Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to djrn2 for sending me a handful of beers from Duck-Rabbit.

The beer pours a very dark brown color with a tan head. The aroma is full of chocolate and coffee, with some lactose and cream notes thrown in. The flavor is more of the same. The coffee and cream notes are front and center, with some chocolate and light to medium roasted malt also thrown in. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice sweet stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:38:22 | More by Mora2000

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours black with light tan head that dissipates pretty quickly.

Smell is stong with dark toasted malts and chocolate. Much richer smell than I expected.

Taste is also heavy with toasted malt, chocolate and toffee. Bit of molasses in the mix as well. Pretty complex in my opinion.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Average to low carbonation.

Overall much better and more complex than expected.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 23:04:19 | More by TrappistJohnMD

markmiller

New York

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a little too hard into my glass and a pillow of luscious foam sits on top.

Smells of sweet roasted malts, a little chocolate, and maybe some hops? Aroma is inviting.

Taste is pretty damn good. The sweetness of milk sugar balances the bitter roast flavors very well. I was about to give up milk stouts after not so great experiences, but this one is a keeper.

A fair amount of carbonation keeps this one light on the palate.

Overall, I'm fairly impressed at this one. After trying Left Hand and Lancaster Milk Stouts, The Duck-Rabbit and Mikkeller have me convinced to keep trying this style.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 23:36:43 | More by markmiller

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black with light tan head that dissipates quickly. There are hints of brown at the bottom of the glass. There is a decent amount of carbonation and it appears to be clear.
I mostly smell chocolate with some sugary sweetness also a hint of coffee and alcohol, as it gets closer to room temp.
I taste semi sweet chocolate with roasted malt and it finishes with a semi sweet aftertaste.
Medium bodied, bitter sweet malt flavors up front with a dry semisweet finish.
I like that I can get stout aromas and flavors without getting the high alcohol content of an imp stout. A very tasty brew that I would enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 02:01:21 | More by JCaweinstein

StoutHunter

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

I got a bottle of Duck-Rabbit's Milk Stout that my brother brought back from his trip down south. I have been wanting to check this brewery out for a while now so I was pretty happy that my brother found a bottle of Milk Stout in the mix a six section of random grocery store, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a tulip.

A- I like the label on this beer, it's simple, yet well done and it sticks out. It poured a pretty dark black color that hardly let any light come through with a small and faint ruby highlight showing up when held to the light. It had a finger and half worth of slightly dark tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end. This beer looked on par for the style.

S- The aroma starts off with a large amount of malts that are pretty roasty and have a nice amount of medium sweetness, that impart some nice roasted, chocolate, vanilla, and slight coffee aromas. After that comes a nice amount of lactose that gives this beer a nice creamy aroma and when combined with the heavy chocolate aromas it makes for an aroma similar to chocolate milk. The aroma is really nice and true to style, it's heavy on the chocolate which I like.

T- The flavor seems to be pretty similar to the aroma. It starts off with lots of nicely roasted malts that has a medium amount of sweetness and is a little less sweet then the aroma. The roasted malts imparted some nice chocolate, coffee, and a slight vanilla flavors with chocolate sticking out the most. After that comes the lactose that imparts a nice creamy and milky flavor that keeps this beer true to style and give it a flavor that reminds me of chocolate milk. I didn't taste any hops and on the finish it had a low amount of bitterness with a roasty and creamy aftertaste that really stuck around. This was a great tasting Milk Stout, this is how this style should taste. sweet, roasty, chocolaty, and creamy, no complaints at all.

M- Very smooth, slightly creamy, medium dry, on the lighter side of being medium bodied, and it had a slightly higher amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was just ok at best, I wish it it was a little thicker with a little less carbonation to make the mouthfeel true to style.

Overall I thought that this was a pretty good beer and I thought it was a pretty good example of a Milk Stout, it had just about everything think I look for in a good Milk Stout. This beer had pretty good drinkability, it went down pretty smooth, and had enough flavor to hold my attention, I could drink a couple of these in a row and if I had another one I would drink it. I recommend this beer to just about anyone and if your a fan of Milk Stouts, I think this is a must try and worth the effort to obtain. What I liked most about this beer was the aroma and the taste, they were right where they should be at for the style and I liked them a lot. What I liked least about this beer was the Mouthfeel, it was pretty much the only downfall of this beer and if it was a little thicker and less carbonated it would be pretty close to perfect. I would for sure buy this again but Duck-Rabbit isn't distributed in Michigan so who knows when I will have the chance to try to this beer again. I was pretty impressed with this beer and it made for a great first impression for this brewery, I am glad this beer didn't disappoint as I was really looking forward to trying it and I was happy that it lived up to my expectations. Good job Duck-Rabbit this was one awesome beer and you can bet that I will be searching out more of your brews, I see good things in the future for this brewery. One of the better Milk Stouts I have had.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 03:45:46 | More by StoutHunter

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. best before may 2012. poured into tulip.

