Wachusett Milk Stout - Wachusett Brewing Company

JaredKent

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: The dark, cocoa colored pour is accompanied by a thin layer of tan head. The initial head isn’t too strong, but that small head has strong staying power. The body of the beer is very dark, near black, and although clear, impossible to see though. 40+ SRM.

Scent: Chocolate hits your nose the minute you stick it into the glass. The creaminess that accompanies the lactose comes through on the aroma. Blindfolded I would have assumed this was chocolate milk. There is a hint of coffee on the back of the nose along with the rich, roasted malt of a stout. As it warms up a bit, the maltiness, and a slight touch of hops, starts to shine through the chocolate aromas.

Taste: The malt is front and center on the mouth. I once again get the chocolate flavors, but this time the coffee is a bit stronger. The coffee is right up front with the malt where as the chocolate takes a back seat to push these flavors forward. A slight hint of floral hoppiness on the finish with a bit of bitterness that comes mainly from the roasted malt.

Mouthfeel: The body is heavy. That’s where the lactose really comes out and shines. There is a perfectly smooth, rich, creaminess that comes through on the body that is only associated with a milk stout. Very easy to drink.

Overall: The bottle states that this is “the perfect cold weather beer.” I agree. The aroma brings back memories of the other perfect cold weather drink; hot chocolate. The rich chocolate smell is very close to the smell of hot chocolate and that immediately brought a sense of warmth. The strong, malty flavors also fill you with a sense of warmth that is ideal in winter. This may not be “the perfect cold weather beer,” but it is definitely something you will enjoy after coming in from a cold winter day.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 02:10:12 | More by JaredKent

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Jet black, with slightly off white head. Very little head, about a half finger or less, dissipates fairly quickly.

S- Very sweet smell, smells a little bit of dark fruits, espresso, chocolate.

T- Taste is very similar to smell- very sweet, slight taste of dark fruits, and chocolate.

M- Goes down easy, very little alcohol taste, not hard to drink.

O- Good offering from Wachusett. A little bit different then a lot of the milk stouts I've had (a tad bit more of a fruit taste). Probably not my go to Milk Stout, but would have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 02:03:58 | More by jaasen64

pfrdaly

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Dark, almost black throughout, deep ruby red on the edges when held to a bright light.

S- Coffee, as if with a good deal of cream in it. Also a little bit spiced, can't place which one.

T- Sweet and maltly. Notes of chocolate and coffee. Decent for a stout, but not quite sweet enough for me. A slightly bitter aftertaste.

M- Not bad at all. Full bodied and fairly thick.

O- I like this as a stout. Far from the best I've had, but definately something I would buy again, especially in the Wachusett sampler it comes in.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 01:07:59 | More by pfrdaly

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown with translucent ruby highlights and a short cap of fine tan bubbles. Sticky with decent head retention. Mild aroma with roasty notes, chocolate and sweet malts. Moderate bitterness throughout - starting off with more of a hoppy character and finishing with more of a dark malt/burnt bitterness. Malty sweetness, brown sugar and toffee, semisweet chocolate and roast, nutty with light leafy hops. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, decent texture, faint alcohol lingered. Overall, I enjoyed it and would purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 21:03:01 | More by DrJay

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark, with a really nice three inches of head on the top of the glass, which all settled down very nicely with some of the best side glass lace I have seen in a very long time, very rich and full and just very nice looking.

The aroma was decent. Rich roasted malts, hints of sweetness rolled in throughout the profile here with a very nice overall presentation to it. Some notes of chocolate as it warms up as well. The flavor was more of the same. Rich roasted malts, hints of chocolate and a light bitter dryness to it, but it lacked the punch of a really good tout, not much complexity here at all. The feel was nice, full bodied with good carbonation

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 15:26:14 | More by mikesgroove

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: lively dark brown, mocha tan head, couple thick rings of lacing.

S: very sweet notes: toffee, cappuccino, chocolate milk. A little roasty.

