2X Presso Double Milk Stout

+Southern Tier Brewing 

It is getting cooler out and we are headed towards winter, so there is nothing better as it gets cooler than a nice dark beer. Tonight I am enjoying a nice Milk Stout, cannot get any darker than that. I really enjoy a nice Milk Stout because of their sweet note that may balance out any bitter notes in the Stout. I am trying a beer from Southern Tier Brewing Company. Southern Tier Brewing Company is part of Artisanal Brewing Ventures as well as Victory Brewing. The two are part of a new way of combating  the reach of Macro Breweries. Collaboration and sharing of resources to compete with the big guys. 

Southern Tier Brewing Company is located in Lakewood, New York. They were established in 2002, and by 2005 were distributing throughout New York and Pennsylvania. Southern Tier Brewing Company is focused on providing delicious, accessible, and unique products. They aim to change the way people drink beer. Southern Tier is trying to provide their customers with consistently fresh, clean, American craft ales and lagers that stand out on their own. In the logo, you should notice the brewers star, there are six crucial parts to the star. They are as followed: water, hops, grain, malt, yeast, and brewer. These are the six parts to the brewers star, Southern Tier believes on the maintaining the highest quality for all six parts will produce world class beers. 

2X Presso Double Milk Stout by Southern Tier Brewing Company

The beer I am trying tonight is Southern Tier 2X Presso. 2x Presso is a Double Milk Stout that is brewed with coffee beans and lemon peels. 2X Presso is a relative of the 2x Stout by Southern Tier and this beer has been brewed since 2014. 2X Presso has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.5%, pretty reasonable for a Double Milk Stout. The IBU or bitterness of 2x Presso is 55. 2x Presso should be served in a Nonic glass with enhances the style of this Double Milk Stout. 

Appearance of 2X Presso 

This double milk stout has a deep black appearance to it. The foam or head of this beer as it is poured is tan brown. The foam or head is quick to dissipate and leaves a thin ring of foam around the outside of the glass. Aroma of 2x Presso is right along the name. I notice right away with the coffee or espresso aroma. Then there is a sweetness aroma that is coming from the typical body of the milk stout, the combination of lactose and sucrose in the beer. There is a bitter aroma coming from the espresso or coffee aroma as well, which is like it was freshly brewed. I notice the roasted malt aroma in this double milk stout. The last aroma note I am able to notice is the subtle citrus aroma. 

I am eager to see the outcome of the taste of this beer based off of the aroma. I notice the coffee taste right away, that is followed by a chocolate sweetness. As part of the coffee taste I notice a nice roasted note as well from the espresso that is then followed by bitter black coffee taste. The chocolate follows the bitter taste very well and is paired up with a hint of cream. The hint of cream and chocolate notes pair well together, like it was being added to an actual espresso. The last taste note that I pick up on that follows the aroma is the subtle citrus note, the lemon peels added to the beer are an interesting turn. The beer follows the path of someone trying to make the perfect espresso for themselves and adding all these notes to complete the espresso. Another thing I noticed about this beer right away was the thickness from the beginning, but the more and more I sipped on it. The more I notice the medium body behind the stout.  

2X Presso Early Winter Seasonal by Southern Tier

Overall, I thought this was a good beer that showed of the espresso and the Milk Stout. There is a noticeable effort to show how one might go about making their own perfect espresso, by adding a lemon peel and chocolate. Then the smoothness and sweetness of this 2X Presso is enjoyable. The more I drank of 2X Presso the more I enjoyed a warmness from the beer. That is what I look forward to when enjoying a stout during the winter. 

