Absence Of Light
4 Hands Brewing Co.

Absence Of LightAbsence Of Light
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From:
4 Hands Brewing Co.
 
Missouri, United States
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
Ranked #189
ABV:
7.1%
Score:
91
Ranked #9,046
Avg:
4.08 | pDev: 7.11%
Ratings:
366 | reviews: 79
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 26, 2025
Added:
Sep 21, 2015
Wants:
  18
Gots:
  104
This is the new and improved Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout. This is a beer that deserved to stand on its own, so we re-branded it and gave it a bit more body. The beer is now 7.1%, but still holds the same flavor profile you all love from years past.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by lsudduth:
Photo of lsudduth
Rated by lsudduth from Ohio

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Dec 24, 2023
More User Ratings:
Photo of PaulMayer
Reviewed by PaulMayer from Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I gave this one a shot because it’s from a good local brewery and I tried their regular chocolate milk stout a couple of years ago. It’s not bad, no better no worse than its cousin, but it wasn’t overwhelming in any aspect. Predominantly dark semi-sweet chocolate over the top of a pretty moderate stout that was neither thick nor chewy or sweet. Almost no carbonation, even right at the time I poured it… Normally, I find the peanut butter aspects of beers like this to be a bit nauseating. Fortunately, I did not taste much of anything like that, but overall this was not my jam. One and done.
Nov 26, 2025
 
Rated: 4.06 by liquorpig from Massachusetts

Feb 17, 2025
 
Rated: 4.24 by LunchMoney from Minnesota

Apr 01, 2024
 
Rated: 3.28 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Feb 09, 2024
Photo of NCSapiens
Rated by NCSapiens from Indiana

3.67/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Ok milk stout with some chocolate and peanut butter notes. Hops disjointedly pome through on the finish.
Oct 03, 2023
 
Photo of TheMatts
Reviewed by TheMatts

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Dark jet black with slight bits of ruby look with a bubbly beige head. Dark chocolate taste right away, small Reese’s taste. You can taste the alcohol in this. Low to semi-sweet Dark chocolate chip taste. Not too crazy, doesn’t have a ton of smaller flavors present. Heavier feel in your mouth. It’s good.
Feb 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.47 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 22, 2022
Photo of Irish_Lush
Reviewed by Irish_Lush from Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
I'm not sure if that thing on the front is supposed to look appetizing, but it sort of looks like diarrhea. So does the beer when you pour it since it's so dark. Luckily, it's pretty delicious (the beer, not diarrhea). The peanut butter taste is very forward. This stuff is understandably thick, but not in an unpleasant way. The peanut butter and chocolate flavoring overwhelms the natural stout flavor. Smells vaguely of peanut butter and at 7.1%, alcohol.

The individual elements don't seem to congeal as well as they could, but that's a minor gripe. I also think it would be better at around 5%, but this is still a delicious brew that's easy to drink.
Jan 02, 2022
Photo of Cole19065
Rated by Cole19065

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice sweet-tasting stout, but not too sweet. It is a good balance.
Nov 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.16 by JTuomi from Finland

Nov 20, 2021
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cola soda brown it is, after the liquid from a pint can has been emptied into a clear glass liter mug. There's almost no head and there's little obvious carbonation. There are traces of the flavors listed on the label, but none are profound. This goes down smoothly, but only gives hints of the taste treats promised. That may not be a bad thing. It's a mildly flavored sweet milk chocolate stout. If that's what you like, this is one for you.
Nov 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4.1 by Taenim from Maine

Oct 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by ssimpson89 from Illinois

Oct 22, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Chris232 from Illinois

May 23, 2021
Photo of TedHead
Reviewed by TedHead from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a nearly translucent black that's ruby when you hold it up to the light. It has a very small town head that dissipates within seconds. The smells is like sweet peanut butter with hints of milk chocolate bad slight undertones of butter coffee. The taste is very sweet up front with the peanut butter leading the way followed by sweet milk chocolate with a slightly bittersweet finish. It's not very carbonated but it goes well with the style. Overall pretty good but too sweet for me to have more than one in a night.
Feb 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.85 by cjgator3 from Florida

Feb 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.51 by entenduintransit from Colorado

Feb 03, 2021
 
Rated: 4.14 by Hend from Wisconsin

Dec 23, 2020