Milk Stout

A Sunday afternoon following a day at West Lake Beach before seeing Inception (A great movie by the way) and Salt in a double-hit-one-ticket movie excursion.

Appearance: Nice, rich, dark chocolate hue that poured strong and silky. Even almost black with no head to note.

Aroma: Sweet malted caramel aroma with hints of chocolate and roastiness.

Taste: Noticeably sweet right off the bat (I tasted it first....woops). Again, Chocolatey sweetness reinforced by a sweet, dehydrated milk status. Initially I would relate this to a sugary coffee drink you'd purchase from Starbucks, Yet it's beer! There is a bittersweet element to it of cream and lactose followed by a pleasant finish of hops and perhaps pine-like (though not bitter) taste. A complementary roastiness of Black Patton malt.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and delicious with a silky coating to the tongue. Creamy texture is reinforced by the fact that the carbonation is the finishing mouth sense. I think it really helps carry out the final mocha caramel flavors.
Overall Impression: A stellar stout in its own category. I really enjoy the unusual balance of flavor and feel. Definitely worthy of a 6 pack.

Note: Left Hand designed a totally new label, so I actually ended up logging this one twice in my journal!

86/100