate into the aftertaste. Medium in body, with low-ish carbonation that adds some spritz to this brew's smooth, creamy mouthfeel - impressive, considering the low abv. Fair drinkability, but one serving seems like enough for tonight.

Final Grade: 3.61, a B grade. If you exclude the cinnamon, Sawdust City's Horchata White Milk Stout reminds me of vanilla-flavoured rice milk - a drink I have not consumed in at least a decade, but the first couple of sips instantly triggered my memory. I'm torn here... as a beer, this is not even close to what I want out of a stout... but as a beverage in general, it was neat to try, and its flavours are appealing. I'd consider revisiting this, but it's such a niche product that it may be a long time before the craving strikes. Worth trying if you're curious, or if you enjoy vanilla beers.

thumbs down. gross. not beer.

 

473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. Canned October 30, 2023.

Appearance - Very hazy pale straw colored with white-ish highlights. Near two fingers of rocky white head is poured with pretty good retention.

Smell - Sweet with vanilla notes. A touch of white chocolate maybe and traces of cinnamon. Not the biggest nose.

Taste - Very light. Milky with traces of vanilla and cinnamon. Kind of like a light dessert beer. Not much bitterness but less sweetness on the nose.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, certainly fairly creamy with a moderate carbonation. Easy drinking with a nice texture.

Overall - Horchata is a nice enough light stout with good and light flavors, but which the flavors were a little more robust and intense. Everything is very muted, I'm certain that's by design, but it kind of strikes me as a beer for non-beer drinkers. Glad to have purchased two but won't buy anymore of this holiday treat.

EDIT - December 22, 2024. Had thi s as a leftover from Sawdust City's mixed pack and actually rather enjoyed it. Everything was the same, but the flavors came through quite a bit stronger, which were good but just muted in the past. Plus 0.5 for taste and 0.25 for overall.

White Stout
Oct 15 2023

A rice taste, on tap. Light and airy on the palate, a sweetness to it. Generally, a break from regular beer. And then there was steady rice beers, everyone had to product one.