Milk Stout - Lancaster Brewing Company

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Growler to chalice. (Great fill at the brewery by the way.)

A: Dark brown, nearly black with a bit of ruby showing through in between the murkiness. Big, 2 finger second-wind head that is light brown in color. Good lacing leaves a ring around the glass after each sip. Long lasting head.

S: Probably the least impressive aspect of this stout IF I had to pick one. Heavy malt aromas and the typical dark chocolate, lightly burnt coffee grounds, tar and molasses. Minimal resiny hop presence.

T: The taste is very much what you would expect after putting your nose in it. Long lasting flavors of brown sugar, butter, diacetyl and lactose qualities are piled on. Moderately sweet.

M: The body is full, thick and creamy. Really smooth. There is a wonderful mouth-watering finish that keeps you coming back.

D: EXCEPTIONAL DRINKABILITY! Finished the growler and I still want another. Very sessionable.

Notes: After having tasted so many other stouts, the LBC Milk Stout is clearly simple and straightforward. Comparatively, it may seem slightly lacking in complexity but I think they nailed the style.

Serving type: growler

11-16-2009 00:41:21 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

CrazyMacHarris99

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've had this from the bottle many times but this is fresh from the brewery. Poured a dark opaque black with a huge frothy tan head that hung around for awhile. Smelled of sweet lactic goodness with hints of coffee and chocolate. The taste is the same but reversed. There is a strong coffee flavor with hints of milk chocolate and a slight sour lactic aftertaste which really helps balance it all out. The mouthfeel is a little thin but its better from the tap than in the bottle. For all of those out there who think this is too thin, try it on tap or from a growler once. The drinkability on this is amazing. It goes down quick and smooth.

Serving type: growler

04-18-2008 02:57:46 | More by CrazyMacHarris99

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A growler freshly filled a few hours ago.

A: The stout is a midnight black color, allowing only faint ruby red highlights to shine through. The head is a small white band.

S: The stout has a deep roasted, almost burnt, aroma that exudes hints of milk and chocolatey sweetness.

T: The stout has a bold flavor, not skimping on either the milk nor the stout parts. The roasted malts are thick and toasted, coming across with an acidic dryness that lingers in the mouth. The lactose quickly follows the dryness. It adds a distinct, almost sour, sweetness that works well against the dryness.

M: The dryness and the sweetness play well off of each other, creating a very nice feel.

D: It's been 6 months since my last review of milk stout and I believe that my earlier ones cut it short. The biggest difference is that this is fresh from the brewery (vs. contract brewed and bottled or on-tap at a third-party establishment). The stout is a formidable, excellent beer when served properly.

Serving type: growler

12-27-2006 01:40:22 | More by akorsak

jkeefe1800

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Brought this beer back from a recent trip to Philadelphia, bought it at a pretty cool store called Beer Heaven.

Poured into a goblet, dark brown head about 1/2 inch sits onto. Head is almost fluffy in appearance. Smell is that of bittersweet chocolate and a bit of candy sweetness comes through. Mouth feel is creamy but carbonation is still present, finishes clean. The sweetness on the nose doesn't come through as much here a little chocolate and cream is all. Overall really solid milk stout it is what says and executes the style really well. Wish i brought back more than one.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 00:15:28 | More by jkeefe1800

socon67

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Black pour with a thin foam head that disappates. Lacing is decent on this. Slight amount of carbonation noted.

S - Impressive smell of chocolate and dark malts. For a sweet stout it really smells robust. Slight amount of smoke behind the intial scent.

T - Fairly rich chocolate taste that while enjoyable, doesn't last nearly enough. Over time it seemed to weaken.

M - Feels light and slightly thin, though not all that atypical for the style. Leaves a sugary sweet flavor in the finish. Could stand to be balanced a bit better.

O - Not a bad beer; just not as consistent throughout the consumption with the flavor profile and balance. But it is quite enjoyable and I would not mind having this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 02:48:49 | More by socon67

maximum12

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle liberated from the back of the fridge & split with my wife.

Pour is black. Black. Why do we judge the appearance of stouts? I have no idea. Anyways, I looked again, still black. Smell is great, straight-up, 100% milk chocolate spilling vertically up my nose. That's a fine way to begin, right there.

