Rocky Road
New Trail Brewing Company

 

 

Slight audibly fizzy dark khaki colored froth quickly dissipates... Color is a dark mahogany that allows the slightest bit of light to leak in around the edges... Nose is slightly sweet highlighted by notes of vanilla and molasses... Also some faint nutty notes are easy to detect... Flavor profile is consistent with the nose and very well balanced... Mouthfeel is medium, slightly thin and lightly carbonated... Very easy drinking, quite enjoyable and a bit understated... A nice change of pace...

 

Pours black as oil with a caramel colored head.

Chocolate, almond, cream, and dark bitter bread.

Bitter chocolate, sweet almond, and creamy mouthfeel.

 

 

Poured from a 16 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Dark, dark brown pour... nearly black with 2 fingers of fizzy tannish head. Falls fast... negligible lacing.

S: Roasted grains, vanilla, cocoa, and sweets.

T.F: Semi-sweet roast... grains and chocolate. Vanilla... light espresso, nut, and more dark cocoa. Marshmallow and roast bitterness. Medium bodied... well carbonated. More chocolate and roast to finish.

O: An above average sweet stout. Lots of chocolate and roast... reasonably drinkable. Nothing amazing though... and happy to just have a single.

 

Undated can into pint glass. Pours a very dark brown (SRM 39+) with a brief light tan head. No lacing. Initial impression is milk chocolate, vanilla, and roasted almonds - as advertised. Mouthfeel is a little watery for my tastes, but then maybe I'm jaded by a liking for Imperial Stouts. Finish is lingering chocolate. Overall, an OK but not spectacular effort from New Trail.

OK, time for desert. This ought to fit the bill as well as a pint can's contents fit into a clear Imperial pint glass. It's the same black-brown color of many stouts, without any head. The aroma is of roasted malt, chocolate and vanilla. There's just a hint of almond. The taste is a good inclusion of those flavors, but the almond character really makes this special. This isn't a milkshake beer, despite the inclusion of lactose, which is barely noticed. Nor is this a desert beer, for It's not overly sweet, despite its ingredients. This is just a tastefully flavored stout, with a good mouthfeel. You will have to appreciate dark chocolate and almonds to like this one, but if you want a sweet milkshake desert beer, this won't work for you.