Left Hand Milk Stout - Left Hand Brewing Company

CMUbrew

Michigan

4.11/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz nitro bottle into a Founders imperial pint glass

A: Pours black with a half inch head of thickish creamy brown foam, which settles to a permanent two centimeter cap.

S: Roasty and toasty malts, a little bit of roast coffee, and a hint at chocolate. If the nitro is supposed to mask the scent, it isn't doing a very good job.

T: Nice roast flavors and some light-medium roast coffee. Just a tad bit of sweetness hidden in there.

M: Creamy, creamy, creamy. Very smooth, silky, and slick. The nitro really works here.

O: This is what I always want Guinness to be like. The nitro makes this tasty beer very smooth and highly quaffable without being watery. This is an excellent choice for stout lovers or anyone who likes an easy drinking beer.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

04-02-2013 02:21:22 | More by CMUbrew

WallingBrew

Virginia

4.49/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is my go to milk stout. The offering in a Nitro bottle is a plus as I felt the end product poured into a glass, had more of a velvety milkshake mouthfeel. This beer is everything a milk stout should be, toasty and roasted dark malts with a balanced milk sugar sweetness with a lingering flavor of milk chocolate. C'mon what's not to like?

Serving type: nitro-bottle

04-01-2013 02:06:12 | More by WallingBrew

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

4.09/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz brown bottle with some pretty cool artwork on the label. Poured this into a Tulip Pint glass, 'stout pint flass'

A - Typical dark stout like appearance. Slightly opaque appearing soft black in color with touches of ruby to dark brown hues. Pretty good head sits on top leaving good stick to the inside of this stout glass.

S - Very chocolate milk like aroma with some dark malt mixed within. Mocha style coffee graces the nose quite nice really sinking in the fact that this is a milk stout.

T - Semi coffee flavor that's quickly turned into sweet milk chocolate goodness. Nothing is really overdone in this flavor which is good when hitting those lactose sugarish notes. A good sweet flavor with a rich malt backbone.

M - smooth and creamy. Does its job of coating the mouth with its milky sweet texture. Very easy going, but it does have the "rich" factor even if at a minimum.

O - I've been told and read this is 'America's stout'. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but this is one of the best examples of its style you'll find and one that's easy to find at that. This is a real dandy of a stout and while Left Hand keeps to the basics of this style that's what makes it so good. Sometimes the good things don't have to be pounded with a high abv, but just crafted in a manner that sticks to a styles roots. That's what the Left Hand Milk Stout is all about. Something any of us can buy and left satisfied by the experience. If you are into milk stouts this is a top shelf creation. But unlike some sweeter stouts this one could be enjoyed by anyone.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 19:42:13 | More by BradtheGreat7

dar482

New York

4.16/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pour it hard and it is amazing with its cascading beauty. It's pitch black beer with a bubbly big 3 finger head.

The aroma is of milk, roasted sweet malt, chocolate, almost like chocolate milk.

There's a slight roasted bitterness at first. Then there's a light coffee flavor and then there's just a milky sweet creamy mouth feel. Lots of milk chocolate with a strange grinded peanut flavor. It's not horrible that it's there, but it's maybe the roasted malt flavor that gives it that too.

I do like the nitro and it gives the beer a great mouthfeel. Very easy to drink, though I think the lack of non-nitro carbonation makes it almost watery, but that's just it being a milk stout.

A wonderful drinkable beer. I would highly recommend it as a gateway.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 04:31:17 | More by dar482

smalenberg

Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pint nitro tap at One-eyed Betty's.

A - Black as a starless night with more than an inch of lacey tan foam that lingers on the glass.

S - Malty sweet with prominent lactose-milk character, but somewhat subdued.

T - Incredibly smooth chocolate with next to no bitterness.

M - Silky smooth with lingering sweetness.

O - Best milk stout I've had bar none. You owe it to yourself to taste this on a nitro tap.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2013 01:28:18 | More by smalenberg

SometimesIfart

Michigan

2.7/5  rDev -32%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

A - Pours nearly pitch black with a two finger mocha head that doesn't seem to go away. Surprisingly, leaves no lacin.

S - Pretty much all lightly roasted malt up front along with a little bit of lactose and sweet malts.

