Short Dark & Breakfast
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

My last beer I reviewed, I noted how the beer wasn’t exactly speaking to Raul. Fortunately here, we have a beer that is exactly the opposite: cue the horns! All hail Short Dark and Breakfast! Not only does this beer show up to the party, he shows up with streamers on. In the nose and on the tongue is big maple and coffee - as advertised. We are talking tasty. As far as any letdown goes, it’s that these aromas and flavors are more on the Barbara Palvin side (thin) rather than Ashley Graham (luscious and thick.) Overall, a pretty good offering though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured from a growler into a tulip glass.

Pours a dark cola brown color with a finger of caramel colored head. The head leaves a ring of lacing as it dissipates, settling into a thin sheet.

The aroma brings notes of vanilla and sweet cream, dark chocolate, bitter roasted coffee beans, and a touch of sweet maple syrup.

The flavor comes precisely as advertised. The maple is the star here, coming through strong up front. Then comes a wave of fresh roasted coffee and sweet cream. The chocolate is a subtle addition on the finish. Sweet, but nicely balanced.

The feel is medium bodied with lower carbonation. Goes down creamy and smooth with exceptional drinkability. Alcohol is present but only just.

Overall, a very good and highly drinkable stout. The maple flavor is a great addition but everything else is pretty standard for the style. Still, a damn good beer that's decently balanced and full of flavor.

Bought this when it came out, finally having it on this cold and suddenly snowy night. Loved the other Short Dark's but this one was a bit different. Yes, it's supposed to be a Breakfast Stout but this was too strong to qualify for one. It's sooner have for dessert as it was sweeter, stronger, and more warming than one that I'd have first thing in the morning!

Good pour to this as the beer was dark like cola but at the same time, missing a head! Colored like mousse, it was one of the thinnest that I've ever seen on a beer, let alone a Stout. Hardly any lacing was left behind on my Teku glass as well, which would have led me to believe that this was too thin in consistency. Plenty of dark chocolate, maple, coffee, and cream in the nose with all of those present in the taste as well. Felt like brandy once I took a sip but the sweetness of the maple and chocolate clashed with the heft of this brew. After it warmed up, a strong bourbon-like caramel stickiness emerged as this turned out to be more complex than I would have been led to believe.

Plenty of alcohol here but it wasn't higher than most of the other Other Half brews that I've enjoyed. It just *felt* strong from start to finish, which diminished the Breakfast Stout aspect of this. While not a bad beer, it took a bit of getting used to with so much going on. The mouthfeel was thin but creamy enough to hold everything together. Seek out, enjoy, and savor this beer, but just not first thing in the morning!