A: looks pretty pitch black to me. tiny bubbles make for a pretty thick 3 finger head. retention is good as is the lacing. lots of it left behind.

S: minor notes of coffee interact with a substantial amount of roast. a shitload of fresh toffee brittle. mostly sweet, with some roasted aromas as well.

T: a little bit of dark chocolate. slightly bittersweet. definitely has that milky sweetness that one expects from the style. definitely a dry cocoa powder flavor right before a sweet lingering finish.

M: good deal of fizz on a medium bodied brew. almost could tone the carbonation down a bit.

D: a well made sweet stout from "the dark beer specialist". im not mocking that, cause they certainly do make some good dark beers. solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 02:44:45 | More by Jimmys

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ken's bottle.

Dark brown colour, ring of off white head with no lace left behind. Smell is milky, roasted malts, lots of coffee, light milk chocolate scents as well as some nutty notes. Taste is of sour milk and roast, coffee, chocolate milk and some mild bitterness with some sweet points. Mouthfeel is quite light, light carbonation with a fairly light body. Not bad and glad to have tried this, would like to try something else from these guys as opposed to coming back to this one though.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 01:48:15 | More by peensteen

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sour milk stout, highly lactic, yogurt. suggested improvement is to regain control over that. Beyond that aspect, a decent drinker of milk and coffee. So-so, Not one I would again.Dark brown with a thin creamy topping. Coffee aroma.Suitable carbonation. Thanks Ken.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 02:40:29 | More by northyorksammy

scruffwhor

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pitch black color with a two finger head and a solid film of foam. Just a litle lace stickage too.

Milky sugar, a little coffe, chocolate, and lots of roasted malts. Classic milk stout aroma. Except, its maybe a little heavy on the lactose.

Powdery dry palate from the get go. Roasty, milky, toasty, and of course dry. This is a great session milk tout. Roasted mlts and coffe to the hilt.

The palate is dry, but flavorfully roasty. I wish I could get this on tap in IL somewhere.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 03:22:55 | More by scruffwhor

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle poured into a gobblet

A- deep dark brown, ruby highlights when held up to a light. Little bit of tan lacing, disappears quickly.

S- Dark roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, lactose. Smells great.

T- Dark roasted malts, cocoa powder and lactose. Maybe a bit too much lactose on the finish. Pretty tasty overall.

M- A bit thin and more carbonation than most. Lactose is a bit sour and semi-drying on the backend.

O- a good milk stout. Doesn't quite measure up to my local example, Lancaster Brewing Milk Stout, but few do. Another solid effort for Duck Rabbit

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 01:44:11 | More by JWU

gkatsoris

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Very dark, but when held up to the light, ruby red. No head, and no bubbles.

S: Chocolate cake. Brownies. Chocolate cake batter. Roasted cocoa beans. Unsweetened chocolate.

T: Roasted, almost burnt wood. Earthy. Unsweetened cocoa powder. Saltyish, like a Slim Jim.

M: Thin. No coat on the tongue. Boring.

O: A Duck-Rabbit let down.

Thanks redliner8? hahahahha.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 03:46:47 | More by gkatsoris

Garlicjosh

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A:
1/2 finger, dark mocha colored head. Thick and creamy. The head faded by the time I wrote the section.

s:
Lactose, chocolate

t:
Lactose sugar, chocolate, slight roast, hint of vanilla. As it resides in my mouth, the chocolate begins to taste a little fake the longer it lingers....minus part of a point for that one.

m:
Heavy and creamy, It's like a chocolate milk shake. Goes down like one too.

O:
I found this beer simple, but in a good way. I enjoyed the texture and the over all taste was interesting enough that I enjoyed it and would have easily had another. For sure a kick back stout that does require you to think about it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 01:06:17 | More by Garlicjosh

jegross2

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout from The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery out of North Carolina. I have been wanting to try some of their brews for a long time. In particular, I am still seeking a bottle of their Duck-Rabbit Rabbit Duck Russian Imperial Stout.
Score: 82

This beer was recently received as an extra in a trade. The "enjoy by" tab is notched for February 2012. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter and enjoyed on 03/02/12.

