Tallgrass Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat - Tallgrass Brewing Company

zeff80

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Dark, dark brown color with a one-finger, light brown head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - Great vanilla aroma. Nice chocolate notes.

T - It tasted of vanilla, chocolate with some sweet toffee. Just a touch of bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied stout.

O - This is a very good beer. Love the addition of vanilla beans!

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 22:45:24 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.99/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an effervescent mahogany with 4 fingers of mocha colored head. Decent head retention & lacing

S: Coffee, mocha & a wee bit of vanilla

T: Follows the nose & some roastyness up front. Coffee asserts itself as this warms, along more pronounced vanilla & some lactose twang as well & charred grain mixing with chicory. Finishes with a mocha/lactose twang that makes think I should save some of these beer for cookies or breakfast, coffee beans assert at the very end of the pint

MF: Medium bodied, slight carbonation, dry

This a nice iteration of the style, that hits most of the marks. Depending on my mood it would be a toss up if I drank this or the regular version, which I enjoy profusely. What I'm really hoping to see: Imperial Buffalo Sweat!

Serving type: can

02-10-2013 04:08:54 | More by russpowell

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.36/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

16 oz can poured into a Tallgrass tulip.
5% ABV, 1.057 O.G., 20 IBUs, Drink By 08/03/13

A - Dark coffee brown in color, this stout looks nearly black but pours with a good mahogany clarity. A tall tan head slowly settles leaving gnarled fingers of lace around the glass.

S - Roasted malt encourages a flourishing aroma of cocoa and coffee, very similar to the original Buffalo Sweat, but the added vanilla beans really take the aroma to the next level. Dark fruits like raisin and plum emerge with spicy undertones of cinnamon and clove, leveling off with the vanilla bean itself.

T - The addition of vanilla beans into this beer really changes the aroma but doesn't do much to it's flavor profile. Nuances of the bean emerge through it's cocoa, oatmeal, and roasted malt profile as it warms up significantly but with all the delicious roasted qualities going on it's hard to pick out vanilla, specifically.

M - This beer's oatmeal and lactose combine for a smooth and supple medium body that's wonderfully balanced by the roasted malt characteristics which provide a nice lingering bitterness along the finish. The vanilla beans continue to add tannins and an almost meaty umami feel to the beer.

O - While I really enjoy the quality and flavor of Buffalo Sweat, the vanilla bean version doesn't add enough beyond the aroma for me to get jazzed up over. The interwoven aspects of spice and fruit to the aroma are exceptional but the incredible subtlety of flavor evolution leaves something to be desired. Certainly not a bad beer by any means, it just doesn't advance Buffalo Sweat in any significant way.

Serving type: can

05-24-2013 01:27:52 | More by BeerFMAndy

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.76/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75

Not bad, not bad. Poured at a good temperature with a mammoth, foamy, brown head that quickly settled and no lace. Color is a very dark, dark brown. Aroma has very little vanilla, but does have hop, roast, malt, and a bit of earth. Flavor's like nose with hop more subdued, vanilla coming out a bit more, well balanced in kind of an odd way. Body is chewy, but despite the huge foam upon pouring, a little flat. Finish has an off vanilla thing that isn't an asset, longish and on one hand intriguing, but on the other, not. Curiously, weirdly - drinkable. Still trying to figure this out.

Serving type: can

03-04-2013 06:06:18 | More by drpimento

morimech

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Dark brown color with a massive head that had good retention before settling to a very thick cap. Heavy lacing is left down the glass.

Nothing surprising in the aroma. Regular Buffalo Sweat with a moderate amount of vanilla addition. The vanilla really seems to compliment the base beer. Has a vanilla malt shake quality.

More than subtle vanilla flavor. It is a dominant and a little overwhelming. Getting just a moderate amount of the base stout. The vanilla does not compliment the flavor as it did the aroma.

Solid body for a lower ABV stout. Smooth, even texture that compliments the flavors.

Another solid beer from Tallgrass. The vanilla might be a little much for some, it was pushing the threshold with me, but delivers what it claims.

Serving type: can

06-03-2013 21:51:22 | More by morimech

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pitch black body except for some lighter edges. Medium brown frothy head of 2 fingers. Retention was meager. Laces nice. Aroma of vanilla beans is very evident. Wafts of chocolate and coffee roast are on the backside. Tastes like the aroma really..vanilla, chocolate, coffee. Straight and to the point. As with the regular Buffalo Sweat, it's on the thinner side. Creamy, but thin.