T: fairly complex, with many sugary flavors swirling around. Follows the nose closely: Heath bar sweetness, toffee and caramel, milk chocolate. A heavy dose of cream, lactose sugar apparent.

M: medium body, well carbonated, gives way to a velvety smoothness. A little sticky.

O/D: one of the better milk stouts I've had. A new favorite, well done. Reminds me of a baby creme brûlée.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2011 23:21:51 | More by mostpoetsdo

jman892

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark dark brown with some caramel colored highlights around the edges. Lingering 1-2 finger head. Decent lacing

S - Nice smelling beer, very light cocoa, with some lactose. What is there is nice, just not a lot of it.

T - Subtle chocolate taste, a bit smoky, also roasted malts.

M - Somewhat creamy mouthfeel, smooth drinker

O - A nice solid milk stout. None of the flavors/aromas really stand out, but it all comes together very nicely, leading to a nice simple, solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 17:58:56 | More by jman892

far333

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown and opaque, nearly black, with a cake batter looking head of dimpled foam of huge bubbles which settles out slowly.

Aroma of floral hops and fruity esters, a bit minerally, some cocoa and cinnamon. Rich flavor of semi-sweet cocoa, hints of coffee, a bit woody with leather and brown sugar, some butter cookie biscuit. Floral hops punctuate with mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin, finishes somewhat slick but also tannic and dry. Overall a tasty beer with interesting flavors, but could be a bit more viscous and complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 03:10:53 | More by far333

bum732

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

S: Clean milk sugar, some fruity floral notes, light cappucino notes.

L: Very dark brown bordering on black. Dark tan head with ok retention.

T: Semi-sweet cappucino like malt. Slightly fruity malt leads to medium coffee roast. Finishes semi-sweet with a touch of roast. Earthy bitterness cuts through.

M: Medium carbonation, cuts through sweetness. Creamy medium-full body.

There is enough carbonation and bitterness to keep sweetness in check. Very solid milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 01:02:30 | More by bum732

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle generously provided by apollokim in the 'You Ain't From Around Here? BIF', thanks Kim!

A - For a milk stout, this is one of the darkest I've seen, teetering on the edge of brown and black, with cola coloring around the edges. The head is a short-lasting affair, consisting of 2.5-fingers worth of ivory-colored foam. The head is actually quite rocky as well, as the edges of the head recede quicker than the middle, leaving something similar to a volcano. What the beer lacks in head retention it makes up for in spades with lacing, as multiple strips of lace which resemble great swatches of beach line the glass.

S - The main component I'm getting from the nose is a ton of malty sweetness. Slightly chocolately and maybe the faintest hint of roast, it smells more like slightly lactic chocolate milk.

T - The taste picks up where the nose leaves off; something resembling chocolate milk with not enough mix and perhaps some leftover coffee grounds. It certainly is sweet, as the malts come through strong up front and last throughout the beer, but the flavors are just not completely there, but rather they stand at a distant after giving you a tantalizing sample. If the flavor profile of this beer could be developed, enhanced, and extended longer, this would be a solid beer, but as it stands now it falls a bit flat.

M - Mouthfeel is moderately-light with good carbonation. The head adds a silky component to the mouthfeel and overall its fairly creamy, if not a bit watery and light in the finish.

D - Drinkability is moderate. I had no problem drinking this beer, as the alcohol is non-existent and the flavors aren't offensive, but this beer overall isn't going to knock your socks off. It has its moment and lots of promise, but is too reserved in its current form.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 04:22:36 | More by nhindian

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to steve8robin for this bottle!

