Split Shot Espresso Milk Stout - Elysian Brewing Company

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance. Pours pretty darn close to black with a 1/2 finger of light tan head.

Smell. Dark coffee and dark roasty malts with a bit of sweet milk chocolate. Yum.

Taste. Dark roasted malts, sour old coffee, not a lot of sweetness. Flavours are a little washed out ...maybe I was just expecting more from the appearance.

Mouthfeel. Medium body, medium-low carbonation.

Overall. Coffee taste was okay but the beer wasn't big enough to back it up.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 00:25:52 | More by Rutager

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 22 oz. bottle into a nonic pint glass

A- Poured very dark with a little light coming through, a small soapy mocha head that left no lace

S- Big sweet milk chocolate aroma, lots of roasted coffee, and a lot of dairy character typical of a sweet stout

T- Very big milky character to this beer and very sweet milk chocolate up front. Tons of coffee ground bitterness on the finish and some sweet dark fruit notes.

M- Silky and creamy mouthfeel, prickly carbonation, medium body

O- This is as advertised a sweet stout with a big coffee overload. Very robust and sweet flavor, even with the big coffee flavor and bitterness, the sweetness still seems to dominant more. Reminiscent of a mocha with tons of milk or cream with whipped cream on top. Lots of great flavors and little over the top, definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 06:01:57 | More by Hoptometrist

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft at the brewpub in Seattle.

Pours a dark brown, almost black color that's nearly opaque with faint chocolate brown edges and a two finger beige head that slowly settles into a lasting ring.  Streaks of lace left behind.

Robust roasted malt aroma that's countered by sweeter malt notes and lactic sugar.  Strong roasted coffee presence but not burnt or acrid smelling. Hints of dark and milk chocolate, toffee and oatmeal give off complexity and the lactic sugar provides some sweetness/creaminess.

On the fuller end of medium bodied with a robust, deeply roasted coffee flavor that's countered by sweeter malts.  Not acrid or overly roasted with subtle smokiness, espresso, dark chocolate and oatmeal.  This is countered by lighter chocolate, toffee and hazelnut as well as some lactic cream.  Still a heavy coffee flavor but well balanced and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2012 23:08:51 | More by corby112

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

huge thanks to ArchEnemyBrew for trading me this brew! Thanks Hollis!

poured into duvel tulip.

Appearance: black bodied beer with 1 finger of brown head. Drops quickly to a small ring with large bubbles.

Smell: This is my favorite part of this brew! Big fresh roasty expresso! Peanut butter! Yeah...without a doubt I get a definate peanut butter note out of the nose. A mixture of dark chocolates and milk chocolates.

Taste: Big roasty expresso coffee that does not have even a hint of bitterness. Milk chocolates and dark chocolate. Hint of lacto milky notes almost like creamer for a coffee. Beer finishes with a touch of chocolatey sweetness and a mild expresso note.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Really drinkable milk stout! No alcohol detected. Just a touch thin, but it does make the beer suffer from a thinner mouthfeel.

Overall: I loved the smell of this beer. Its not super complex, but elysian definately made what they set out to do! Great beer! Suprised it does not get more love from people who review it.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 16:48:10 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

harrymel

Washington

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Been interested in this one. Pours a nice black coffee with a bit of light mocha foam and no lace. Smells of coffee and hints of lactose sweetness. The coffee is bold and almost spicy with hints of soil and tobacco - nice nose. Flavor comes through delivering quite a bit of lactose sweetness, actually so much it reminds me of non-dairy creamer. Cocoa, bitterness, coffee, smooth roastyness. I like the flavor, but I can see how some would perceive it to taste "cheap". Full bodied with a reserved carbonation and wet finish. Overall decent beer, and something really approachable for all, but I wouldn't buy more than a couple times a year if always around.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 06:40:40 | More by harrymel

mdfb79

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap at The Pony Bar on the UES today at their Elysian event. 14 oz. pour in a pint glass.

