Dark Creamy Goodness

An unusual trend has been happening lately, I’ve re-stumbled upon a patch of stouts. No, not the average, boring Guinness variety associated with the recent Patrician festivities. I’m referring to stouts of a slightly sweeter, richer, creamier nature.
In the stout universe, the style that is often considered the smoothest and least bitter is called milk, cream or sweet stout. Where dry stouts are roasted and biting, oatmeal stouts are smooth and slightly sweet: sweet stouts can reach desert levels.
Milk stouts are typically sweetened with unfermentable lactose and lean towards a milky sweet essence. Cream stouts can employ molasses, brown sugar, or some other sweetener to give the beer a sugary flavor. The designation of milk or cream in association with stout is no longer allowed in Britain, where the style was developed. Sweet stout is the overarching title that encompasses the various stouts not associated with the Irish dry variety, the potent and complex Russian Imperial version, or the seemingly nutritious oatmeal type.
Regardless of the sub-style you pick, what should you expect from a general sweet stout?
To begin, many will show up tar black and may have brown or ruby highlights near the bottom of the glass. A huge head of muddy tan foam is not unusual, rising from the beer. Thin waves of patchy lace should be found coating the sides of the glass, and nice rings should appear after every sip.
Smells offered are generally in the sweet chocolate and cocoa range, possibly molasses or caramel as well. Milk is not unusual along with some meaty notes to boot. Aromas of warm brown sugar might even be noticeable. Hops are rarely present.
Flavors can vary depending on which type of sweet stout you’ve discovered, but milky and coffee-like flavors are typical, although most are not nearly as sweet as they first smell. Roasted characters, intense malts, and even a hint of charcoal or earth may arise from these darkest of dark ales. The aftertaste of sweet stouts tends to resemble bitter dark chocolate – something like a coffee and cream delight. This is a combined effort of minimal hop bite and maximal malt roasting.
Sweet stouts feel medium to full in the mouth, fluffy, but with a tingling carbonation that will persist. Most are best enjoyed around room temp where they smooth out considerably. In general, sweet stout flavors, smells and mouthfeel are generally balanced. Alcohol by volumes (ABV) range from 4 to 7 percent, although some more recent releases creep towards 10 percent!
Of late, the sweetest, by which I mean cloyingly, teeth-rottingly sweet, is Southern Tier’s Crème Brulee. More than a half glass, you’ll need a nap. On the other end, Duck Rabbit’s Milk Stout doesn’t offer enough creamy sweetness.
Left Hand’s Milk Stout may be one of the better balanced sweet stouts, and the new Nitro version is extremely smooth and drinkable. Terrapin’s Moo Hoo is also acceptable, but I expected more milk chocolate from this one. I’d recommend either Sam Smith’s Organic Chocolate or Young’s Double Milk Stout as classic, superior options. However, if you can find it, Sam Adam’s Cream Stout may be the perfect mix of roasted malt, creamy sweet, full mouthfeel and balanced bliss. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
 
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.