Lancaster Milk Stout takes a cannon ball off it's smell score; this might be the steepest drop I've ever experienced. Chocolate is a lot less pure of heart, muted, & tainted with a bitter roast that has a dour edge to it. Very bitter on the finish. Milkishness is undetectable, unless you count the rather creamy mouthfeel. Six ounces will be enough.

Other than the gorgeous nose, this isn't very interesting; if the brewery could shoehorn that smell into the taste, this would be world-class. Not bad, but pretty mediocre.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:54:04 | More by maximum12

Mister_Falcon

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured an almost impenetrable dark brown-black with just some feint caramel translucency visible around the edges of the glass. Minimal head, just some brown wispy effervescence spinning around on the surface like clouds on a dark gaseous beer planet.

Smells slightly smoky and malty but not cheap. Smells like the ingredients will be quality.

It hits and bathes the tongue with an inky, syrupy-like embrace that turns sharp, with a just touch of bitterness and crispness that then reveals its well roasted and smoky character. Finishes up with a 'tonguefeel' like you just drank a glass of 2% milk.

Good stuff. Highly recommend this beer that is easy-drinking for how dark it is with a remarkably subtle, well-balance smokey, malty flavor and interesting multifaceted mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 01:54:43 | More by Mister_Falcon

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A good stout is always a great thing. I love Left Hand Milk Stout, let's see how this one matches up.

A- 12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. Black bodied ale with a small, one finger light mocha head. The retention of the head isn't great and a ring made of fine bubbles sticks around after the head is gone. Small ring leaves few patches of spotty lace.

S- Actually reminds me a lot of Left Hand's example here. Roast forward with a rich feel but not heavily or over-roasted like big stouts. Notes of black barley and milk chocolate from these grains. Dark fruit, caramel and earthy hints beyond the roast grains.

T- Right away, it does not feel as rich and fulfilling as it did in the aroma. Roast grains still lead the way with cocoa notes but they aren't as decedent as I might have though after smelling the beer. The dark fruits, toasty, nutty and earthy hop notes are kicked up a notch here.

MF- Silky and creamy feel to the body. Carbonation is on the high end for a stout but feel smooth, maybe due to the added lactose. Just seems a bit thin after a while.

Pretty good milk stout that starts out quite roasty and smells rich but ends up having a heavy fruit (just a bit too much) character to it.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 02:46:32 | More by cbutova

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another Lancaster review:

12 oz. bottle into a tumbler

A- Dark brown/black with a 1/4" tan head. Moderate looking head, not really fizzy, not really foamy. Retains well, for what it started with, and lacing doesn't stick around.

S- Strong dark roasted coffee is the main aroma, with a little sweetness of chocolate in the shadows.

T- Resembles the smell quite closely, with the coffee the main flavor. A small sweet chocolate finish. It balances well, and the flavors aren't too overbearing. Also, the chocolate comes out more when the beer warms up.

M- Less thick than I like my stouts, especially for a milk. A little more carbonation in this than I prefer too. Yet the lightness of it makes it a little more sessionable.

O- Not bad at all. The feel is a little off, and I like to see a nice creamy head on my stout, but this beer deserves better than average marks. It is well crafted and has true stout aroma and flavor, and I won't feel bad about knocking a six pack of these back.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 21:58:09 | More by BWED

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The pour is a dark, dark, opaque color. Nice immovable tan head. Beautiful looking beer. Scents of light cocoa but that's about it. Doesn't have a whole lot of a nose as most stout's. That includes the taste. Very easy to drink. Some bitter sweet chocolate taste. A bit thin on the mouth but a great session beer. A nice globe of ring follows the beer down the glass. Could use a bit more thickness, but other than that, a quality milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 23:47:10 | More by bigdeuce

Guinness_Or_Die

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

As the name states, I'm an avid Stout drinker but always need to test the varieties available. Turkey Day Eve and I caught this on the bottom shelf looking lonely. Full Bodied as all stouts should be. With a name like Milk Stout, I expected something creamy and filling. However, this is a smooth drinking Stout with a crisp finish. Nothing really wows me about the beer but nothing really lets you down either. A decent stout with hints of coffee and milk to dark chocolate flavor. Quality Brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 04:56:15 | More by Guinness_Or_Die

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle from 2009 into a Duvel tulip. This was an extra in one of my very first trades (thanks Beerman777!), and got lost in my cellar...until now.

