8 Wired Brewing Company Flat White Milk / Sweet Stout at 5.5% ABV (C$10.70 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 10-Feb-2016)
Appearance: opaque black with brown margins, one finger of fluffy light beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: espresso, lactose, light chocolate and roasty notes. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly to the watery, lively to moderate carbonation, medium duration building bitter and light tart finish. (3/5)
Not really what I was expecting. Yes, there’s a little lactose milky sweetness in it, but there’s also a surprising tart note – and though I’m a big fan of sours, that just doesn’t belong in this style. The body is also surprisingly light and thing, buoyed by a higher than expected carbonation. And the finish, in addition to being marred by the tart note, is less a hop or roasty malt bitterness, and more an over-extracted espresso bean one. A bit of a mess, at least as far as adherence to the style goes. And to be brutally honest, I’m liking it less as the pint progresses. Not one of their better offerings. (12/20)
6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
