Werewolf
New Trail Brewing Company

 

Slightly less than a fingers worth of active dark khaki / brown colored fizzy froth... Limited retention... No lacing... Color is a still jet black... Sweet pumpkin pie and cinnamon on the nose... Simple but effective... Oh that is good... Rich deep poking pie flavor... Touches of vanilla and cinnamon... Just a tad of roasted malts and a subtle hoppiness on the finish... Medium bodied a rather smooth with just a kiss of carbonation... Sleek and sophisticated... Very nice beer and great variation on the traditional pumpkin beers...

 

It's not exactly like its big brother, the one that's barrel aged. Although the ingredients are practically the same, the ABV of this one is lower and no barrel aging is referenced. Precisely, it's a spiced Imperial Milk Stout. The pour which emptied the pint can entirely into a clear glass liter mug produced significant tan foam that receded quickly and left irregular glass lacing. The brew itself is black coffee brown with just a little extra haze. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg notes fill the surrounding area. The cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and alcohol give this a sharp bite that the lactose does little to mitigate. That's OK, because more milk solids could only muddle the distinctive flavors and turn the mouthfeel from the light and clean one it is, into something more sticky or chalky. The alcohol is certainly part of the overall taste, but it's not a major detriment. This one is fully spiced, so the maltiness of the stout gets overwhelmed. It's heavily flavored, but light across the tongue, especially for something with lactose added. If you like a healthy dose of pumpkin spices, you'll really like this.