A: Not much of a hiss when the crown gets cracked, but a hard pour manages to create a finger of coarse light brown head on top of the clear nearly-black body. Lovely espresso highlights. Not bad.

S: Lovely, pure chocolate. A bit spicy, a bit milky, and candied without being too sweet. Really nice.

T: Not quite as good here, as some oxidation gives it a bit of cardboard dullness behind the smooth chocolatey malt. Nice spicy finish, though. Still a really tasty beer.

M: Slick, smooth, and just shy of medium-bodied. Almost flat, but not quite. Pleasant enough.

O: I wish I hadn't forgotten about this, as I think I might have really enjoyed it fresh. Even with over 3 years on it, though, it's not unpleasant in the least. I'll tweak my scores to make sure this review of an overaged bottle doesn't skew its ratings.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 21:43:09 | More by woosterbill

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

On draft at Buffalo Wild Wings in Owings Mills, MD.

The beer appears near black with a half inch of beige head. The aroma offers a strong lactic presence, with additional notes of chocolate, vanilla, roast. Milk chocolate is the dominant flavor. The beer finishes with a hint of bitterness and toasty bread. Creamy at first, with some zesty carbonation mid to late palate. A solid example of a milk stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 23:23:10 | More by Huhzubendah

ghengisflan

3.05/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a wonderful, stout black with very little head. I can see it's highly carbonated, a nice change.

Smell - Coffee and a little bit of barley sourness or bitterness... which I am just realizing is probably lactose.

Taste - Coffee and roast flavors definitely are dominant in this beer.

Mouthfeel - Medium body and a lot of carbonation for a stout.

Overall - It does not actually taste like a milk stout to me. I would like it to have a little more coffee, complexity, and "milkiness". Not a bad beer though.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 00:21:09 | More by ghengisflan

darktower

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My favorite milk stout by far, I've tried quite a few and this is my all time favorite. I think they've hit the nail right on the head with the mouthfeel and the taste. I LOVE the sweet, subtle hint of milkiness that resides on the palate long after you've taken a sip, it literally tastes like you just took a drink of milk. I also enjoy the up-front malty-ness that I tend to get. This is my favorite beer from LBC.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 18:36:19 | More by darktower

Enoch

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma: Big roast coffee aroma right off the bat, with a creamy chocolate undertone. Hints of musty fruit.

Appearance: the color was a deep, deep opaque brown--nearly black. Garnet highlights could be seen in front of a strong light. Khaki-colored head didn't last as long or rise as high as I expected.

Flavor: The flavor delivered what the nose promised. Roast mocha/coffee flavor with a definite milky sweetness. Bitterness was moderate and balanced out the malt well. Very low levels of fruitiness, with stronger notes of malted milk and brown bread. Lactose tanginess lasts after the other flavors have mostly faded and was somewhat distracting.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily. Carbonation was moderate. Lasted in the mouth.

Overall: It was a good example of a milk stout, and I'll certainly drink it again. I really liked the coffee and bready notes from the malt, but I thought the lactose was a little overdone.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 19:10:00 | More by Enoch

nofalltoofar

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Delicious almost black looking brew. Nice tan head begins to form, although I bet it would be better from a tap. Even with the minimal lacing and head from the bottle, it's still an attractive pour.

S: Dark smell of oats and caramel. Some chocolate and coffee aroma.

T: Even dark taste with caramel notes and a chocolate undertone. Oats presence strong with barely detectable metallic presence. A little bitter for the average stout, hop presence immediately notable.

M: A little tangy, carbonation is possibly excessive. Again, probably better on tap. A little on the tingly side, not as thick as the typical stout.

