Eclipse
Powerhouse Brewing Company

473 mL can from the brewery; dated Nov 27 2023 and served barely chilled. I should've reviewed this beer during the eclipse last week, but I totally missed the boat.

Pours pitch black, kicking up one finger of tight, creamy, khaki-coloured head that melts away within two or three minutes. A narrow ring of lace clings to the glass above a dense collar of creamy froth - one of the blackest stouts I've seen in months. The aroma is understated, comprised of roasted malts, cocoa powder and bran muffin, with hints of vanilla and molasses. It opens up a little as the glass warms, adding some dark chocolate to the mix.

This is a quality milk stout - not a fancy/complex one, mind you, but its flavours are balanced perfectly. Subtle milk sugar sweetness in the background, with notes of cocoa, toasted nuts and dark chocolate flitting across the taste buds. Just a hint of vanilla on the back end, with a roasty, bittersweet chocolate aftertaste that lingers briefly on the palate. Medium-full in body, with low carbonation and a smooth, slick mouthfeel that suits the style well. I finished my glass surprisingly fast, and wouldn't have minded another.

Final Grade: 3.91, a B+. In general, my number one peeve with milk stouts is when they are oversweetened - and yes, I get that they're supposed to be sweeter than a regular stout. I just feel that too many North American brewers take that as a cue to transform the style into a dessert/pastry-type beer. Eclipse is more akin to a classic English milk stout: there's some lactose sweetness, but it's counterbalanced with bitter dark chocolate and roasty flavours. The subtle vanilla also proves to be a plus. I'd buy this again, and encourage other stout lovers to try it as well.