T - Lightly roasted malt and lactose are pretty much the whole flavor. It is quite watery as well.

M - Light, watery, creamy body with almost no carbonation.

O - Overall, this is pretty much a Guiness Draught with a bit more creaminess. It's sessionable, But very lacking.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-23-2013 04:54:07 | More by SometimesIfart

bambam2517

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz nitro bottle poured into a pint glass, served at 40F. Packaging says to try it over ice cream, and it sounds crazy but after tasting it I have to agree it would be worth a try.

A - I think the nitro bottle is a failure, I poured pretty aggressively and I'm left with a very still looking stout. Its very dark brown with the tiniest amount of mocha foam. Not creamy at all. Bump-Bump-a-dum (the price is wrong...) Still, looks appetizing to a coffee hound like me.

S - Coffee with sugar and creamer.

T - Again, coffee with sugar and creamer. Nothing more going on.

M - Tastes like iced coffee, only less creamy than the real thing. It does not linger or have an acidic aftertaste though, I'll give it credit for that.

O - Meh...least favorite offering in a style I love.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-20-2013 03:17:55 | More by bambam2517

screamking

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into pint glass

Pours black, with a thin dark khaki head with some nice lacing around the edges. The aroma is quite pleasant with lots of coffee and dark chocolate. Some hints of far fruit but mostly just roasted notes.

The taste is very smooth. Roasted Coffee and Chocolate milk are my first thought. A little bit of coffee bitterness in there as well. Light-bodied and incredibly easy to drink. Solid beer all around.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:49:05 | More by screamking

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

3.79/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A- Poured from a 12oz nitro-bottle into a pint glass. Pitch black with virtually no light coming through. An extremely aggressive 180 degree pour (as the label instructs) leaves a beautiful 1.5-2 finger creamy, light tan head. It scared the crap out of me to pour it as aggressive as the label says, but glad i did it. Not familiar with nitro bottles. It turned out perfect. Great retention with fantastic lacing. Just a delicious looking beer.

S- Mocha is a strong characteristic here. Also picking up hints of chocolate, coffee, roasted oats, toffee and caramel. Great smelling stout.

T- Fairly good job of following the nose, but not as flavorful as it is pungent. Mocha is still the key flavor, but also detecting some earthy hops on the back end to give it a decent balance. Not much bitterness. Nice and simple. Not too complex or overwhelming.

M- Mid body. Creamy and smooth. Quite drinkable. Slightly dry finish with little to no alcohol detected.

O- One of the best looking beers i have ever seen, good smell, but the tapered off a little from there. The flavor was just a little underwhelming. Good solid stout that i would certainly drink again, but not one that will blow your taste buds away. A much better version of a Guinness stout in my opinion.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-18-2013 02:54:40 | More by Bosoxfan20

Zraly

Virginia

4.11/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours midnight black with beautiful, tight bubbles. Nitro version -- Cool nitro effect. Gorgeous in a Samuel Smith's pint glass.

Extremely smooth roasted malt flavor that is sweet but not cloying. Notes of milk and dark chocolate, a hint of smoke, and espresso. A touch of earth. Finish is semi-dry. Medium-bodied. Super drinkable -- fairly certain I could session this even if the AVB is a bit high for such (6%). Again, it is sweet but not too sweet and the balance lends to easily having more than one.

I love stouts and think this is up there with some of the best. Every stout does not need to have an ABV > 10% to be considered flavorful and praise-worthy; this is an example of such a case.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 23:19:18 | More by Zraly

Swedgin_Wu

Florida

3.96/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's a shame BA lumps the nitro and non nitro reviews together. I'm going to review the nitro and discuss the differences, as the nitro is vastly superior

Appearance - After a vertical pour, the nitro bubbles settle nicely and there's a nice thick tan head. The beer itself is pitch black after it settles. the non nitro has virtually no head even with a vertical or aggressive pour.

Smell - Smell is faint and difficult to pick up. Mostly a light coffee scent. The non nitro barely smells like anything.

Taste - Coffee, with a slight bit of milk chocolate. addition of lactose is certainly present.