a - Pours a deep mahogany brown color with one inch of light tan and low to moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of espresso, cream, roasted malts, coffee, sweet milk chocolate, and bitter chocolate. Nose reminds me of coffee iced cream, which is pretty nice.

t - Taste follows the nose pretty closely. Tastes of espresso, coffee, cream, milk, vanilla, roasted malts, and milk chocolate. Very nice.

m - Light body and low carbonation. Body is very thin and it seems a little bit undercarbonated; probably the only bad part of the beer.

o - Overall this is exactly as it sounds, and a pretty good beer. The nose and taste have a lot of espresso and sweet milk/cream and chocolate, as opposed to more of a coffee grind flavor that some coffee stouts have. Very good nose and taste, though the mouthfeel is too think and not carbonated enough. Worth checking out and would have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2012 21:52:28 | More by mdfb79

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass.

3.0 A: Black color. About one finger of tan, frothy, short-lived head.

4.5 S: Deep roastiness without any burntness. Abundant lactose and coffee. A touch of vanilla. Everything comes together in a wonderful harmony.

3.5 T: Coffee is dominant in the taste. The lactose isn't as strong as I'd like and the vanilla is no longer detectable. Still, it's tasty. Dry roastiness.

2.5 M: Mouthfeel on this isn't too great. It feels more like coffee than a milk stout. Lighter medium body. Not creamy at all. Smooth though.

3.0 D: Normally I'd give this a 3.5, but the nose was borderline and the mouthfeel was weak.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 23:58:53 | More by DavoleBomb

rfgetz

New Jersey

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

Dark, chalky black, thin cap of khaki head. Scent brings dark roasted espresso bean, cream and sugar, light notes of nuttyness. Tatste strong with roasted bean and freshly brewed dark coffee, good sugar and cream notes, finishes with a strong peanut buttery note. Fuller side of medium, smooth with some graniness. Solid milk stout all around.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2012 14:23:29 | More by rfgetz

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

More like a dry stout, fresh on tap at Cole’s. Licorice and roast aromas. Off notes, like mold,which is likely the lactose milk part that sometimes emits this, more like goat cheese and coffee unhappily married. Dry finish. Above average mouthfeel though oily.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2012 16:03:39 | More by northyorksammy

beerandcycling88

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a snifter

A Pours a dark brown topped off with a fizzy off white head. Very reminiscent of cola.

S Lots of roasted coffee and not much else.

T Again lots of roasted coffee with nothing else present. Reminds of me something you might get at Starbucks.

M Smooth creamy body.

Overall this is an interesting beer. If you are like me and love coffee then you will like this beer. However if you are looking for something a little more beer like avoid this as the coffee dominates this beer to an extreme degree. Its almost more like drinking iced coffee then a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 21:00:52 | More by beerandcycling88

beertunes

Washington

2.53/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My usual disclaimer: I don't drink coffee and I don't like coffee. But I do like beer and give coffee beers a fair shot. Served in straight pint glass. Poured the expected black with just a thin cap of tan head that had zero retention or lacing.

I could smell the coffee even as the bartender was pouring the beer. when he handed it across the bar, the only aroma was coffee. No grains, no malt, no yeast, no spice, no beer aspects at all in the aroma. The flavor was the same, all coffee, no beer. Maybe this is what the brewers were shooting for, so I'm not giving the flavor profile the lower score I think it deserves.

