Rosebud Milk Stout - Five Seasons Westside

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark brown body with a slim, slender head the color of water damp sand.

Smell: Dark, roasty malts with a scent of coffee-flavored ice cream and bittersweet chocolate morsels.

Taste: Roasty and sweet at the open, with bittersweet chocolate and dark caramel dusted with instant coffee powder. Shot of cream. A touch of Black Twizzler nibs. Earthy, roasty bitterness, though pretty mild. Even a hint of floral, citrusy hops far underneath the malts. Smooth, roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-light carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: Tasty. Tried side-by-side with the milk stout dosed with espresso and, almost shockingly, the espresso version was thinner and faint in nearly all its characteristics. Stick with the Rosebud, I say!

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2011 19:34:02 | More by ChainGangGuy

glid02

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the brewpub.

Pours black with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells largely of roasted malts with mild amounts of smooth lactose. Also present are hints of dark chocolate that intensify as the beer warms.

Tastes very similar to how it smells. Heavy yet smooth roasted malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by moderate amounts of semi-sweet chocolate. Midway through the sip lactose sweetens things up a bit and smooths out the flavor profile, carrying through to a moderately bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a very nice thickness with grainy carbonation.

Drinkability is also very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this is one of the better non-Belgian beers I've had here - very well balanced and easy to drink. Well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2011 19:48:09 | More by glid02