Pastry Stout w/Coffee, Vanilla, Caramel, & Maple Syrup
Ever Grain Brewing Co.

Have you ever heard the adage of "One door closing means the opening of CANother"? The Pizza Boy horizontal became MUCH more involved than I initially imagined! Between long hours at work & not drinking as much as I would like as a result, it was a really protracted affair. It was also CANspirational in that they are based out of Enola, PA, on the west shore of the Susquehanna River, across from Harrisburg. Also on the west shore is Ever Grain in Camp Hill, PA & if that city seems familiar, then you may have been a Book of the Month Club member at one time. Fasten your seat belts as The CANQuest (tm) takes on this undertaking! 10/13.

From the CAN: "Rotational Series"; "Pastry Stout w/Coffee, Vanilla, Caramel, & Maple Syrup"; "Sweet * Rich * Breakfasty"; "Camp Hill, PA"; "Est. 2016".

I decided to have this one as an acCANponiment to my morning cuppa joe to see how it CANpares. I Crack!ed open the vent & beCAN a slow, gentle C-Line Glug into the awaiting glass. It started with a pseudo-cascade that morphed into a rolling finger of fizzy, foamy, deep-brown head that seemed to fall as quickly as I poured, finally leaving naught but wisps. Color was Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing ZERO light penetration. Nose was sweet with the maple syrup really asserting itself against the roastiness of the coffee. Mouthfeel was big, thick, full & creamy, like a dollop had been scooped into my mouth & onto my tongue! The taste was VERY sweet with the maple syrup & caramel playing a big part against the roasty backdrop of the coffee & malt(s). Personally, I was finding it to be a bit too sweet for my personal taste, but that is not reflective of rating/reviewing to style. They were calling it "breakfasty" on the label, but this is not the sort of thing that I would want for breakfast. Instead, it was more of a dessert beer & one that paired quite well with my aforementioned coffee. Finish remained quite sweet and I finally beCAN to perceive the vanilla while the maple syrup was an overwhelming, pervasive presence throughout. One was enough for me! YMMV.