Joe Mama's Milk Stout - Keegan Ales

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Dark dark brown to black body, ruby highlights when backlit. Big five finger head of medium dark foam. Minimal lacing.

Cafe au lait aroma.

Plenty of coffee, but not a dark roast.

Rich full mouthfeel, not oily or syrupy.

A very tasty mix of milk, coffee, and imperial stout. Recommend a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 03:23:21 | More by RonfromJersey

suspect

New York

4.14/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Founders Snifter.

A: Bottle cap pops off and the foam immediately starts to creep tot the top. Normal pour leads to a big thick mocha foam colored head that fills to the top of the snifter then fades. Then I pour again. Then wait, then pour again. Finally it's good to go. The foam does not move once it reaches one finger.

S: Big nose full of coffee, toasted chocolate malts, hop bitterness and some lactose sweetness that I expected to hit first but came later. ABV is present and accounted for in the nose for certain.

T: Very nice toasted malt fronted flavor with some milk sweet on the back end of the taste. Not bitter, smooth flavors, complex mix of hop/malt/milk sweetness. No sign of yeast or the big 8% abv for a milk stout. I like.

M: An 8% ABV stout should not be overcarbonated. This one is. Once that passes, it's not bad.

O: A solid beer. A good milk stout that seems out of its category.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:57:22 | More by suspect

JohnQVD

New York

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark black with a thick raft of foam that holds for a long time and leaves a trail of foam on the glass. Smells strongly of coffee and chocolate. The taste doesn't quite fulfill the chocolate promise, though the coffee remains strong. Hop bitterness and a slight roasted quality rounds it out, with a mineral aftertaste. The hops are more prominent than I'm used to in the style. Mouthfeel is medium, with prominent carbonation. The alcohol is present, but not overly so.

Overall, this is good and I would certainly drink it again, but I would prefer some slight tweaks that would really put it over the top, most notably in the carbonation. It settles down once you get into the glass, but it's still more than I would like. Those who like more carbonated stouts would probably rate this a bit higher.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 19:58:18 | More by JohnQVD

sjones5045

New Jersey

3.34/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours dark as expected with an immedate smell of coffee. The first sip I immediately thought it was a bit thin and watery. The coffee is overwhelming and doesn't seem to blend well with the stout. Almost seems like I'm drinking a thinner stout that someone randomly poured a couple shots of coffee into. It's really not horrible but it's in a very tough class as there are some really well rounded coffee stouts out there. Worth a try but I won't be revisiting this one again any time soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 01:10:48 | More by sjones5045

farrago

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Aggressive pour barely yields a thin coating across the surface, dark brown and quick to dissolve, the lacing is wispy but does stick very well. The liquid is an extremely dark brown to black color, possesses a light orange tint around the rims. The nose subtly builds into a crescendo of coffee, cocoa and general toastiness, light dark fruits mixed into the above average hoppiness, never gets as milky as you think it might, stays streamlined and focused, more roast than sweetness which helps it penetrate deeper. Medium-bodied, nowhere near heavy, here the carbonation puts some spring in its step. Not sugary sweet, undercurrent of butterscotch and molasses while the emphasis remains on roasted coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla bean. You get some mixed white citrus, more than any herbal leafiness or earthiness. Seems to go much more for drinkability than overt complexity and, if so, succeeds. Mild cherry to even apricot fruit. Dryness welcome and keeps it refreshing. Quite enjoyable and free of the bombast one finds often with brews like this.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 04:10:49 | More by farrago

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Black on the pour with lighter shades of brown. Long lasting pillowy tan head. A slip of lacing blankets the whole glass.

S: French roast, malted milk balls, fudge, chocolate syrup, brownies. Earthy and woody underneath. Very tight estery berry scent clenched in the middle of it all.

T: Fudge, brownie batter, chocolate syrup. Juicy berry esters are more prominent than the nose would suggest. Roasted coffee beans dominate the mid-palate. Mildly acidic. Subtle earthy hops. Cola. Drawn out finish of woody and earthy roasted malts with a kiss of smoke and a touch of sugary lacto sweetness.

M: On the heftier side of medium bodied. Very creamy and well-rounded. Mild seltzery carbonation supports just enough. Somewhat astringent. Smooth.

