The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 12 French Press Vanilla Stout

Beer # 176 French Press Vanilla Stout

Double Trouble Brewing Company

Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Stout 4.8 % ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml.
$2.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @DT_Brewing


I was very happy to find this beer the other day.  I was thoroughly impressed with their Fire in the Rye and I was eager to blog more of their beers. As well, Hops and Robbers is a perennial favourite around Pint Jockey Headquarters come BBQ season (as it should be around your BBQ). I believe the picture of the charming gent on the can is Claude (of Claude and Nathan not sure if he is the "double" or the "trouble" though). But, he does know a good beer when he makes one. I have a feeling that there are some more good things coming down the pipe from these guys in Guelph and I look forward to trying them out too.

Onto the tasting...

Pours an intense dark brown/black with a light tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is vanilla bean latte. First sip shows us it is very light bodied stout, refreshing with strong notes of vanilla. Malt comes in gently afterwards followed swiftly by rich dark roast coffee. Whereas other stouts get most of their coffee flavour from the addition of coffee beans to the mix; this beer gets it from the special malting of the barley. While the coffee aroma and flavour is very present, it acts as a supporting player to the malt sugars and the vanilla, handing over just enough bitterness to prevent the beer from being too sweet. The beer tastes and feels like an upscale coffee shop in winter to me. So much so it makes me imagine candy canes and the aromas of peppermint without them actually being in the beer. Aeration gives off a brandy, or rum note
with a little creme brulee and caramel to finish.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS
Christmas Spirit 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

This has been one of my favourite beers so far for the 2-4 Beers of Christmas. It delivers on the advertised flavour, it is well balanced, light in body but great in flavour. Do try this one out while it is still on shelves.


Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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