Adds a nice dynamic. The coffe gets muted a bit, but th vanilla is good.

Serving type: can

03-16-2013 23:27:35 | More by EgadBananas

jera1350

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Solid brown bodied with a thin layer of light chocolate milk colored foam that leaves some fair lacing.

Although the nose is a little light, the resulting aroma is that of a vanilla milkshake with some graham cracker mixed in.

Moderately sweet and chocolatey with the vanilla coming in at the back and into the finish. The aftertaste results in faint vanilla, roasted dark malt and coffee on the palate. Great flavor.

Lighter than medium bodied with a creamy carbonation. The low amount of carbonation hints at a cask/nitro feel.

So much flavor for a 5% beer. I just might drink the whole four pack. Truly a terrific milk stout offering here. I highly recommend this one.

Serving type: can

01-12-2013 01:10:12 | More by jera1350

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.16/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz. can into a Surly tulip glass. Can says drink by 06/09/13.

Appearance: Pours a very dark blackish brown with a slight hint of ruby. About one finger of tan head that quickly fades into thin patches. Leaves a decent amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A sweet, roasty, malt driven aroma with a big dose of vanilla. Dark roasted malts with good hints of sweet chocolate, coffee bean, oats, and a big scent of vanilla beans. Also hints of sweet toasted caramel, toffee, milk, cream, nuts, grains, biscuit, and yeast. Some brown sugar adding to the sweetness. Subtle presence of earthy hops in the background. A very solid sweet stout aroma.

Taste: Like the smell hints, a sweet and roasty milk stout taste with a big shot of vanilla. Dark roasted malts with notes of chocolate, coffee bean, big vanilla bean, oats, and toast. Along with that are notes of milk, cream, caramel, toffee, nuts, yeast, biscuit, and grains. Some sweet burnt brown sugar. Some earthy hops provide a little dryness towards the finish. The creamy chocolate and vanilla stand out the most. A pretty solid taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very creamy, silky, and smooth. Somewhat slick.

Overall: A very good milk/sweet stout. The vanilla beans add a nice shot of flavor.

Serving type: can

03-27-2013 06:41:59 | More by MattyG85

Mdog

Minnesota

4.26/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Black with red highlights, good head.

Smell: Natural vanilla (not artificial smelling vanilla), some coffee.

Taste: Mild coffee, mocha, then the vanilla comes through. Doesn't whack you over the head with vanilla, it's nicely incorporated.

Overall: I like milk stouts and sweet stouts so this hit the spot. Nice vanilla flavor without being too sweet, nicely complementing the stout. Easy to drink and always good to see the cans.

Serving type: can

02-23-2013 20:27:39 | More by Mdog

n2185

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours black with two fingers of khaki head that fades into a frothy ring with little lacing.

S: Vanilla dominates here with notes of roasted malts and sweet, creamy milk chocolate.

T: Thankfully the vanilla is a bit more subdued here. Roasted malts are at the forefront with milk chocolate flavors. Vanilla comes through and blends well rather than tasting artificial before a slightly charred finish.

M: Medium body and carbonation, this beer thankfully avoids being watery like many low abv stouts.

O: A solid beer overall. Most low abv stouts are bland and watery, but this one is enjoyable.

Serving type: can

04-01-2013 20:11:35 | More by n2185

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

tallboy can poured into duvel Tulip glass.

Appearance: black bodied beer with 2 fingers of tan head that drops quickly to a very thin cap leaving behind some spotty lace.

Smell: honestly smells exactly like buffalo sweat with a bit stronger of a vanilla note. So its got a little bit of roasty and nutty malts. Lactose sugar notes. Milk chocolates and vanilla.

Taste: This one tastes exactly like the nose. A little bit roasty and nutty. Lactose sugars and milk chocolates. A moderately sweet and lingering vanilla flavor in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. creamy and coating mouthfeel. Slightly silky.

Overall: Yeah they did exactly what they set out to do. Its buffalo sweat with more vanilla flavor. I think I like buffalo sweat and vanilla bean buffalo sweat equally. I am not sure that the addition of the vanilla beans really made buffalo sweat any better.