Mouthfeel - The nitro is fairly creamy and easy to go down....a bit watery despite the nitro for my liking, but i do enjoy it mostly. The non nitro tastes flat and has little to no carbonation

Overall - The nitro and non nitro are night and day. The non nitro taste is much less pronounced (and it's not exactly an overpowering beer to begin with). The smell even less.The creaminess of the nitro is an important element to its integrity, most like most Guinness (which im not a big fan of, but Draught > Extra stout and it's not even close by comparison). The wateryness is extra noticeable in the non nitro version...the creaminess of the nitro offsets some of the mouthfeel.

Overall it's a decent Milk/sweet stout...something i'd buy (and do buy) semi regularly, but it's a bit of a let down if you drink it right after a richer,tastier English chocolate/milk/sweet stout. The non nitro version is a waste of money, but the nitro is a decent buy for an american made milk stout

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-17-2013 00:33:34 | More by Swedgin_Wu

Mewster

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured hard from a nitro-bottle into a tulip glass (all I had). Great black color and thick head that you want from a nitro beer. Taste was less sweet and creamy than the traditional (non-nitro) milk stout from Left Hand. Wanted to have all the same flavors with a nice creamy head. A bit disappointed by the lack of carbonation after the recommended hard pour. Wife liked it more than me.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-17-2013 00:24:45 | More by Mewster

tronester

Oklahoma

4.11/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black, with a thin tan head. Aromas of freshly brewed espresso. Taste begins with a coffee start, followed by some toasted grain, and a sweet, earthy finish. Rich mouthfeel. Overall quite a nice milk stout. Very sweet, almost a dessert beer. I like this A LOT better than the nitro version.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:09:38 | More by tronester

acsprouse

South Carolina

3.84/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A – black in the glass. A little lacing.

S – chocolates. Lactose. Roasted malts. Coffee notes. Smells milky and sweet

T – milky creamy and roasted. Chocolate notes and coffee notes also, alot of lactose

M – silky, smooth. Milky. Pretty tasty

O – Good but not great, it doesnt stand out as much as it could but i really enjoyed it. Its way above average. Bnot the best but its not bad. Cheers
(Edit)
This is not nearly as milky as i remember it being. Maybe because i was half drunk. But i think its a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2013 05:07:06 | More by acsprouse

Mitchster

Michigan

4.49/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brewed with Pale 2-row, Crystal, Munich, Roast Barley, Flaked Oats, and Chocolate malt. Hopped with Magnum and East Kent Goldings.
47 SRM, 15.5 plato, 22 IBU, 5.2% ABV.

Pours out to a dark brown (not quite black), forming a small tan head with poor retention and no lacing. Carbonation is mild to moderate. Mouthfeel is smooth with a light astringency in the finish and a medium-dense body. Aroma is amazing and wonderfully enticing....initial nose of marshmallow s'more's, TONS of milk chocolate (damn if this isn't the most chocolate-iest stout I've had that isn't brewed with chocolate!), vanilla, a hint of coffee..."Baby, you're all that I want, when you're sittin here in my mug...I'm finding it hard to believe...I'm in fuckin' Heaven!" Ooof...Let me regroup myself...OK, much better, thank you.

Taste is wonderful, an echo of the aroma with a very nice residual malt sweetness and a lingering finish of mineralized water, akin to the Black Jack Porter on 'roids. Finish is clean, no perceptable alcohol, no off-flavors.

Never overbearing, completely balanced, satisfying, VERY drinkable. I love this stuff. Gimme more! Blown away by another Left Hand brew! Doh@! A yummy present for my 500th review. "Pssshhht....Left-Hand...iffn' you're listening...send me cases of this stuff:) I promise to be a good poster-boy."
L=3.5, A=5, T=4.5, MF=4.5, O=4.5

