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Madagascar | 4 Hands Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
4 Hands Brewing Co.
Missouri, United States
4handsbrewery.com
Style: English Sweet / Milk Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.30%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Imperial Milk Stout aged in bourbon barrels with whole Madagascar vanilla beans. Madagascar is full-bodied with strong notes of vanilla, marshmallow, chocolate, and coffee.
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 863 | Reviews: 105
4.19/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Let this guy warm up.
L - pours black with a one finger tan head that leaves minimal lacing around the circumference of the glass. Decent legs.
S - sweet vanilla, bourbon, milk, dark chocolate. Secondary aromas if berries, and molasses, and mild ethenol.
T - very well blended vanilla that does not overpower the slight bourbon, chocolate, or milk. In a world of sweet stouts, this stands out as a lactose stout that is nuanced and the adjunct does not take over the base beer.
F - I think the weakest part of this beer. It is over carbonated that leads to a thin BA stout.
O - this stands out as a well blended stout that show cases the vanilla
650 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Let this guy warm up.
L - pours black with a one finger tan head that leaves minimal lacing around the circumference of the glass. Decent legs.
S - sweet vanilla, bourbon, milk, dark chocolate. Secondary aromas if berries, and molasses, and mild ethenol.
T - very well blended vanilla that does not overpower the slight bourbon, chocolate, or milk. In a world of sweet stouts, this stands out as a lactose stout that is nuanced and the adjunct does not take over the base beer.
F - I think the weakest part of this beer. It is over carbonated that leads to a thin BA stout.
O - this stands out as a well blended stout that show cases the vanilla
650 characters
4.5/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
man oh man have i been wanting to try this one. finally grabbed a bomber of the most recent batch, poured into a tulip a dark, dark liquid with a brown little ring of a head that is now just a slim bit of bubbles on the edge. the first sniff of this i know there's something special. bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and toffee all blend together beautifully. just the right amount of sweetness, absolute heaven. flavor is more subdued, with vanilla powering in over a chocolate milk base, with a swig of bourbon making its way in from time to time. sweet but never overwhelming, making it smooth enough to drink as fast as you want. its full bodied but thin at the same time, drinks not too much different from the rest of their stouts. but the overall experience here is something to be cherished. happy i've enjoyed this one finally
830 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
man oh man have i been wanting to try this one. finally grabbed a bomber of the most recent batch, poured into a tulip a dark, dark liquid with a brown little ring of a head that is now just a slim bit of bubbles on the edge. the first sniff of this i know there's something special. bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and toffee all blend together beautifully. just the right amount of sweetness, absolute heaven. flavor is more subdued, with vanilla powering in over a chocolate milk base, with a swig of bourbon making its way in from time to time. sweet but never overwhelming, making it smooth enough to drink as fast as you want. its full bodied but thin at the same time, drinks not too much different from the rest of their stouts. but the overall experience here is something to be cherished. happy i've enjoyed this one finally
830 characters
4.45/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.46/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.74/5 rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.44/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.1/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Finally got to try this. Good amount of vanilla in this, with hints of chocolate. My old complaint with it is that the body is a bit weird. I think maybe because it's a milk stout instead of a RIS? Also, there's quite a bit more carbonation than I normally like.
Also, I think maybe the lactose in this is
throwing me off and giving me a weird kind of aftertaste. Although, it seems characteristic of 4 Hands stouts. I guess it doesn't help that all their stouts are milk stouts.
That being said, it's still really good and not overly sweet. Glad I got to pick it up
571 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Finally got to try this. Good amount of vanilla in this, with hints of chocolate. My old complaint with it is that the body is a bit weird. I think maybe because it's a milk stout instead of a RIS? Also, there's quite a bit more carbonation than I normally like.
Also, I think maybe the lactose in this is
throwing me off and giving me a weird kind of aftertaste. Although, it seems characteristic of 4 Hands stouts. I guess it doesn't help that all their stouts are milk stouts.
That being said, it's still really good and not overly sweet. Glad I got to pick it up
571 characters
4.33/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.59/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Absolutely beautiful right from the pour. A solid finger of dark brown foam sits atop an inviting, ebony black brew. Head retention is very good for the style.
Very sweet on the nose, with bourbon, vanilla, and cream really dominating from the outset. Deeper inspection yields brown sugar, oak, molasses, and chocolate. Very smooth aroma; not the slightest bit overpowering or intimidating - likely owing to the relatively low ABV for a BBA imperial stout (sub-10%).
Flavor follows, with tons of vanilla nearly overwhelming a creamy, smooth roasted malt base which itself yields tones of chocolate, coffee, and toffee. Bourbon right on the front edge manages to get its foot in the door before the vanilla rudely shoves it away - I love vanilla, so I don't see a problem there! The bourbon occasionally makes recurrences, with notes of sweet mash, and to a lesser extent, coconut and oak.
Very smooth on the palate. No heat; slick but with a reasonable amount of liveliness. Long, wet finish, with a bit of lasting barrel influence.
1,036 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Absolutely beautiful right from the pour. A solid finger of dark brown foam sits atop an inviting, ebony black brew. Head retention is very good for the style.
Very sweet on the nose, with bourbon, vanilla, and cream really dominating from the outset. Deeper inspection yields brown sugar, oak, molasses, and chocolate. Very smooth aroma; not the slightest bit overpowering or intimidating - likely owing to the relatively low ABV for a BBA imperial stout (sub-10%).
Flavor follows, with tons of vanilla nearly overwhelming a creamy, smooth roasted malt base which itself yields tones of chocolate, coffee, and toffee. Bourbon right on the front edge manages to get its foot in the door before the vanilla rudely shoves it away - I love vanilla, so I don't see a problem there! The bourbon occasionally makes recurrences, with notes of sweet mash, and to a lesser extent, coconut and oak.
Very smooth on the palate. No heat; slick but with a reasonable amount of liveliness. Long, wet finish, with a bit of lasting barrel influence.
1,036 characters
3.92/5 rDev -11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.25/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
5/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I should start by admitting that I am a vanilla junkie. There is a perfect amount of vanilla flavor In this and it perfectly balances the bourbon barrel flavor from dominating. Great job!
187 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I should start by admitting that I am a vanilla junkie. There is a perfect amount of vanilla flavor In this and it perfectly balances the bourbon barrel flavor from dominating. Great job!
187 characters
Madagascar from 4 Hands Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.44 out of
5 with
863 ratings
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