Serving type: can

01-28-2013 03:56:04 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

tronester

Oklahoma

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown with a thin creamy tan head. Aromas of freshly prepared oatmeal and brown sugar. A little bit of coffee aroma in there as well. Taste begins with a slight smokey flavor, then some caramel, after that a hint of vanilla, then a big milk finish. The aftertaste is rather smoky. Mouthfeel is good. Overall a very nice sweet stout. Plenty of flavor in a relatifvely low ABV.

Serving type: can

05-02-2013 22:37:20 | More by tronester

yamar68

Minnesota

4.14/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Near pitch black with a swelling pillow of light brown head that produces a good deal of lacing.

I'm impressed by how strong the vanilla addition translates on the nose... like a Buffalo Sweat float with vanilla bean ice cream. Milk chocolate, cream, brown sugar... I'm loving this so far.

Smooth chocolate flavors, vanilla bean and lots of it... mild brownie, some cocoa powder, pretty straight forward stuff but I like it.

'tis good!

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 18:37:53 | More by yamar68

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat pours a black color, with a small lacing white head. Their is a nice roasted malty aroma, with hints of vanilla. The taste is the same, a nice sweet roasted malty backbone, with nice hints of vanilla. Good full flavors, and the vanilla is nice and mellow. Overall a nice vanilla flavored beer, enjoyable and easy to drink.

Serving type: can

05-06-2013 03:56:09 | More by vette2006c5r

mdwalsh

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

No head, but that's okay

A solid stout aroma, but not a lot of vanilla in there.

Ditto with the taste. A little more robust and well rounded than I recall regular buffalo sweat, but still. Not the richness I expect from a vanilla stout. Though on the back end...I do catch something really nice.

This is still though Buffalo sweat, a dry stout, which I don't know if this jives with vanilla.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 19:41:21 | More by mdwalsh

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.89/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

The beer is a cola black with slight brown on the edges when held to the light. A vanilla ice cream colored head recedes to a few wisps of bubbles. Not much in the way of lacing.

The aroma has a nice creamy vanilla ice cream smell. Faint roasted malts and bitter coffee.

The taste too has a good vanilla cream note, not overpowering or too sweet. Leaves just enough space in the finish for the darker roasted malt and coffee notes.

Mouthfeel is just a bit too thin. But certainly very drinkable.

Overall, I like it a lot because they get the vanilla down perfectly. But it's watery. Still worthy, and very drinkable.

Serving type: can

01-26-2013 15:46:16 | More by JuicesFlowing

zhanson88

California

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours out a dark brown color that appears close to an opaque brown in the glass. Just a few ruby highlights. About 1" of khaki head forms, which has decent retention, and really no lacing.

Smell: Smells slightly nutty and roasty with a hint of coffee up front, with a good deal of vanilla following. Pretty unique, I like it.

Taste: Malts are very nutty up front, with some roast and coffee in the middle, and plenty of vanilla sweetness on the back end and finish. Little to no hops to speak of. Overall, a very tasty combination.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Light to medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Pretty good. Overall, I definitely prefer this to the original Buffalo Sweat, and I like the original. This is a pretty solid milk stout, and I will definitely look have it again.

Serving type: can

03-10-2013 03:20:43 | More by zhanson88

JEdmund

Kansas

3.74/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Nice head formation over this stout, though it settles down and doesn't leave much lacing. Very inviting aroma, sweet milk, molasses, and cocoa. Taste is on the lighter side but very drinkable (5%). Smooth and sweet, this milk stout goes down easily, and the addition of vanilla is a perfect touch. Subtlety done too. I was expecting a heavier hand with it. This is a light, easy-drinking stout. At the moment, I'd like more flavor, but if I had a few more in the fridge I'd probably enjoy it just fine. I would like to compare it to the original to see how different it is. Overall worth a try.

Serving type: can

02-15-2013 13:16:43 | More by JEdmund

cvm4

Mississippi

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Side by side tasting with regular & vanilla bean.

A - Both have a pitch black body that seemed to pour slightly thin. A little darker tan head to vanilla bean.

S - Regular stout has roasted malts with bitter semi-sweet chocolate. Vanilla bean adds to the smell with what else, slightly sweet vanilla bean. Both beers aren't eye popping smellolicious.

T - Regular has semi-sweet chocolate with a bit of watered down black coffee. Vanilla bean has the same characteristics but that oh so sweet character of vanilla bean it adds is really wonderful.

M - Both are not thick, though slightly creamy with medium carbonation.

