Deprived of Light
Ladd & Lass Brewing

Poured from 16oz can into my BeerAdvocsate teku. Canned 10/16/23.

Appearance: entirely black with a finger of frothy tan foam atop. Deep and mysterious!

Smell: the coconut really comes through, and is lovely on top of the sweet, rich malt base. The vanilla is there, too, but to be honest, the vanilla does not work super well for me — I honestly think it detracts from the quality of the base beer and the coconut.

Taste: coconutty right up front, followed by just a bit of alcohol warmth. It’s sweet, to be sure, but the vanilla is toned down here when compared to the aroma, and the alcohol warming is a nice contrast to the sweetness. Cacao comes through a bit, but nothing like the coconut.

Mouthfeel: rich body with a moderate carbonation and a nicely smooth creaminess.

Overall: I mean, this is a sweet, dessert beer to be sure — not something for chugging. But, I’m going to enjoy sipping on this one a great deal.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a half finger khaki head with good retention and nice lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, milk and bakers chocolate, malted milk and vanilla. Flavor is dark toasted and dry biscuit malt with light char, bakers and dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, vanilla and light coconut; cocoa, vanilla and coconut in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A full bodied Russian imperial stout with a light touch of the cacao, vanilla and coconut adjuncts. The malt base is on the lighter side of this style, but rich enough to fit the name and supports the additions nicely. Well balanced, extra flavors and toasted malt char are all in harmony. I liked the base stout and wouldn't mind tasting it as a straight RIS, although I enjoyed this too. Looks, smell, and tastes great.

Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours motor oil black (and looks thick as it flows!) with a moderate amount (maybe an inch) of light brown head. The nose is filled with chocolate, marshmallow, vanilla, coconut, a bit of toffee, and some milk. Very nice and smooth!

The taste is super smooth and tasty. Big notes of dark chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, coconut, vanilla, burnt toffee, bitter oak, leather, a significant earthy note, and a bit of molasses. This differs massively from typical pastry stouts that have vanilla, cacao, and coconut. This is big and roasty, with lots of wood and earthy notes. Some dark fruit starts to emerge as well. Plums, raisins, and a touch of figs.

The mouthfeel is super thick and viscous. Lovely. Overall, this is a fantastic stout that retains the stout features. Love it!