O: This one comes as advertised: a well-made milk stout with coffee added. Nothing mind-blowing, but a solid enough beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 04:30:43 | More by ryan1788a5

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.76/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

thanks Gary (RedNeckBeerz)! I had a tiny taste at ORf, but I dont recall it.

I think I poured it too cold, because it has like no carbonation at first. Im sure that will change with time.

The smell, is well sweet cream and coffee. Lots of maltose up front, with a sweet caramel/vanilla smell reminiscent of Victory at Sea, just smaller. Light hint of medium roast coffee adds a nice balance. Roast and malt kind of get lost in the aftermath here. Kind of like a light ST stout.

Holy crap the taste is dominated by acidic, astringent coffee (picture the sharp bite of decent espresso with the body of regular coffee). Super roasted (almost toasted) malt comes in, but with a decent body. Thin for an 8% base stout; if it wasnt for the maltose, this thing would be a freaking black ale or porter.

I want more body,and that nice vanilla/caramel presence, but all I get is an upfront stout. I think it has an identity crisis, and need to pick either milk stout or American Stout, honestly.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:05:27 | More by VncentLIFE

atr2605

New York

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-pours black with a thick foamy tan head with outstanding retention and leaves a nice froth
S-roasted coffee and milk chocolate
T-roasted malt and coffee up front, followed by a mocha flavor on the finish and leaving sweet chocolate on the palate
M-medium-full bodied and creamy
O-very solid imperial stout that is well balanced and extremely flavorful

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 22:27:36 | More by atr2605

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid brown-black color with a minor head that quickly slips to a simple light tan ring that leaves a fair lace. The aroma offers a thick butterscotch malt with sweet charcoal that finishes with an ashy fireplace goodness. Kind of different and impressively solid. The flavor brings much the same with burnt malt and vague milk chocolate with just a hint of sweet grass hop. This stuff is solidly medium bodied with a fairly aqueous feel and very subtle carbonation. I really like this as a basic stout with a decided flavor that delivers nicely!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 06:13:11 | More by Durge

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - I can tell it's a deep shade of black due to the 1/4 inch of mocha colored head. Nice lacing that sticks on all sides of the glass.

S - A fairly nice bouquet of coffee, lactose sugars, and some bakers chocolate. Smells rather nice like a coffee forward stout.

T - I am kind of taken back since I didn't really get much coffee, some bittering hops, bittersweet dark chocolate, lactose sugars, and finally in the finish clinging to the palate some coffee roasty bitterness.

M - Best part of the beer it is velvety and smooth with a medium chewy body. Very easy to drink stout.

Overall I guess my expectations were met it's more of a milk stout ran through coffee grounds and it is very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:31:39 | More by DrDemento456

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Real nice pitch black pour with foamy dark brown head. Smells delish: coffee, chocolate, roasted nuts, malt. Full bodied and rich malty but it's silky smooth. Like velvet. Clean finish with a warming twang of alcohol. This is solid stout and definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 02:55:58 | More by andrewjraab

beastmammoth

New York

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I had heard a lot about this one and Keegan in general. A pretty big disappointment actually. Amazing dark roast coffee aroma, but a simple light milk stouty taste and the real problem is the body. Weak and thin and a bit highly carbonated. There are good flavors added but the beer which they rest on is meek.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 01:16:36 | More by beastmammoth

Amalak

New York

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A. It is pure black. Quite lovely. It has a small dark tan brown head that dissipates quickly and it doesn't leave any lacing.

S. It has a nice burnt scent. Some chocolate malt undertone.

T. It has a nice toffee malt taste. The chocolate scent carries in the taste. It is burnt. The chocolate gives it a bit of a tart taste. Some hop bite. A good sweetness in the aftertaste.

M. Crisp with a carbonated tingle.

O. This is extremely flavorful. Well balanced and a true contender to the left hand milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 23:31:31 | More by Amalak

mojo437

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

snagged this from Bierkraft in Brooklyn. Poured nice, thick bodied, one finger head that died quiiick. The coffee smells rather strong, which enhances the rest of the body of the beer. This beer is the kind of beer someone would drink on a Sunday morning after brunch with their girlfriend, maybe pour a little whisky in it, talk about their friends who don't talk to them anymore. Maybe the boy looks at his phone too much, smells the beer again and thinks about ordering the coffee. Mouthfeel could be a bit more memorable for an imperial, a little too far on the milk side. This is the kind of beer I would consider getting again if I were slightly drunk and did not feel like drinking the mother's milk. It also makes me want to drink coffee, same with that couple at brunch. They will not break up. They will stay together forever. Kind of like this beer with the coffee thing.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 04:18:17 | More by mojo437

ehammond1

California

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

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, cosmicevan!

