The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2019 Day: 18 Peanut Butter Shake Stout

Beer # 518 Peanut Butter Shake Stout


Brewery: Whitewater Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2015

Location: Forrester's Falls, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Milk Stout

ABV: 4.5%      IBU: 30

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.75 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

whitewaterbrewingco

    @Whitewaterbrew

Another beer by Whitewater makes the list this year. This sweet milk stout is loaded with peanut butter extract and a hit of lactose to emulate a chocolaty peanut butter milkshake. Let's see how they did.

Onto our beer...

Pours a dark brown almost black with a tan head made up of small bubbles. The aroma is Frangelico or toasted hazelnuts, with some roasted peanuts in the background. The first sip is all peanut butter cookie. Peanut extract is used in this beer and it is quite evident, as the peanut taste is syrupy, sweet and almost chemical. Wheat and oat malts give the beer it's cookie flavour while some lactose adds in a creamy "milkshake" feel. Aeration ramps up the peanut extract and reminds me of Halloween candy kisses (Molasses caramels) that everyone leaves right till the end because you are afraid they are going to rip your teeth out.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

It needed a bit more creaminess, and I wish there was a way they could have accomplished the flavour without extracts, but this beer is good. Takes a bit of a hit on the re-order scale because of the extract, but I certainly wouldn't turn this beer down if it was free. How do you feel about extracts? Are they cheating? or are you fine with them? I just don't appreciate the chemical taste. Try one and see for yourself.


Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 11: PB & C Stout Muskoka Brewery

Beer # 309 PB & C Stout 

Moonlight Kettle Series

Brewery: Muskoka Brewery

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1996

Location: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured American Stout

ABV: 5.5%      IBU: 31

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 330 ml

Cost: $3.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery Bottle Shop

Twitter: @MuskokaBrewery

Up to Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge again for their newest Moonlight Kettle release, I believe it just came out on Thursday. Moonlight Kettle is Muskoka Brewery's Experimental/Fun line and they have done some interesting things with it. When I heard their winter version was going to be a Peanut Butter Stout, I said to myself... Self, That would make a good addition to the #2-4 beers of Christmas. So I ran out and got some. I will not lie... peanut butter in this house is the fifth food group; peanut butter cookies are of the most threatened variety and should approach Pint Jockey Headquarters with extreme caution. I once came home from work, made peanut butter cookies, and banana ice cream; I then made cookie sandwiches until I regretted life. So needless to say, with peanut butter stout... you have my attention.

Onto our beer...

Pours an inky dark brown with a deep tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is dark chocolate and coffee with a hint of nuttiness. First sip is rich bitter chocolate with strong notes of dark roasted coffee. Mouthfeel is light and clean. Peanut butter builds over the attack leaving a long lingering taste of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Slightly sticky on the lips, especially the taste of peanut butter (although it doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth). As it warms, fresh roasted peanut comes to the forefront.Aeration gives us cocoa, bitter chocolate and candy.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

Worth it. Very enjoyable stout. The bitter chocolate and roasty coffee meld beautifully with the subtle hints of peanut butter. At times I would forget I was drinking a beer because of the lingering flavour of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The food suggestion on the tag is for spicy Thai food. I could easily see that, as it would pair nicely with spicy sesame and peanut sauces. I might even think that making a spicy peanut sauce with the beer would be an even better way to double down on the flavour. Is it Christmasy? Well yes. It tastes like candy... candy is good for Christmas. But, I keep thinking this would have been even better for Halloween. It sure would taste great with some mini candy bars pilfered from some sleeping child's Halloween bag... (not that I would know anything about that...)

Cheers

CJT

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