Re-review of nitro bottle 3/7/13-$11.99 for a 6'er at BevCo. Brewed with Pale 2-row, Crystal, Munich, Roast Barley, Flaked Oats, Flaked Barley and Chocolate malts. Hopped with Magnum and US Goldings. 25 IBU's, OG=16P, 6.0% ABV. No widget. Poured hard. Forms a nice creamy long lasting light tan head with really ncie lacing and great retention. Pours out to a near black with brown accents. Carbonation is low, ~1.0 carbs or so. The nose is wonderfully full of chocolate and carob..beautiful roast notes with black walnut. Mouthfeel is smooth, pillowy soft, creamy and medium bodied. The taste is great...black walnut, well balanced roast, residual sweetness perfectly balanced with a classic mild hop profile and notes of black patent and roasted barley in the aftertaste. There is an odd grassy tartness that doesn't quite sit well in classic examples. Overall though, this is a near world-class beer, IMO.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-08-2013 00:19:00 | More by Mitchster

mattkoon

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

this pours opaque black....theres something really cool about that. the smell is hearty you can tell its a stout. no fancy spices just good ol black beer. there is really light carbonation, which contributes to the smoothness and makes this pretty drinkable. there is a creaminess that works well with the light carbonation also. there is also a note worthy thick head that coats the glass as you drink it. if you are looking for a good stout this would be a great one to grab.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 22:15:36 | More by mattkoon

Maxwell

Massachusetts

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

The beer pours like black velvet with a beautiful, near perfect head of tightly knit, sand dune-white bubbles. The beer’s body is dark and impenetrable to the eye, though presumably clean. The beer leaves a sheet of medium width, very tight lacing across much of the glass that eventually stretches into a long web. On the nose, the beer smells nicely roasty, like espresso. There is also a great lactic sour-sugar smell in the nose that lets you know it’s a milk stout. It actually almost smells like a cappuccino. Faint hints of a caramel and toffee can also be detected in the nose. On the tongue, the beer tastes much like the smell, with rich sweet coffee with a touch of roasted bitter and a touch of lactic sour. The flavor begins as watery coffee with a touch of milk before blooming into beautiful, almost cappuccino-like, flavors. Touches of toffee, vanilla, and sour milk touch upon the tongue. The finish is a bit sour with a touch of roasted malts and the aftertaste is a lesser clone of the finish. On the mouth, the beer feels smooth and velvety with a creamy quality to it. The beer’s body is medium and fluffy thanks to the nitrogen bubbles. The mouth is left wet with sour saliva. Overall, this is a lovely nitro milk stout. Great complex flavors. It is a little watery in the start, and honestly this beer is better when on tap than in the bottle (yes, yes, this is obvious, but it is especially prevalent with this beer). Try this beer.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-05-2013 18:07:51 | More by Maxwell

proc

Michigan

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a fine beer. Pours out to a vast blackness. An agressive pour yielded a very, small head. The aroma gives forth roasted malt. Mouthfeel is very silky, almost creamy, but not heavy at all. This was very much Guinness-like, but with a real, depth of flavor. Very drinkable.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-04-2013 16:36:18 | More by proc

robhbest

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Nitro Bottle poured into tulip glass. Label said to pour hard.

A: Pour hard I did. 180 degrees full force pour. Anything else would have foamed onto your counter tops. This poured a pitch black, which you started to see the cascading head start to form. Almost like the head starts at the bottom of the glass and waterfalls to the surface. Absolutely beautiful.

S: A little roastyness from the malts, chocolate, nutty.

T: Definitely more roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. They are very light in flavors, Neither really overwhelm each other.

M: Nice and creamy, the nitro adds something special to this beer, and I like it.

O: This is a fine example of a sweet stout. Its not overwhelming, or is it underwhelming. The nitro bottle is a cool idea, however for me I like my stouts with a little more kick to them. Nothing wrong with this beer.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-04-2013 03:25:55 | More by robhbest

Chirpie

Kansas

3.56/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

I had lots of friends who like sipping on this beer and so I finally decided to pick up a couple.

Poured it into a tulip, because I wasn't worried about carbonation and wanted to see if I could get any smells off of it.

Strangely, I had zero head. None. Nada. The bottle says don't be afraid to pour aggressively, and they mean it.

The flavor is good. An above average stout to be sure. But sheesh, my bottles just had a really flat mouth feel. It felt more like cold coffee than beer sometimes.

Not bad, but I'll probably only pick up one or two in a beer build a pack rather than 6 at a time...

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 04:49:47 | More by Chirpie

barczar

Kentucky

4.06/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nitro.

Pours an opaque deep brown/black with tony bubbles cascading upwards to form a dense, half inch mocha head that lingers indefinitely.