Black throughout and fairly substantial and thick in body with a small dark brown head; this leaves dots of bubbles down the glass. Pretty and appropriate.

Initially a very mild aroma, consisting of roast and coffee. Simple, but good. After warming, very nice coffee notes emerge. The aroma gets better and better as it closes on room temperature. Very nice.

The flavor too is straightforward, simple, but tasty. Mild chocolate, moderate roast, some coffee, and a bit of lactose sweetness. As the beer warms, complementary sweetness grows, adding a delightful element to this otherwise straightforward stout.

Thin to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Only place this beer lacks.

Straightforward, but tasty and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 01:46:37 | More by ehammond1

yamar68

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to cosmicevan for surprising me with one of these!

Damn near pitch black with an edge of coffee clarity, swelling two fingers of mocha head that sinks down to a thin, retaining collar that laces well.

Cold-press, fresh cream, milk chocolate, fudge, the sweeter notes are kept in check by bitter chocolate qualities, smells like a true breakfast stout.

The coffee is a bit faded, semisweet chocolate, cocoa beans, fresh cream, espresso bitterness, roasty, too thin though... the feel is a bit watery actually.

Tasty stuff, thanks Evan.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:32:03 | More by yamar68

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with hints of dark brown at the edges when held up to the light and some very light visible carbonation near the surface of the beer. The beer has a finger tall dense tan head that quickly reduces to a medium sized patch of extremely thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of coffee beans with just a slight hint of freshly brewed coffee. There is also a moderate amount of lactose/milk stout sweetness to the smell as well.

T: Strong flavors of coffee - freshly brewed - along with some lighter hints of milk chocolate. There is the typical sweetness of a milk stout from the lactose.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Creamy and smooth.

O: This is a very enjoyable beer, similar to the other stout I have had from this brewery but with a slightly heavier body and the addition of coffee to the flavor profile - I personally really enjoy a stout with either coffee added or strong coffee flavors so I will likely try this one another time.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 18:31:11 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with a finger high dense tan head that died down and left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and a thick collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of coffee beans and lactose in the nose.
T: There are strong flavors of lactose in the beer along with some notes of coffee and hints of chocolate.
M: It feels medium-bodied, creamy and very smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer tastes very much like a milk stout but feels a little heaver compared to others and has complimentary flavors of coffee beans.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 17:06:18 | More by metter98

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Creetoper for this bottle and to Weebay for getting this one to me.
Poured in to tulip.

A - Poured black with one finger of light brown head. The carbonation appeared fairly high for the style and the head was very light.

S - Sweet milk chocolate and bitter espresso dominate. Some roast, brown sugar and a touch of molasses in the background.

T - Big bitter espresso punch up front that gives way to sweet roasted malts and lactose sugar. Some molasses and semi-sweet chocolate notes are present as well. The finish is bitter and bull of dark roasted coffee flavour.

M - Medium body; creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 20:55:16 | More by TheSevenDuffs

DavoleBomb

Ohio

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

Poured into a snifter.

3.0 A: Black color. Less than a finger of light brown, frothy head. Retention isn't very good and no lacing is left. Coffee stouts will do that to you, so I cut it some slack.

4.0 S: Wonderful nose with plenty of potency. Coffee and the lactose aroma are the strongest. Supple roast, caramel, and chocolate follow. Lactose and coffee always work well!

4.0 T: Tastes like it smells. Big coffee and big lactose with roastiness, caramel, and chocolate underneath. not much else to say.

3.5 M: Heavier medium body. Good moderate carbonation. On the lower end in terms of creaminess, which is something I cherish in beers like these. Other than that, no issues.

4.0 D: A little simplistic, but tastes great. If the mouthfeel were a bit better, this would be a gem.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 22:41:42 | More by DavoleBomb

azdback

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Bruery tulip. A very dark black but not all light sucking black. Highlight are a dark brown. Head is a small one finger, creamy looking and light cocoa color. Lace is minimal at this point and doesn't do much all the way through the glass.

