Vanilla Dog
Abita Brewing Co.

 

 

22 oz bottle served in glass. BB dated October 2017.

Appearance: very dark orange-brown, nearly opaque, with excellent clarity. The tan head is well sized and has very good retention. Good lacing.

Aroma: mainly vanilla and caramel, with malt and a hint of chocolate.

Flavor: Vanilla is pronounced but not over done. Still not much here but vanilla and brown bread with hints of caramel and chocolate.

Mouthfeel - good carbonation level but perhaps a bit lively; reasonably smooth, medium-full body.

Poured from a bomber the deep dark brew sported a 3 finger tan head that hung around awhile, aroma was light chocolate with a hint of vanilla swirled with some smokey roasted notes. Taste was very watery at times and solid at others...almost like you had to take 2 drinks close together to get a good taste. When I could get a solid taste it was a milk stout like roasty Brown Ale with creamy Vanilla hanging around at the end, overall very tasty and with a light mouthfeel and a really firm bitter finish which worked well. More Vanilla came out as it warmed but I would've preferred a stronger up front Vanilla but still enjoyed drinking this brew.

 

 

 

Had on tap. Pours clear, dark brown in color with 1/3 inch head. Taste is Roasted malt, big vanilla, and dark chocolate. Medium bodied, sweet and roasty. Makes for a nice dessert beer as the vanilla shines through. Solid brown ale that I would get again if I saw it on tap.

 

 

On-tap 12/9/2016 at Doherty’s Ale House in Warwick, RI, served in a tapered pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a short beige head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains vanilla, maple, coffee, roasted malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with strong flavors of vanilla, maple and coffee. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly bready.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, this is a solid beer to drink for a while.

 

 

 

1 PT. 6 FL. OZ. bottle
Served in a becker glass

This beer pours a deep shade of brown with some ruby highlights. It is topped with three inches of tan head that leaves a little lacing.

It has a nice aroma of vanilla and cocoa.

It has a sweet vanilla taste with an earthy, semi sweetened cocoa backbone and finish.

Medium mouthfeel

This is a solid beer. The vanilla is complimentary rather than overwhelming. It is a comforting beer to have on a frigid November evening.

 

22oz bottle. Poured out a clear, brown color with a small off-white head of foam. It smelled vanilla, sweet caramel and nuts. Mild vanilla flavor with a strong nutty presence. Sweet with a mild bitterness.

Sessionable, definitely not a plain brown ale but not too sweet either. I wish companies such as Not Your Father's or Best Damn Root Beer etc made beverages more like this. It's got everything you'd want aroma and taste-wise out of a hard soda but still tastes like actual beer. A 22oz bomber is easy to drink, it's light and medium carbonation. Reddish brown color and tall head. One of the best vanilla browns I've had, I think it's better than Cigar City's vanilla Maduro which pains me since I'm a Cigar City fanboy. Pretty sure the bomber is only about $6.

 

Bomber. Pours deep brown, finger off-white head fades to a thin ring, spotty lacing. Toasty aroma with a little sweet vanilla. Roasty brown ale taste, vanilla is present, some burnt caramel notes. Touch of smokiness in there. Mouthfeel is thin to medium, semi slick. Finishes dry with some lingering bitterness. Pretty decent brown ale.