Appearance: Pours a jet black color. Totally opaque save for a super thin brown highlight atop the glass. Three full fingers of foamy mocha head at pour gradually settles into a third of a finger of creamy "whipped cream-like" mocha head. Average lacing, above average retention. 4/5

Smell: Chocolate malt, pear roasted barley, toasted oats, creamy oatmeal, used coffee filter, and a little bit of whole milk. Smells primarily like a dark Munich lager mixed with creamy oatmeal stout characteristics. Very grain-forward; too much so for a stout. 3/5

Taste: Super creamy milk chocolate throughout, which decreases in relative presence as the beer warms and layers. Bitter grain, a touch of spice, and barley malt upfront and on the midpalate. A subtle bitterness lingers throughout the whole beer. Roasted chocolate malt and a hint of oat towards the back half. The barley grain and roasted chocolate malt flavors seem to grow as the beer layers. Tastes better than it smells, but this beer is still nothing special on the palate. Milk stouts tend to be a weaker style of beer in my experience. This is not a bad brew for the style, however. Certainly a huge upgrade over the Left Hand Milk Stout. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, low-plus carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel. Dry, slightly bitter finish. 3.5/5

Overall: A solid beer for the style that is certainly well brewed with a certain mass-appeal quality with respect to its flavors, but Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout is nothing stand out overall. I would drink this again if offered a bottle, but I would not buy it again on my own initiative unless it was the best available beer at the bar.

Recommendation: Fans of lighter stouts, Guinness and milk stouts generally should seek this beer out. Worth trying if given the opportunity, but definitely not worth seeking out.

Pairings: Reuben sandwich on rye bread.

Cost: $8.99 for a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 06:09:40 | More by jegross2

socon67

New York

4.38/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours black with minimal lacing. Creme colored foam dissaptes quickly. Slight carbonation.

S - Strong mocha\cocoa flavor. Hearty roasted malt. Scent gets stronger as this warms.

T - About as good as it gets for a milk stout. This tastes as rich as an imp stout, with all the notes of cocoa, roastiness, and heavy malt. The finish of sweet creme is all that tells you this is a milk stout.

M - Syrupy thick. Coates the tongue. Very drinkable.

O - This is the best milk stout I've ever had. Worth my trip to Raleigh to try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:26:13 | More by socon67

sayyad

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is my first milk stout.

S: The smell of this stout is very indistinct especially once the head disappears. Slight hints of sweet malt is all I can detect.

A. One inch head that didn't hold for very long. Little to no lacing. The head itself is very exciting in that I found it to be memorably flavorful. Very dark black with a hint of brown typical to stouts.

M: Pleasant amount of body typical to the style. Feels right after a good work out.

T: This to me exemplifies a beginner stout. Nothing challenging but still a good amount of complexity. Slight amount of bitterness coupled with low carbonation and a pleasant milky sweetness gives this beer high marks on drinkability.

Overall: I would go back to this beer but I might wait until I try all that is out there first. But I certainly don't regret the second bottle in the fridge that I know my girlfriend will not drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 02:49:43 | More by sayyad

paulginva

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: This beer, poured from a bottle into a mug, produced a dark tan creamy 1/2" head that dissipated slowly leaving good head lacing. There was little carbonation in an opaque very dark brown body.

AROMA: All malt -- moderate toasted bread, light notes of smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, honey and roasted malts.

TASTE: Taste followed the nose on this one. Moderate toasted bread, coffee, dark chocolate with a light touch of honey and smoke. Well put together and enjoyable.

MOUTHFEEL: A full-bodied stout with a creamy texture, little carbonation and good body lacing that dissipates slowly. The initial flavor was a pleasing moderate sweetness coupled with a light bitterness -- definitely well-balanced -- with a finish that was somewhat less sweet, still slightly bitter with just a touch of dryness that lingered for a moderate amount of time.

DRINKABILITY: I could consume this stout all night long. While there's nothing particularly moving about it, it has a good price-performance ratio and is easy to drink. I'll definitely buy it again. It's not best of breed by any means but it is a solid, dependable beer that I would be happy to have and to serve again and again.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:59:49 | More by paulginva

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes on 12/24/11:
Best by Feb. 2012; Poured in a pint glass.

A - One inch of light tan, creamy, frothy head; Very dark brown in color; Pretty good lacing left behind

S - Notes of milk chocolate, espresso, roasted coffee beans, and sweet brown sugar

T - Taste is not overpowering, but pleasant nonetheless; Much like the nose, there's milk chocolate, earthy, and brown sugar flavors; The roasty character in the taste lasts from start to finish; Hints of both sweetness and bitterness here as well

M - Some carbonation; Just above medium bodied; Creamy and smooth mouthfeel

O - I liked this milk stout quite a bit. It was certainly creamy and smooth, and had a bit of sweetness that was far from cloying. The flavor wasn't as bold or robust as some others within the style, but was still a delicious blend of chocolate and roasty character. Overall, this beer fits right in with the style and is one I intend to try again soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 15:09:44 | More by TechTriumph

HopHeadRyan

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Not quite opaque black-brown with ruby edge tones...not as dark as most stouts...from appearance I would almost call this a porter if I didn't know better...

S - Coffee, Dark Chocolate - Cocoa - Chocolate Milk, Nuttiness, Smoke, a hint of sweet sugar cookie...Its making my mouth water!

