The PastryArchy Edition #21: Macchiato Milk Stout
DuClaw Brewing Co.

 

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high dense tan head that died down and left a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of lactose and caramel are present in the nose along with hints of chocolate.
T: The taste follows the smell but has more balance among the flavors of caramel, chocolate and lactose.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I really enjoyed the silky smooth mouthfeel of this stout and the balance of flavors in the taste.

Serving type: can

Nearly black with a fairly good sized tan head. Nice aroma: caramel, coffee & vanilla. Mildly sweet with some saltyness. Nice flavor: coffee, lactose, malted grain, dark chocolate, vanilla & caramel. Excellent feel, very smooth. An excellent dessert.

 

 

 

Served from the can in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Pours a straight obsidian topped by a finger of sandstone foam. The nose comprises sweet coffee, roasted malts, milk sugar, and light cinnamon. The taste brings in more of the same, everything blended together into a single working mass. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Definitely brings up some macchiato memories (at least from McDonald's, one of only two examples of the drink I've had, to be honest), pretty good.

 

Looks like what I expected- jet black with a small, tan head. Smells like what I expected- delicious malt, chocolate, coffee, caramel. Tastes like a milder version of the nose. Mouth feel was a bit more watery than I expected. Finish is quick. I was a bit disappointed in the taste/feel, I was hoping for something a bit more creamy and flavorful, but overall it's an easy drink to get down. I wouldn't seek it out again, but would gladly drink one if someone handed me it.

A- This pours a dark brown color, very similar to root beer, and shows some clarity for a deep shade....the head is quite modest to begin with, about one finger in thickness, before fizzling out into a thin ring and wispy looking film over the brew. The lacing is not overly impressive either, with virtually all of the foam swiftly sliding back into the formed ring, leaving behind a slightly oily looking film on the inside of the glass. Overall based on looks, its a 'meh', but theres more to reveal here....

S- I get a delightful sweet aroma of caramel right off the bat, with cooked brown sugar, vanilla, artisanally made milk chocolate, heavy cream and hints of fresh coffee. There are some background smells of Earthy damp soil, dry toasty malts, such as chocolate and black used and winter wheat kernels. There is a lingering cakey feel on the finish in the nostrils....very nice!

T- The coffee that is used is more prominent on the palate than my nose let onto, providing a bitter, astringent, yet fresh java flavor, which is followed in closely by deep toffee/caramel flavors, noticeable vanilla bean, which I know were ground and used....just pops on my tongue! The finish is dry and leans more into the bitterness of charred stout malts and perhaps a hint of hop cones, blended with cream....a nice element that is different to me

M/O- Not really full in body, but medium for sure, and the carbonation is actually more plentiful than I would have first thought. Overall, this is well flavored, balanced well between sweet and traditional, and works well as its own dessert. With that said, I wouldn't mind trying this with a caramel layer cake, or even just paired with good old fashioned dark chocolate squares. I like this and would purchase again....recommended!

 

Pours an almost black with little foam. Not much on the nose for me except some malts. Taste is coffee, vanilla, maybe some toffee. The coffee is dark, strong blend which I prefer. Goes down easy enough. One of the better coffee stouts I’ve had.

 

 

Canned 11/16/21

I have pretty mixed experiences with this series, but for some reason I keep coming back to it. This one isn’t too out of the ordinary like some of the others, so I imagine it’ll be pretty subtle. Let’s crack it open

Pours nearly pitch black with 3 fingers of dark brown head that slowly fades to a cap and leaves decent lacing

The coffee is pretty unique in this one, it has a nice roast that plays well with the other adjuncts. I’m picking up on aromas of dark roast coffee, sweet caramel, toffee, burnt toast, light dark fruit, and creamy vanilla

The unique nature of the coffee used here carries over in taste. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting fruity coffee, roasted malt, creamy vanilla, toast, and light milk chocolate. The swallow brings notes of dark roast coffee, raisin, chewy caramel, milk chocolate, toffee, creamy vanilla, and a lingering black cherry note

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a creamy beer. Finishes a tad sticky and sweet

Well it’s nothing mind boggling, but it might be my favorite of the series so far. Understated and unique

Poured moderately hard from a tall can into a snifter glass, forming a finger or two of tan head that soon faded to a ring of lacing. Deep brown color, almost opaque. Smell is sweet milk stout, nothing too fancy. Taste is definitely sweet macchiato with a background of milk stout. Not too bitter surprisingly. Not quite medium bodied with moderate carbonation.