Check out Southern Tier Brewing Company on their Website and their Social Media: 

http://www.stbcbeer.com/

Tweet @STBCbeer

https://www.facebook.com/SouthernTierBrewingCompany

https://www.instagram.com/stbcbeer/?hl=en

 Google Plus +Southern Tier Brewing 

 

Milk Stout

Mikkeller Milk Stout

Tonight's post is on another stout, since today marks the official last day of summer. Headed into the fall and winter seasons, which means here come the stouts. I am super ready for this season. It brings with us the start of Octoberfest and Pumpkin brews. I am trying a brew from a brewery I have not sampled a beer from before. Now if you recall a post on Sour Bikini from Evil Twin Brewing. The beer I am having tonight is from the other twin and his brewery called Mikkeller. Mikkeller started homebrewing and then transition to gypsy brewing. According to a Bloomberg post, "so-called gypsy brewers-- globe trotting artisans who used friends' brewing facilities-- scaled up production to satisfy demand." Mikkeller Brewery started in 2006 and since they started the have over 700 unique beer recipes that have been released under the Mikkeller brand with distribution in more than 40 countries worldwide. 

The beer I am trying tonight is Mikkeller Milk Stout that was brewed at De Proefbrouwerij in Belgium. If you look at the label it says product of Belgium. The Milk Stout has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6%.

The aroma of the stout is very sweet. I notice right away the sweetness of the lactose from the milk. Then you are swirled with a roasted aroma that could be a combination of things. I notice the roasted malt and grain aroma. Then there is a roasted black coffee aroma that is not overpowering but is noticeable. Lastly, there is a sweet/bitter chocolate note in the aroma. Almost like you added chocolate milk to your coffee in an attempt to sweeten it up. As far as Milk Stout aroma, I am really eager to gulp this beer down after it's aroma. The appearance is black like black coffee. There is a chocolate or tan foam around the top of the glass. The foam or head has a thin layer at the top of the glass and there is lacing around the outside of the glass. 

Appearance of Milk Stout

Let's see where the aroma and taste take us. I took my first sip and I thought about waking up. The aroma follows the taste. The first thing I notice taste wise was the roasted coffee. Followed by a bitterness from the coffee being black and no sweetener added. There is a subtle sweetness to the Milk Stout, but not enough to curb the bitterness. You pick up on the roasted note right away and the roasted malt and grains are on the palate instantly. There is a faint chocolate note as you finish your sip for a subtle sweetness as your sip ends. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. I would say the body of this stout is medium. The more and more I drink I begin to notice a lactose sweet note as a linger taste, almost like a malted milk. 

Mikkeller Milk Stout

Overall I think this was a good brew. It gave you the roasted notes you look for in a stout with a subtle sweetness that is not too sweet. I think some drinkers think that milk stouts can be too sweet, but the additions of coffee and the roasted malt and grains into the brew, give this beer a change of pace. I think that if you like your coffee black with no sweeteners than this is a stout you can enjoy. The bitterness in the beer paired with the roasted notes, tone down the bitterness to an acceptable range in my opinion. The lingering taste at the end of the beer almost reminds me of a beer that is a liquid version of Milk Duds. 

Check out Mikkeller Brewery on their website and their social media: 

http://mikkeller.dk/

Tweet @MikkellerBeer

https://www.facebook.com/mikkeller

https://www.instagram.com/mikkellerbeer/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbf70J92cDJ8pal2iWjygvw

Espresso Stout

Recently, I visited The Loft at Iron Abbey; where if you are a beer fan you must visit. The Loft has a great selection and even has a cellared beer room. I walked into this room and was instantly in awe. I noticed around the top shelves in the room there were labels for the styles underneath like; Earthy and Dry. I focused on the dark beer selection. There is something for everyone in this room. Even outside the cellar you can create your own six pack with unique beers. I brought home a lot of different beers and some beers I have never even thought about.

Beer Cellar at Iron Abbey

Tonight's post is on one of the beers I brought home and cannot wait to try, hence the post. I am trying a Japanese beer tonight. I have seen brews from around the world, but the hard part is maybe not in the style I am looking for, until now. I found something that is right up my alley and something I am eager to learn about. I am trying a beer from Kiuchi Brewery. The beer is part of the Hitachino Nest beer, called Espresso Stout. Espresso Stout is a Japanese Dark Ale brewed with coffee beans. The Dark Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7% and an IBU or bitterness of 36. Hitachino Nest Beer Espresso Stout won a bronze at the 2015 Australian International Beer Awards. This Japanese Dark Ale style is a Russian Imperial Stout.