The body was average for a milk stout, smooth and a bit creamy. Drinkability will, obviously, depend on your taste for coffee. If you love the stuff, you will love this beer. Overall, you could get one of these instead of an iced coffee at Starbucks and be just as satisfied. I don't mind roasted notes in beer, and if there is a hint of coffee to complement the the malts and grain in a beer, that's acceptable. But when the adjunct in a beer so completely overpowers the basic "Beeriness" of a beer, that beer has gone off the rails. I cannot recommend this beer to the non-coffee lover.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2012 20:10:03 | More by beertunes

dirtylou

Washington

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

22oz bomber; official beer of seattle beer week

appearance: served in my hilliards can-pint, ebony body, creamy 1/3" mocha head with really no retention

smell: heavy espresso notes, cream, roasted malt

taste: A really nice coffee stout and quite frankly, one of Elysian's stronger offerings. Lighthouse Roaster was the purveyor of choice - a local roaster with adequate, though inconsistent, product.

mouthfeel: smooth, roasty

overall: a nice coffee stout and a nice choice for SBW

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 03:08:27 | More by dirtylou

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a very dark, almost opaque reddish brown. Thin light brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma dominated by chocolate and coffee; malts are not noticeable. Flavor is similar, tastes like a chocolate / espresso shake, faint toasted malt. Light toasted malt and sharp, lightly burnt coffee finish. Very smooth and integrated. A nice, flavorful coffee stout. Medium to heavy bodied with nice creaminess.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 04:31:49 | More by LiquidAmber

HuskyinPDX

Washington

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

5,10.12 from notes.

It is my first Seattle beer week since moving back, and I am on daddy duty all week. This is the closest thing to it. The offical beer of the week.

A - Pours a dark coffee brown with a one finger medium to dark tan head. Good retention and lacing.

S -Lots of coffee here and some roasted chocolate.

T - Milky chocolate with a very strong coffee finish.

D - Good carbonation and a heavy body.

O - Coffee and more coffee. A good choice as any for Seattle beer week.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 04:24:37 | More by HuskyinPDX

mfavoino

Washington

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a pint glass on 5/10/12.

Appearance: Deep brown with a tiny tan head that receded to some bubbles on top of the body. No lacing.

Smell: Coffee, coffee, coffee. Bold on the espresso notes making this almost smell like an iced espresso drink. Toasted malts and sweet dark sugars are less prominent but add to the overall pleasant aroma.

Taste: Smooth coffee flavors please the palate. Toasty, bready malts mix with a tad of sweetness for a delicious concoction. Finishes smooth with light bitterness from the muted hops. Much like a refreshing espresso drink.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body that feels slick and drinkable. A bit on the thin side. Absolutely no alcohol detected.

Overall: Definitely worth giving a try if you're a fan of coffee beers. Easy to drink and a good beer to represent Seattle Beer Week.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 02:00:38 | More by mfavoino

suncrust

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Official 2012 Seattle Beer Week Beer.

22oz bottle poured to a snifter.

A: Poured a dark brown, almost black hue. Tiny, bubbly mocha head layered the brim of the glass, dissipating quickly to the outer rim shortly after the pour. Not much lacing throughout. As a downfall, the appearance lacked an invitation to drink.

S: Aromas of strongly brewed espresso & french press coffee hit the nose almost immediately. Fresh. Slight cocoa powder, sticky brown sugar, graham crackers & a mild sweetness follow. Aromas round out w/ subtle dark cherry chocolate bread, w/ a smooth, rich, near peppery coffee spice. Really enjoying the smell of this beer.

T: Brewed, french press coffee smack the palette almost instantly. No coffee bitterness, which is nice. Dark roast, cocoa powder, rich dark chocolates, & touch of caramel, dark breads, light figs, and some pleasant dark grains molding the flavor profile. Finishes smooth with a milky film & subtle sweetness, a slight hop kick w/ some very muted cinnamon stick notes. Very easy to drink, really balanced.

MF: Rich, smooth, w/ an almost lighter body full of flavor and texture. Very well made. The lactose creates a sweet milky film that coats the mouth. No lingering bitterness. Coffee and dark chocolate characters lingering. Yum.

O: Really enjoyable. This beer could be huge as an imperial stout, but nonetheless the milk stout approach with the lower ABV was nice. Sweet milky body with dark chocolate and coffee complexity. One of the better coffee beers I've had in a long time. 2012 Seattle Beer Week will certainly be a memorable one!

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 04:50:57 | More by suncrust