Dead Man Waking
Brew Rebellion

Brew Rebellion's Dead Man Waking, Vietnamese Coffee milk stout. 7.7% ABV.

A: Over a finger of tan head. Black in the glass. Murky, dark brown in the dimple, with a reddish edge. Decent lacing that slowly, but constantly slides right down. Solid, clear sheeting.

S: Ooh. I like the smell already. It has a lighter, and aromatic coffee smell, with some kind of softer spice. Almost smells like chai. A slight sweet, woody note.

T/MF: At first, it's a little hollow; like how some sour stouts completely lack any malt up front. For a second, I almost thought it was sour. Then that lighter, subtly sweet coffee kicks in, with a slight nutty/oaky spice. Dry cocoa powder on the second sip. Dry, roast coffee rides the finish. Quite nice. I was expecting something much darker and stronger, but this works.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle, into a Belgian tulip glass.

Dead Man Waking Vietnamese Coffee Milk Stout, 7.7% ABV: pours opaque black-dark brown color with a 2 finger tan foamy head that hissed/crackled/fizzled and dissipated very quickly, leaving zero lacing...I expected a minimal, but this was kind of ridiculous that it had no stout characteristics.

Smells of coffee beans, dark fruit, burnt black coffee, sugar, cocoa, roasted grains, minerals and an odd combo of earthy notes and hand soap. Lacks the roasty stout notes, but I guess that should be expected from a milk/sweet stout.

Tastes like it smells with cherry cola starting it off, then the coffee beans, rotting dark fruit like plum and/or pear, burnt black coffee, lactose sugar, mineral water, cocoa powder, roasted grains, tart cherry, anise, earthy notes and light char. I really like the coffee aspects, but the rotting fruit comes off like this is a sour beer that was infected. Something is not right and unfortunately this beer is a disappointment. I'll give Brew Rebellion another try, but this beer was not too good.