I had a bottle of this poured into an imperial pint glass. It's a very good beer. Even in bottle form, the quality of this brew is readily apparent. I wish I could have gotten my hands on a tap with it, but beggars, chosers, etc. This delicious beer should not be passed up on when encountered. I'm curious to see if the Lancaster Brewing Company's other beers can stand up.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 19:47:33 | More by nofalltoofar

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

2.6/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer pours black with no head or lacing. The aroma is dark roasted malt and licorice with hints of chocolate and coffee. The flavor is predominantly anise with baker's chocolate and hoppy notes. A bit of milk chocolate comes through as it warms. It's mouthfeel is full and syrup-like. Lancaster Milk Stout is a decent beer, not as smooth as most milk stouts but still good. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 02:28:30 | More by B967ierhunter177

Brushkanna

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - deep brown with little head that was gone after a few sips
S - nice toasty & caramel nose
T - the taste was lighter than expected for a Milk Stout I did not get the caramel flavor I got from the smell, the back-end of the taste is a minimal
M - it does not have the chewy mouthfeel that I like in a milk stout
O - this is a good beer, not a great one, I was expecting more after-taste and a bigger mouthfeel and the somewhat sweet taste I have had in other milk stouts was not there.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 23:49:22 | More by Brushkanna

beer272

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown, head dissipates quickly and no lacing, opaque with the black patent.

S: Smells roasty. No strong hops. More malty than hoppy

T: Nice body, roast grain most dominant flavor.

M: Carbonation sizzles very light on the tongue

O: A well balanced milk stout. An OK milk stout, overall a good beer. The roast and black patent dominates the beer.

Not a beer I wish to try again.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 18:56:07 | More by beer272

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Received this beer in my beer of the month club.

Pours a dark and dense black with creamy, milky head. Smells like a milk shake - chocolate, caramel, coffee. Nice smelling brew.

This is a nicely crafted stout. This isn't going to blow your sox off but it is a solid stout and I'd recommend it. This would be a nice gateway beer for someone trying to get into micro brews.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 22:25:05 | More by andrewjraab

undeadozzy

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured vigorously into a pint glass, nice murky darkness with a caramel/chocolate colored frothy head that formed quickly. Left lots of lacing on the glass as the beer was consumed.

S - The chocolate is definitely the big player here. Picked up on that immediately, along with some malt, chocolate malt, some definite coffee, maybe some chocolate milk (like ovaltine), and scent akin to Kahlua. Very good scent.

T - Like my other favorite milk stout (left hand) this tastes like chocolate milk. Nice rich chocolate taste with some cocoa bean, rich coffee, mocha, caramel, some dark hops, deep burnt malt taste, and a great cocoa roast finish. Delicious.

M - Nice and thick, like real chocolate milk. The frothiness that was present when I poured it kinda went away over time, which is a little disappointing, but in no way takes away from the positive points this beer has.

O - I've always had great respect for all of Lancaster's beers, and this is no different. A great example of a milk stout!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:31:39 | More by undeadozzy

obywan59

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

February beer of the month club.

Nearly black with a bit of ruby at the extreme top and bottom when held to a bright light. 2 1/2 finger brownish head that dissipates quickly leaving very light lacing.

Smell coffee and chocolate milk with a little burnt malt.

This milk stout has a bit of sweetness, but seems less sweet and more tart than others that I've tried. Bitter hops and roast malts come through in the end.

The feel is quite biting and medium-full--milky, with a nice burn in the throat.

I prefer sweeter brews, and to me, this one doesn't have the seetness of other milk stouts, but still, I enjoyed it immenseley. It's full in both flavor and feel.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:42:32 | More by obywan59

jniagar1

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: A very dark brown pour with a creamy light brown head which dissapated quickly.

S: Smells like chocolate milk with a hint of coffee.

T: Tastes like slightly roasted chocolate. Very sweet stout with a coffee-like after taste.

M: Very thin and well carbonated. Surprisingly light for a stout.

O: A good beer. Not exactly my favorite style, but well suited for those cold winter nights. I'm happy I picked this one up.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 00:32:34 | More by jniagar1

beer2day

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Very dark pour with 1-finger milky cream head. No retention and thin lace.

Burnt caramel, malted milk, and roasted toffee all combine for a sweet-smelling nose. A creamy air is there as well. Very appealing.

Mild flavor. More roast toffee than anything else, but the malted milk is creeping in. Sweet, with light chocolate and citrus bitters in the finish. Getting more burnt caramel late in the glass. Does not quite live up to the nose, but pretty tasty.

Mild feel as well, but appropriate for style. Smooth, creamy, and not too heavy.

I would get this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 01:36:40 | More by beer2day