22oz bottle, split with my wife, poured my allotment into a chalice. Pours a lighter than expected deep brown. This sits in the glass darker than it pours though. A small wispy tan head rests on top. The nose is sweet and creamy with notes of cookies, bread, dairy. Smooth mouth matches the style well. Easy-drinker. The flavors on this one are underwhelming. There's some sweet lactose and mild roasted malts at the onset of each sip, but there is nothing lingering and the finish is abrupt. No aftertaste at all. Eh. This is an easy-drinking stout, but I'd like a little more flavor. Glad I had it, and still one of my favorite styles, but this was a bit lacking.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 17:47:13 | More by Onenote81

THECPJ

Delaware

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

reviewed from notes:

appearance: black with a redish hue and a 1 finger off white head

smell: toffee, sweet malts,

taste: little coffee, toffee, creamy texture

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium / full body

drinkability: a nice stout to sit back and enjoy. it's not a pallet wrecker so you can have another.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 17:38:57 | More by THECPJ

Brooks44

Massachusetts

2.93/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A. Poured from the bottle a near black and small light tan head. No real lacing was on the glass.

S. Roasted malt with notes of chocolate and an almost burnt smell.

T. Taste follows the smell where it has almost a burnt flavor to it especially at the end. Had roasted coffee notes and wasnt very creamy at all from what u expect from the style. Was just avg to me.

M. I rated this very low because it isnt at all what i expected and love from the style just no creaminess was there.

D. I didnt hate it but i didnt really like it either. The slight burnt flavor towards the end kind of turned me off and the fact its a milk stout but not creamy.
All in all was an avg stout that didnt every think about drain pooring and finished it, but dont think i would buy it again. Although it was a good priced bomber at only $4

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 18:08:20 | More by Brooks44

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown with a decent cream colored head. No real lacing.

Some coffee grounds and a little earth in the nose. Something astringent as well.

This one just misses. Coffee, some light lactose elements (but never achieves the creamy edge), lightly charred malt, bitter cocoa. Flavors are on the mild side. I want a bit more intensity.

Medium to full bodied. Feels a bit thin but still works.

There are much better versions of the style. Feels like this could be reduced to something more intense/stronger. $5 bombers make this worthy, but not a beer to go out of your way to pursue.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 00:25:44 | More by OtherShoe2

GallowsThief

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Received in a trade from BennyL1 (thanks Ben!). Poured out of a 1 pint 6 oz bottle into my Duvel tulip. No freshness date marked on bottle.

A - Pours a deep dark ruby brown. Huge 3 inch creamy looking tan head that reduces quickly but leaves a nice foamy coating on top.

S - Very faint smeller. Roasty malt and some chocolate. Not much else.

T - Taste of light chocolate on the tongue. Not overly sweet at all. Subtle taste. Coffee and vanilla flavors. Little bit of a smoky taste.

M - Light bodied. Thinner then I would have guessed. Low carbonation.

D - Yes this is drinkable.

Overall my expectations on this may have been too high. This is a solid stout, not great and certainly not bad. Average.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 00:12:11 | More by GallowsThief

madjr80

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I bought a 22 ounce bomber of this just to try it out. It poured a nice dark brown color with a espresso like head. The head retention wasn't the greatest, but perfect for the style. Very small bubbles and sweetness of roasted malts and milk chocolate linger on the palate. There is hardly any bitterness, and quite a contrast to what I normally buy. A nice sweet and smooth brew!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 03:04:30 | More by madjr80

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bomber of this on a recent trip to MA and sampled the other nite poured into a snifter at cellar temp.
The beer pours a very deep brown hue with little light passing through the glass, only at the edges. FLuffy beige head foams up 2 cm and rests easily on the surface, fading slowly to a sturdy edge layer.
Aroma is roasted malt, a bit of brown sugar, some vanilla and chocolate milk, no hops and sweet all around the nose.
First sip reveals an average body with rolling carbonation and a silky smooth texture. The beer flows easily across my palate and coats with the sweet flavors hinted at on the nose. I get some roasted malt, a bit of tangy lactose and some chocolate milk. No hints of ABV and again not a hop to be found here. This is an easy drinking beer, but I dont know if I could have more than one bomber as it is a little sweet and I think it sits a little heavy in my belly. I would buy this again if I was hankering for a milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 04:21:40 | More by sulldaddy

mdaschaf

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours very dark, but not pitch black. There is a slight ruby hue as well. A one finger mocha colored head formed and lasted a good while leaving some very nice lacing.