Smell is a wonderful coffee delight. Some smoke or char and just a bit of light chocolate sweetness. Very nice.

Taste is much like the smell but tastes are a bit lighter than the nose. Roasted coffee beans are on the forefront with some light chocolate and some charred wood.

Mouth is medium to full bodied, carbonation is on the spritzy side. Body is full and the finish is long and wet. Kind of leaves your mouth thinly coated with tart lacquer.

Overall I did like this. Kind of reminded me of Wake 'n' Bake. Nice coffee stout and a must if you can get your hands on it. Thanks to pete27lax for this extra.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 06:03:52 | More by azdback

harrymel

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Dave! Bottled: unk

Pours the usual dark brown on black with a fairly solid sheet of faint taupe and little if any lace. I could smell this from the desk, some cocoa, lots of coffee, sharp CO2, leather, ink, tobacco (faintly) - decent nose. Flavor is initially, well, milky with a slight bitterness. There is a really pleasant follow with some dark chocolate and bitter coffee. The coffee in this one is bitter and bites back, hardcore coffee that percolated for a good hour before chillin and hittin the enamel on the dentites. A good assertive flavor profile. The body is medium with a bit hi carb for my preference and this takes away from the vastness of the beer. Overall a nice one to have around and enjoy. Glad I was able to try it and glad to have another for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 07:17:18 | More by harrymel

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

After a recent trip to eastern NY I picked up a bottle @ a "local" beer store, K & E discount beverages.
The beer pours a deep black with light tan head. There's very little lacing and the loosly formed head dissipates before the beer has even finished pouring from the bottle. The beer's nose is a little disappointing with a subtle sweetness, no spice/hops, and a touch of roasty, black coffee. It's not particularly aromatic, but improves with time. The taste is a toasted marshmallow mixed with a slight caramel/toffee followed by a bold milk stout, lactose aftertaste. The coffee is almost completely hidden, although there is an acidic bite in the beer's finish that leads me to believe otherwise. No detectable alcohol, but still it's definitely a sipping beer. I would have preferred a lot more body.
Overall, I had high hopes for this beer and feel a bit let down. There are other, more easily available coffee stouts that I'd prefer to drink in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 00:54:01 | More by ThePorterSorter

bcostner1

Tennessee

3.4/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip.

A: Dark brown with hints of ruby around the edges. For a stout, definitely not pitch black like some I have had. The head is tan, a little fizzy, and dissipates quickly leaving very little nuances remaining around the edges. Wish it was thicker and hung around longer.

S: Faint to moderate coffee, roasted malt, burnt sugar. Not as much coffee as I was expecting. Underwhelming.

T: I am a little disappointed. I had hoped for more coffee and, also, more of the milk stout element. Unfortunately, I think both are underdone. Could definitely use more coffee along with more lactose sweetness. Both elements are there, but could absolutely be more robust.

M: Thin. For a stout, definitely thin. Alcohol is well hidden. Due to the thinness, it's an easy drinker for sure. It's just not as enjoyable as it could be.

Overall, this stout is decent for sure. I can't say that I wouldn't have it again but it is out of my market and I also can't say that I would go out of my way to procure more of it. Maybe I am spoiled by Terrapin's Moo Hoo and Wake N Bake and had hoped for some hybrid of these 2 in one bottle (actually, mixing 1/2 Moo Hoo with 1/2 Wake N Bake for a Wake N Moo tastes better than this to me). Nonetheless, I found this beer to be very average overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 23:11:18 | More by bcostner1

MadScientist

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a deep brown with a touch of ruby on the edges where the light will pass. The tan head of compact bubbles slowly settles to a thin cap with a thick ring of bubbles around the edge.

This smells of roasted and a mild coffee with a fig aroma a touch of sweetness.

There is a great balance of roast, coffee and lactic sweetness on the first sip with dark fruit and chocolate flavors developing shortly afterwards. There is little in the way of hops flavor but a moderate bitterness. The sweetness, though restrained as it is, does overtake the bitterness of the hops and roasted grains in the finish.

This has a nice weight on the palate being medium-full bodied with a light carbonation and some creaminess.

This a wonderfully balanced beer with a good roast and coffee notes and some bitterness balanced by a pleasant sweetness. I particularly liked that this has a lower amount of sweetness than my prior, cloying experiences with this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 22:23:16 | More by MadScientist