T - Delicious! All of the above aromas are present on my tongue! Tastes great!

M - On the lighter side for a stout...again closer to a porter in my opinion...

Overall - An excellent sweet/milk stout...very balanced...extremely drinkable...I would love to have on Cask or Nitro...would probably be AMAZING!

Note - Drink this at near room temperature to bring out more of those delicious roasted malt qualities!! No colder than 55!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 23:02:23 | More by HopHeadRyan

ONUMello

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Black as night with a tall tan head that slowly settles but never completely goes away.
S: Chocolate, cream, coffee, and roasted malts.
T: Rich creamy chocolate with a hint of coffee. Turns a bit bitter on the end, but very pleasant overall.
M: Medium-bodied though a bit thinner than I would like.
O: A tasty, well-made beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 05:50:10 | More by ONUMello

unclejazz

New York

3.63/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I have been a fan of Duck Rabbit for years, but this is the first time in the last decade that I got my hands on some. This is a very sessionable Stout. Very few I can think of that I might be able to drink an entire sixer of but this is one of 'em. Great brunt malt smell with just a bit of chocolate in the nose. Very smooth light body that really compliments the taste. Like many people, I too wish I could pick this up in NY. Maybe some day.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 19:40:01 | More by unclejazz

tvv375ia

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A-dark ruby red/siena with about a finger of tan head

S-starts out milk chocolate with a hint of coffee at the end

T-just about the opposite of the smell, starts with a lot of chocolate and finishes with a milk chocolate

M-good creamy texture with a somewhat sweet milk chocolate finish

O-very good beer I wish I had regular access to around Iowa

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 14:58:40 | More by tvv375ia

ToasterChef

Maine

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A chilled bottle is poured into a pint glass. The beer is colored very dark brown (nearly black) and is quite opaque. A small tan foam head rests on top. It settles to a mere skim, but swirling the glass bring it back quickly.

The aroma has notes of milk chocolate sweetness, but also a decent amount of coffee bitterness.

The flavor certainly has a good base provided by lactose sugars, but what impresses me most about this beer is the bitterness. It's not hoppy, but has a strong finish reminiscent of coffee beans, dark chocolate and earthy root extracts. Some of the sweetness does linger.

This is a full bodied beer, with average carbonation. It does leave my lips a little sticky. There is an unobtrusive coat that tastes sweet.

I like this beer. I think it has a good mix of sweet ad bitter. If you have a chance to try it (especially if you are unfamiliar with the style) I recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 00:52:22 | More by ToasterChef

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance and Nose - Very dark mahogany with a tiny bit of light getting through. Thin tan head with quick dissipation. Faint nose of toasted malt and cookies.

Taste and Mouthfeel - Flavor is pretty spot-on for a milk stout. Semi-sweet biscuit flavors along with a bit of toffee. Flavors develop a bit at mid-palate into a cola-like flavor with a soft kiss of hops. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. I prefer a creamier beer in this particular style.

I picked this one up on a recent holiday journey. I don't have access to a ton of milk stouts, but I thought this beer was quite good. I really like genuine milk stouts and this is one that is nicely-crafted and relatively easy to find. It's not on the same level as 3F Moloko, but it's a heckuvalot cheaper and a heckuvalot easier to find. If you like milk stouts, don't pass this one up.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 22:45:11 | More by deadonhisfeet

AMiz602

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

First thing you see: blackness. This beer is about as black as they get, though a little transparent. Looks more like strong coffee than some Quadruples or other stouts out there. It has very strong coffee and chocolate undertones in its scent, and as it warms up a more fruity smell comes about. Very pleasant.

Taste wise though, it is mild for a stout. It is not as smooth as one expects from being brewed with lactose, and should definitely be left out of the fridge for some time before consuming.

Overall a decent stout if you do not want to get too crazy, or just want something lite to end the night with. Not too sweet, and not too malty, but a decent beer to start off one's stout career with.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 05:29:20 | More by AMiz602

S7R4nG3

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Being a North Carolinian and a good stout-lover, I managed to stumble upon Duck-Rabbit's Milk Stout on tap in a local pub at home and was very pleasantly surprised!

A: Starting pour was a great dark cloudy coffee black/brown colors allowing little to no light to permeate through with little to no head.

S: Decent aroma with the classic coffee/chocolate flavors and some malty sweetness lingering

T: Decent tastes following along the aroma with nice chocolate/coffee bitterness with some malty sweetness to balance with nearly no hop character and a nice milky sweetness to finish.

M: A very nice thick rich coating giving a nice heaviness that wasn't overbearing with some minimal carbonation to balance nicely.

A good pub brew, as I stated previously being from NC, I tend to find this brew at just about every bar with a decent beer selection and makes a good default beer to rely on for a good night out!

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2012 05:21:11 | More by S7R4nG3