O - Loaded down with vanilla bean, this beer just pops and really one I would reach for time & time again. The regular is good in its own right, but man-o-man that vanilla bean is much better!

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 16:36:27 | More by cvm4

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.06/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured into a plastic cup at the St. Paddy's Day parade, Jackson, MS

A: Blackish brown with a tan one finger head that lingered. Nice lacing.

S: Vanilla poppin'. Smooth, rich with chocolate accents.

T: Damn, this is smooth. Whipped chocolate with vanilla beans circling the moat. Sweet, robust, but not overpowering. Malty. Love at first sip.

M: Medium with frothy carbonation.

O: I wasn't a fan of the regular Buffalo Sweat, but this one made me a true believer. The vanilla beans smooth out the rough edges of regular BS and intensify the chocolate flavoring. A new favorite.

Serving type: can

03-18-2013 20:19:28 | More by brewskifan55

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.49/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: An aggressive pour resulted in a very dark brown body with a three finger soapy tan head. The head dissipates rapidly.

Aroma: Lightly roasted dark malts. Not really smelling a lot of vanilla but maybe it will come out more in the flavor. Basically smells like an average Milk Stout.

Taste: A nice palate of both sweet cream and charred malt notes as well as a light grassy hop character. The vanilla comes out near the finish and lingers into the aftertaste. It's hard to notice at first because it is blended so well into the whole flavor of the beer. A good amount of flavor for 5% ABV.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body which is very thick for an O.G. of 1.057, must be some unfermentable lactose sugar in there. Smooth carbonation given an aggressive pour and easy drinkability.

Final Thoughts: A good Milk Stout with a nice hint of vanilla. I'm not sure if it's the cool logos on the cans or the low price point but TallGrass brews always seem to catch my eye in the store. I'd be interested to try this one next to the original Buffalo Sweat. Would I drink it again? Sure.

Serving type: can

04-21-2013 02:23:59 | More by JamesMN

deebo

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A-poured from a can into a pint glass this beer explodes into a creamy light tan head. Black with ruby highlights when held up to light
S-rich roasted malt with notes of chocolate and a hint of vanilla beans
T-more roasted flavored than sweet this beer still finishes a bit sweet but definitely not over the top. Subtle flavors from the vanilla beans accent this sweet stout nicely.
M-like a good milk stout this baby is damn creamy. The moderate carbonation carries the flavors very nicely
O-just like tallgrass buffalo sweat this is a very creamy and richly flavored milk stout. Well done

Serving type: can

01-28-2013 01:40:58 | More by deebo

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.04/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Having had the original Buffalo Sweet, I'm looking forward to this variation.

If a buffalo stood on the prairie on a moonless night, it might have a passing resemblance to this beer - midnight black, with very little head.

Like cold coffee on the nose, with a splash of vanilla cream - lactose sweet, like you'd expect from a milk stout. Sweeter on the nose than I remember the original though.

Creamy smooth, with the characteristic sweetness, accompanied by roasted coffee, dark chocolate, with only an undertone of vanilla. It's there, but not nearly as pronounced as I expected or hoped.

Prickly carbonation to begin, smooth throughout, clean to close.

A good drinker and one that I could enjoy quite a bit, but nothing that strikes me as outstanding. I could see the original being aged in bourbon barrels as a preferable alternative.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:46:20 | More by mdcrouser

lurpy1

Minnesota

3.29/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The base Buffalo Sweat is in my opinion a greatly overlooked beer. High hopes for this one. Looks great, smells something like a boozy Nilla wafer. Tastes...like the inside of a can. The metal fades somewhat as it warms, but what rises up in its place is somewhat bitter. The vanilla gets lost in the shuffle. The beer has a lot going for it but comes up short where it matters most: Taste. Merely an OK beer, worth having at a reasonable price.

Serving type: can

01-19-2013 04:10:48 | More by lurpy1

TCMike

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Produced a 2+ finger tan, dense head. Left some lacing. Beer color is a non-translucent, dark brown.

The aroma is of Roasted malts, Dark chocolate, and a hint of vanilla, and coffee.

The taste is similar, but more of the vanilla, and chocolate come through. No noticeable hop bitterness. Medium mouth-feel. It might be slightly over carbonated....it was medium, but am used to lower in a stout.

Very good, and easy drinking. Love this one!

Serving type: can

02-25-2013 22:58:26 | More by TCMike