S: A nice combination of roasted malts, caramel, a little toffee and a ton of milk chocolate.

T: The milk chocolate comes through in a big way, but there is also a little bit of dark chocolate as well. There is a slight roasty flavor and a little bit of vanilla.

M/D: Extremely smooth. Leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. Light to medium bodied with low carbonation. Overall, extremely enjoyable. Goes down easy, only problem is that I don't have any more.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 02:14:27 | More by mdaschaf

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours very dark slightly brown. Not much head just a big puddle in the middle.

Dark toasted chocolates. Bakers chocolate. Some coffee and earthy mild fruit.

Roasted grains and soft milky chocolate notes. Earthy dark chocolate slips to a bitter tingly finish. The creamy chocolate bitterness sits nicely for a while after a couple sips.

Creamy and mildly bitter. Some great smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 19:03:21 | More by DrinkingDrake

mdfb79

New York

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 12/31/10 notes. Poured into a pint glass.

a - Pours a black color with one finger of tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. Little bit of lactose.

t - Tastes of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, cream, and some slightly bitter hops.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

d - A nice milk stout. Nothing wowed me about it, but I enjoyed it. Would try again.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 23:47:16 | More by mdfb79

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the twelve pack.

A - Dark brown with largely red tint, quite transparent. Towering tan head that lasts a while, dissipating slowly to a thin ring, and leaving some very nice lacing.

S - Sweet chocolate and a dry coffee bitterness.

T - Big roasted malt character, toasty coffee and chocolate, some sweetness in the back.

M - Smooth and robust. Quite a nice mouthfeel.

D - It drinks real easy.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 23:53:41 | More by ColdPoncho

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A dark-brown (essentially black) beer that affirms my love for milk stouts.

A somewhat sudsy khaki-colored head leaves nice lacing.

Aroma definitely gives off lactose, and cocoa. Smells a bit mroe desserty than other milk stouts I've had.

Taste follows the aroma. Creamy chocolate cake batter comes to mind, without too heavy of a mouthfeel. It's not super sweet, but the body of a substantial chocolcate dessert comes to mind. There's a touch of dark fruit in there...date? raisin?

Super smooth and enjoyable with great drinkability for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 14:45:55 | More by jbertsch

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz. bottle into a dimpled mug.

The color is a dark black with a maroon highlight when held to the light. There is three fingers of foamy brownish head and some thick lacing left on the glass.

The smell is a little roasty with some smooth milky like flavor that is there just tease the nose a bit. Some bready flavor is there in the nose as well a little cake batter.

The taste is pretty milky as first, some lactose flavor is coming out right up front with the malty toast like flavor riding the silky feel into a moist bready flavor. Some buttery flavor comes out for a short time then is swept up in a wash of malts and sweet goodness.

The feel of this beer is really smooth. It seems to drop down so fast it barely leaves a trace. There is a nice silky feel to it the feel like sliding around in silk pajamas.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 06:25:33 | More by Duhast500

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 12/12/2010 at Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark reddish brown color, with a short dense beige head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains roasted malts, lactose, chocolate and a very faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong roasted malt character followed by creamy flavors of milk chocolate and coffee. There are flavors of lactose and smokiness in the background. There's a very faint hops presence but it's where it should be for the style. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, slightly filling, decent kick, good representation of style, this is a good beer to drink for a while if you're in the mood for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2010 01:33:39 | More by TheManiacalOne

chrisgn

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- black, opaque. Small, creamy head and some lacing.

S- milk chocolate aroma comes to mind. Some coffee.

T- Tastes of sweet roasted malt...coffee, chocolate, cola. A little bitterness on the end, overall very sweet.

M- Could be a little richer and creamy. it would go better with the sweet flavor.

D- This is a nice beer to end the night, but I would probably not have more than one glass. A little too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 02:15:36 | More by chrisgn