Milkshark - Neapolitan
Bellwoods Brewery

 

Got this one from Pino this past summer. Thanks heaps, man!

Form a 500ml bottle into a pint glass
Milkshark with lactose, vanilla, cacao and strawberry

APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium-thicker, creamy off-white head with good retention. Murky, muddy strawberry color with no carbonation. Head slowly fades to a full wisp and clings to the glass. A splotchy wisp and ring remain until the end leaving dots of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Some strawberry, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, with hints of vanilla cream. Really fruity with a touch of lactose sugar in the mix. Really nice.

TASTE: Strawberry, vanilla cream, mango, passion fruit and melon up front. Ice cream finish with red fruits, vanilla, tropical character, passion fruit and strawberry. No real bitterness here. Medium aftertaste lingers nicely. This is like a strawberry shake. Delicious.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. A bit foamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes a bit dry.

OVERALL: This is just like a beery strawberry milkshake, but it’s way better than it sounds. Neapolitan, as advertised. Wish I could drink stuff like this daily and it’s beers like this that make me wish I was a better homebrewer. Delicious and loved every drop. Thanks again, Pino!

 

 

Well it's not the prettiest colour - body like a cadbury milk chocolate bar, opaque, with a sand coloured head that only has a minute or so retention.
Quarts of strawberries assault the nose, freshly picked and sweet - that's it, loads of strawberry, but it's amazing.
There it is - unreal, it actually is like neapolitan ice cream. At first is's just berries, vanilla, and cream, then the chocolate creeps in to the finish, providing the mildly bitter balance of cocoa. The creaminess and fatty mouthfeel is the real deal. Medium-heavy body and medium carbonation.

I'm kind of blown away that they nailed the flavour, I didn't expect it. Kudos, the balance is just right, bringing back memories, and it's really just fun to drink. Bring it back next year!

So it seems that these guys have got together some sort of magic beery formula built around barely, hops, lactose, vanilla, and whatever tasty goodness strikes their whim to finish the job. I don't understand how they pulled it off, but this actually works as neoploitan ice cream. The chocolate is there up front and in the nose. Vanilla is part of the backbone of the thing and the finish is deliciously and distinctively strawberry.

Not super beery, but tasty with the beer adding an interesting dimension a sort of kiddie treat for big kids. I imagine if you like the style and approach you'll likely be a fan of just about anything in this family.

Tap sample at the brewery. isour strawberry. on tap at the source. maybe a drop of chocolate and vanilla. sour and hops in the finish.looks like applesauce.