Dark chocolate, roast malt, coffee grounds, and malted milk balls form the aroma. There's a hint of vanilla and tar.

Roast malt is at the forefront and lingers throughout, into the nutty, fairly dry, charred finish. There's a subtle sweetness that hits mid palate and draws out the chocolate notes and a touch of dark fruit.

Body is moderate to full and creamy, extremely smooth, with light carbonation and a modest alcohol warmth.

Very good rendition of an already good beer. Not overly sweet or roasty, but there's a touch of an acrid character that is offputting.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:32:33 | More by barczar

centurian62

Michigan

4.91/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

I am glad that Rockewell's in Grand Rapids, MI has had this on nitro tap for a long while. I stop in as often as I can to grab a pint because this has to be one of the best beers on the face of the planet!

When delivered, you can see the nitro bubbles exuding from the middle of the glass creating a beautiful caramel colored head. Upon first sip, you realize that the nitro has taken the original Milk Stout to a whole new level of creaminess and taste! My wife is not the biggest fan of stouts but she always humors me and tries them. This one was "the one" that has changed her mind and she even ordered her own pint!!! That is a testament to how good this beer is, because she is very picky when it comes to beer and she loves it!

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-28-2013 19:39:44 | More by centurian62

PaterMorse

Indiana

4.48/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Wow! A true (and new) staple! Easy, aroma out of this world, taste as smooth as you can get. Tops Young's Double Chocolate. Definitely worth a try!

A: The weakest part, the head splits pronto -- leaving a sandy lace and light suds along the rim. Dark for sure, but you can see fingers through the glass. Think un-iced Coke.

S: Goodness gracious! Remnscent of brownie mix or a Starbucks coffee bar. I've not found anything that beats it (at least for this type of beer). Suggests milky choco-coffee cheesecake. Mellow, pleasing, inviting.

T: Doesn't disappoint; very pleasing, following nose (milky choco-coffee cheesecake). Goes down as easy as Yoohoo. Damned tasty.

M: Holds together well. Perfect blend/balance. Smooth & creamy in the extreme.

O: Not as gutsy or adventurous as some stouts; but much better than most. Very pleasing experience.

Repeat? Yes. As an addicted "sampler" (who likes to rotate between many different stouts/porters), this is one of the few that I'd stock amply.

Where Best? Apres ski, campfire, or darned near anywhere else it's legal to drink a beer.

Two Word Descripition: Somewhere between "Damned Good" or "Beer Shake"

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 21:12:22 | More by PaterMorse

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pretty much black. Some dark brown when held to direct light. Head is khaki, creamy, and thick. Drops to a small cap and creamy collar. Some spots of lacing. Pours nice and smooth.

Smell: Moderate roasted malt character. Underlying lactose sugar sweetness. Some old coffee. Touches of cocoa and sweet milk chocolate. Some leafy hops notes. Nicely layered. Pretty mellow. Warming tamps down a little on the roasted aspect and pushes up some sweetness.

Taste: Roasted chocolate milk. Laden with chocolate goodness. Dark, milk, cocoa, it's all there. A touch of burnt sugars on the back. Solid lactose sugar sweetness as a balance to the roasted malts. Vague hints of leafy, slightly citrusy, hops. Some backing coffee bean. Hot chocolate with marshmallow.

Mouthfeel: So creamy and smooth it's ridiculous. Medium body with a moderate carbonation. Reiterate: creamy.

Overall: I'd nominate this for VP.

A new benchmark. A solid balance between sweet and roasty. I can see why this gets the accolades it does. I'm sad it took me this long to try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 20:00:56 | More by Goblinmunkey7

CFHMagnet

Ohio

3.66/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

An aggressive pour nets me... a half finger of head. This is sandy colored and frothy. Body is a deep deep brown.

Roasty and sweet. You almost smell the lactose sugar. Hints of milk chocolate and light coffee.

Lightly roasted malts and sweetness make up the opening. This rolls into milk chocolate with a dark chocolate/coffee flavor.

Mouthfeel is a full and creamy medium-heavy body. Simple with almost no carbonation really noticed, it goes down without leaving a coating.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

02-23-2013 03:41:47 | More by CFHMagnet