The Dog House
Hop Butcher For The World

 

16 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 5/2/18, had 5/30/18.

Pours dark, opaque, a little thick looking, with a short, quickly dissipating head and some soapy lacing. Aromas of chocolate, fudge, malt, vanilla, some lactose. The taste is just like the nose- chocolate, fudge, vanilla, malt, lactose. It’s pretty sweet, which is ok with me. It’s Portillo’s cake, right? Smooth, a little creamy- although less than expected, a good medium to full body, could use a touch more carbonation.

Pretty straightforward, but well done. The chocolate and fudge are great and the sweetness really does make it seem like a cake. A fun one to drink, worth a try.

 

 

 

Tasted in a Spiegelau stout glass from a one pint can on May 13, 2018. Look is muddy brown. Smell and taste is sweet milk chocolate. Feel is thin and watery.

 

 

A-very dark brown, almost black, with almost no head at all

S-chocolate, vanilla, some coffee

T-rich chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and finishes with some roast

M-light to medium body and light carbonation

Overall a little light on the body and pretty sweet, but still enjoyable

 

 

 

 

5toutman75 is spot-on with his review.

Smell is so sweet and amazing. A perfect dessert beer from the smell of it. All chocolate and vanilla and sugar. It’s a little thin compared to my favorite stouts. Almost looks like a porter. Very little lacing. Extra points for using Portillos cake, which is the best. I would buy again next year. I am splitting with 3 friends but I am not sure I would like an entire 16oz can all to myself.

Pours a shiny bright black color. Thin almost non-existent tan head dissipates quickly leaving no residual head. If it wasn't for that momentary head this beer would appear completely flat.

Aroma is strong rich notes of vanilla, chocolate, chocolate cake, maple syrup and an ice cream like note - probably me picking up the lactose. If you like your stout to smell like a vanilla bombed chocolate cake, then you will love this.

Taste is as sweet as you'd anticipate from the nose. Flavors of chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, peanut butter all cascade across the palate. Portillo's chocolate cake is definitely in this - I can taste it and its weird! But good. A bit of roasted malts come through, but frankly its so sweet you kind of lose any malt notes you'd expect from a stout. There is a certain alcohol burn on the back end of the beer that lingers momentarily.

Feel is somewhat thin with mild carbonation. Smooth. Dry, somewhat powdery mouthfeel.

Overall, if you like, or don't mind, overly sweets stouts this is well don. If you don't like them, you'll hate this. I found it enjoyable, but one can was more than enough for me. Does get points for using portillos cake as if this is a cake shake.

 

So this is definitely a milk/sweet stout, not a double stout, at least for my ratings. Going for the famous portillo's chocolate cake shake, and honestly in smell they really did great with it. Taste the flavors separated out a little more, with the vanilla really standing out as separate to chocolate and cake maltiness, but still good though incredibly sweet. Feel was great in that there were waves of textures and flavors just like the shake. Dessert beer all the way

 

Canned 5/2/18; drank 5/4/18 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance; champagne bubbles throughout.

A violent pour yielded a nice, noisy tan head; decent lace.

Chocolate frosting & medium roast coffee bean notes in the nose.

Creamy medium thick mouthfeel.

Milk chocolate, medium roast coffee & faint raspberry flavors up front; mild fresh earth notes on the finish. No booze heat.

VERY sweet, but if you're a pastry boi like me you'll find much to enjoy here. I'd have another...