I really dislike Milk Stouts, and typically regret convincing myself that the next one will be better. Moohoo, Left Hand, Duck Rabbit...just don't do it for me. However, recently I've come across a few I not only could palate, but actually really enjoyed. They are: Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Cigar City Moat Water Williamsburg AleWerks Cafe Royale
Milk stouts, along with Cream Stouts and Oatmeal stouts and normal (not Barrel aged or Imperial) stouts are my kind of stouts. I like drinking beers that I don't have to struggle with.
Love both milk and sweet stouts...Moloko is so far my favorite milk stout, and Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate my favorite sweet stout.
does adding lactic acid or acidulated malt to a stout make it a milk stout? those are the only thoughts that come to mind. I like this style but don't know all the ins and outs of it or had a handful of this style.
Yup, this one is excellent. Also, the Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Milk Stout is absolutely fantastic; the Sam Smith's is possibly my favorite.
There's no lactose in Sam Adams Cream Stout, according to emails from the brewery. Bell's website says "...Completely dairy-free..." for Special Double Cream Stout.
not a fan of most milk stouts as the lactose tends to add a funky sweetness I don't care for, Duck Rabbits Milk Stout and Terrapin MooHoo being prime examples. love the Alewerks Cafe Royale and Hardywood Gingerbread though
There's a new brewery in TX that has been blowing it up with their The Temptress Imperial Milk Stout. Tasty, tasty beer. They add vanilla to it as well. I've got plenty for trading in case anyone was interested.
Good call indeed. I have also liked the Dieu Aphrodite as well. But good call on Cowbell. The Cowbell on nitro is a real treat as is the Aphrodite on nitro. I have had both at Capones and enjoyed them as after meal beers.
Left Hand's Milk Stout, like has been mentioned a million times, is great. From the bottle, I actually prefer the original version to the nitro. On tap, I will take it via nitro. Odell's Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout and Ska's Steel Toe Milk Stout are two other nice Colorado milk stouts.
If you like this style, Cigar City is tough to beat. Moat Water was particularly good if you like the style.
I wish to thank all the contributors to this thread for helping me fill out my wants/wish list of stouts. Can't wait to get started.
I'm a big fan of Southern Tier 2X, Keegan Ales Mother's Milk and Left Hand for sure. If I had to pick on, I'd probably choose Mother's Milk.
Been a fan of it for that bit of sweet smoothness in there. Left hand was a very nice drinkable one. Pipeworks End of Days is excellent. Read my review for more notes. Revolution Mad Cow and it's various representations of state for it have been solid, worth spending some time with to figure out. Get a homebrew of the brewers best milkstout (1.068 og) a week into fermentation using a wyeast 1084. Be checking it for an sg soon enough to see what it's getting into.
That Odell Chocolate Milk Stout sounds good, but I'm not typically a fan of the style. I think they lack the depth and robustness I expect from a good stout
Echoing everyone else on Left Hand. I prefer the Nitro personally, but it all really depends on your carbonation desire. Revolution's Mad Cow is an easy to drink and very tasty milk stout. I don't think that New Holland's Dragons Milk is considered a milk stout. The NH site lists it as using beet sugar, not lactose. They list the style as "stout aged in oak barrels" for whatever that's worth.
Duck Rabbit is good. It is the first milk stout I've ever had. Though it wasn't nearly as sweet as I was expecting. Samuel Smiths Oatmeal was waaaay sweeter, in my opinion.
Bah, forgot to mention Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate stout, which is classified as a milk stout here. I don't like the flavor quite as much as Left Hand, but it smells of delicious chocolate cake. Best smelling beer I've ever enjoyed. I also tried Neapolitan Milk Stout by Saugatuck, and I found that to be quite good as well.
I forgot about the Southern Tier 2x. Got hold of that this week and love it. Dragon is sweeter but the milk stout definitely has a different flavour.
I suspect left hand nitro is the american benchmark. Keegan's ale's mother's milk is also quite nice.
You guys need to try The Temptress Milk Stout from Lakewood Brewing in TX. BM me if anyone wants any, it's really really good. Really.
Dark Horse Too Cream wasnt bad either, but the three you mentioned are the cream. I dont mind a sweeter, thicker mouthfeel stout (which is Zhukov to a T).
I think that Milk stouts are super approachable and great for giving to friends who are new to stouts. Myself? I still enjoy them from time to time, but not half as often as big Imp or BA Imp stouts