Hitachino Nest Beer

I thought that it would be interesting to know more about the Kiuchi Brewery. So time to learn about the Kiuchi Brewery and the Hitachino Nest Beers. The Kiuchi Brewery has been brewing for over 193 years. The brewery was established in 1823 by Kiuchi Gihei. The family was collecting rice from farmers as land taxes for the Mito Tokugawa family. He began the brewery with the idea of using the remaining rice stocks in the warehouse. At this time there was a political movement to reform the Tokugawa regime. Fujita Toko, an activist, advocated to build a new organizational government with reverence of the emperor and this thought led to the Meiji Restoration. The Meiji Restoration shifted the power of the government to the emperor and allowed Japan to shift toward modernization. First, the brewery primarily focused on Sake. In the 1950, Mikio Kiuchi inherited the brewery and took over during a period of prosperity. Sake had become popular during World War II and post World War II the demand kept on growing. Kiuchi Brewery focused on their craftsmanship and producing a quality product compared to their competitors. In 1996, after 173 years of producing Sake, the Kiuchi Brewery started the Hitachino Beer. The beer business would be known as Hitachino Nest Beer. Long road towards brewing beer, but with all the history behind brewing Sake and taking that towards beer can only help. Hitachino name is derived from the province in ancient Japan, which covers the area around the brewery. The area is famous for fertile soil that is perfect for brewing.

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Let's dive on in to exploring the Espresso Stout. The stout has an black appearance with no light getting through. There is a brown or tan foam around the top of the glass. It is a small thin ring around the outside the glass. The foam gets thinner as you get towards the center of the glass, until there is none in the middle. The aroma is invigorating. I took a whiff to see what aroma I could pick up and it was delicious. I picked up on the roasted aroma right away. That was followed by a dark chocolate and an espresso notes. The dark chocolate pairs with the espresso aroma that builds towards a bitter finish aroma, like a black coffee. There is a minor fruit aroma that is noticeable, but I cannot put my mind on it. Overall the major note's for the aroma is bitter, roasty, and espresso. There is a slightly noticeable lacing around the edge of the glass.

Appearance to Espresso Stout

I cannot wait to try this Espresso Stout after the aroma and I am curious to see if the taste follows the aroma. I took my first sip and was hit was a subtle sweetness. The sweetness is followed by the espresso and bitter notes that you would expect from an espresso. The espresso comes rushing in like a double shot espresso. After the coffee/espresso note there is a bitter note that plays on the tongue, almost like a black coffee. I think the interesting note from the taste is the finishing taste note. I believe it to finish with a roasted malt note that ends with a lingering bitter note. The lingering bitter note is the taste left on your tongue after your sip. First you get hit with a subtle sweetness, which is followed by espresso and bitter. The last notes you get hit with are the roasted notes and a linger bitterness. The body of Espresso Stout is a starts with smooth medium body and finishes with a dry fullness.

Beer and Bottle of Espresso Stout

If you are a coffee fan, this brew should be right up your alley. If you like stouts again this brew should be right up you alley. Russian Imperial Stouts are tough for some to enjoy, but this Imperial Stout is delightful and brings out delicious flavors. The roast and bitterness notes are enjoyable. The espresso notes in this beer are noticeable and something to look forward too. I really enjoyed this brew because of the roasted bitter notes and the noticeable espresso flavor in the beer. It was not overly bitter like an IPA, but it gave you the bitter coffee taste. I thought this was an interesting brew for being my first Japanese beer. I think the passion and the years of experience come through in the beer. This brew was meticulously thought out and the proof is in the execution of the beer.


Check out the Kiuchi Brewery and Hitachino Beers:

http://www.kodawari.cc/?en_home.html

https://hitachino.cc/

https://www.instagram.com/hitachinonestbeer/

https://www.facebook.com/KiuchiBreweryEN/

Tweet @HitachinoHK