Imperial Maple Milk Stout - Perennial Artisan Ales

MasterSki

Illinois

4.09/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Northdown. Served in a small pint glass.

A - Mocha foam settles to a thick cap and spotty lace. The body is pitch black. Pretty impressive-looking stuff

S - Tons of maple, molasses, milk chocolate, and caramel, but balanced with roasted and lightly charred malts. Not sure what the ABV is, but I don't think it's excessively high.

T - The taste is similar, with big maple, caramel, milk chocolate, dark breads, and light roasted notes. It's quite sweet, but doesn't get too cloying.

M - Smooth, chewy, medium-full body, with some light alcohol warming. Lower carbonation that provides lift but doesn't distract.

D - Good stuff, but not a beer I could drink in mass quantities. I can imagine this being really excellent in a bourbon barrel, as it's got sufficient heft and sweetness to stand up to the process. Would definitely drink this again, but more as a change of pace beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 16:59:01 | More by MasterSki

jegross2

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the Imperial Maple Milk Stout from Perennial Artisan Ales out of St. Louis, Missouri. Perennial is one of the best up-and-coming breweries in the craft beer world; their brewer used to work with both Goose Island and Half Acre before opening his own brewery. This one-off brew was specially brewed for the Northdown Cafe & Taproom for a Perennial-themed beer event. The ABV is listed as "??%."

Score: 91

Tap pour served in a mini (12 oz) nonic pint glass that was then poured into a generic snifter and enjoyed on 01/11/12. Review is from iPhone notes

Appearance: Pours a dark black color with a finger of mocha-colored head that slowly settles to a thin layer that then settles to a ring around the glass. Absolutely amazing lacing and retention. This is a gorgeous-looking dark beer. 5/5

Smell: Milk chocolate, barley malt, bananas and maple. Light alcohol esters and a faint hoppiness too. Some brownie-like chocolate notes also present. More banana as the brew warms. 4/5

Taste: Chocolate, molasses, a little banana and a little bit of booze too. Maple and creamy milk chocolate towards finish. Did this beer use a Belgian-style yeast strand? Modestly sweet, but not a "sweet" beer. Not bitter at all. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Not quite full bodied, mild carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a little prickly warmth from booze. 4/5

Overall: Not quite up to par with their Abraxas chili stout or Vermillion barleywine, but still a pretty delicious and worthy beer.

Recommendation: Not a can't-miss beer, but worth ordering before the keg kicks and the beer disappears into obscurity...

Pairings: Northdown's signature grilled cheese.

Cost: $8 for a 10 oz pour.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 07:24:25 | More by jegross2