A Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout
Bellwoods Brewery
- From:
- Bellwoods Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Pastry Stout
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- +8 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.86 | pDev: 7.25%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 31, 2025
- Added:
- Oct 31, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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-
There’s a chill in the air and the leaves are beginning to change colour; perhaps your sweaters are re-entering the rotation. This can only mean one thing: stout season.
This year, we’re embracing the autumn ambience with a long-awaited beer: A Stout with Coffee, inspired by the warming comfort of a pumpkin spice latte.
We used beans from Sam James Coffee Bar, layered with classic pumpkin spices from East India Company—cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all spice, clove, and nutmeg—rounded out with vanilla and lactose for creamy latte sweetness. The result is a balance of roasty coffee malts, a chewy body, and aromatic yet gentle spice.
This year, we’re embracing the autumn ambience with a long-awaited beer: A Stout with Coffee, inspired by the warming comfort of a pumpkin spice latte.
We used beans from Sam James Coffee Bar, layered with classic pumpkin spices from East India Company—cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all spice, clove, and nutmeg—rounded out with vanilla and lactose for creamy latte sweetness. The result is a balance of roasty coffee malts, a chewy body, and aromatic yet gentle spice.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by BGDrock from Canada (ON)
3.58/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Tar black body, deep and dense, slowly forming a firm milk chocolate head with an aggressive pour, retention is good.
Distinct spices on the nose, clear nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon, accompanied by rich coffee with 2 creams. It's living up to the name so far.
At first touch of the tongue, soft roast malt flavours of not-quite-burnt coffee and fruity dark chocolate; those notes come out more prominently in the lingering finish, becoming more bitter, and leaving behind the mellowing milkiness. Carbonation is on the light side, leaving it feeling a little flat, and the feel is smooth but not creamy enough to make it interesting or establish a more full sense of body, in fact it verges on watery at times.
After the enticing look and nose there were high hopes, but it trips up on the lackluster taste and feel.
Oct 31, 2025Distinct spices on the nose, clear nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon, accompanied by rich coffee with 2 creams. It's living up to the name so far.
At first touch of the tongue, soft roast malt flavours of not-quite-burnt coffee and fruity dark chocolate; those notes come out more prominently in the lingering finish, becoming more bitter, and leaving behind the mellowing milkiness. Carbonation is on the light side, leaving it feeling a little flat, and the feel is smooth but not creamy enough to make it interesting or establish a more full sense of body, in fact it verges on watery at times.
After the enticing look and nose there were high hopes, but it trips up on the lackluster taste and feel.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
4.14/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
473 mL can from the brewery; dated Sep 22 2025 and served barely chilled. This appears to be the Sam James Coffee Bar ASWC variant, but with added pumpkin spices, vanilla and lactose.
Pours an inky, opaque black hue, scaring up half a finger of bubbly, frothy, dark tan-coloured head that vanishes within two minutes. A thin collar and a few wisps on the surface are the only remnants, though some attractive lace is deposited after each sip. It smells of roasted malts and fresh coffee grounds; hints of cocoa, dark chocolate, ginger snap and vanilla are easily discerned, as are most of the pumpkin spices. Nutmeg, allspice and clove stand out in particular, but further sniffing reveals the cinnamon and cardamom.
Sweeter than other ASWCs: the milk sugar helps to balance things out, providing the bitter coffee and pumpkin spice with something else to play off of, while also justifying the 'latte' aspect. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, coffee grounds and lactose initially, with nutmeg and allspice coming through by mid-sip. Clove, cardamom, ginger and especially vanilla assert themselves on the back end, blending with a bittersweet mix of coffee grounds and creamy vanilla latte sweetness. Medium-full in body, with low carbonation and a slick, smooth mouthfeel that coats the tongue after each sip. Reasonably drinkable, but one serving is plenty for me tonight.
Final Grade: 4.14, an A-. Much like the other ASWCs that I've been fortunate enough to try, A Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout is an undeniably delicious beer. However, there are a couple of other interesting things going on, which together make for an experience that is decidedly different from the other stouts in this series. The lactose and vanilla add a fair bit of sweetness to the mix - in fact, you could easily argue that I should've added this as a milk stout. The other thing I really appreciate is that they didn't go overboard with the spices: you'll know they're there, but they aren't the main focus of the flavour, or the aroma. Not a brew that I feel the need to drink on a regular basis, but it's the perfect fit for a cool, windy Devil's Night. Happy Halloween, BAs!
Oct 31, 2025Pours an inky, opaque black hue, scaring up half a finger of bubbly, frothy, dark tan-coloured head that vanishes within two minutes. A thin collar and a few wisps on the surface are the only remnants, though some attractive lace is deposited after each sip. It smells of roasted malts and fresh coffee grounds; hints of cocoa, dark chocolate, ginger snap and vanilla are easily discerned, as are most of the pumpkin spices. Nutmeg, allspice and clove stand out in particular, but further sniffing reveals the cinnamon and cardamom.
Sweeter than other ASWCs: the milk sugar helps to balance things out, providing the bitter coffee and pumpkin spice with something else to play off of, while also justifying the 'latte' aspect. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, coffee grounds and lactose initially, with nutmeg and allspice coming through by mid-sip. Clove, cardamom, ginger and especially vanilla assert themselves on the back end, blending with a bittersweet mix of coffee grounds and creamy vanilla latte sweetness. Medium-full in body, with low carbonation and a slick, smooth mouthfeel that coats the tongue after each sip. Reasonably drinkable, but one serving is plenty for me tonight.
Final Grade: 4.14, an A-. Much like the other ASWCs that I've been fortunate enough to try, A Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout is an undeniably delicious beer. However, there are a couple of other interesting things going on, which together make for an experience that is decidedly different from the other stouts in this series. The lactose and vanilla add a fair bit of sweetness to the mix - in fact, you could easily argue that I should've added this as a milk stout. The other thing I really appreciate is that they didn't go overboard with the spices: you'll know they're there, but they aren't the main focus of the flavour, or the aroma. Not a brew that I feel the need to drink on a regular basis, but it's the perfect fit for a cool, windy Devil's Night. Happy Halloween, BAs!
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