All About Beer Magazine

Beer Talk

Lancaster Milk Stout

Published January 2003, Volume 23, Number 6

• Stephen Beaumont

  I’ve not much experience with milk stouts–in this day and age, who does?–so I’m unsure of what to expect. It pours black as night with a sweet, lightly sugary nose holding notes of licorice candy. The flavor begins sweet and stays that way, with the licorice hanging around alongside some roastiness, toasted brown sugar, round fruitiness and a suggestion of charcoal. I’d be happy with this alongside a semi-soft cheese like havarti, but I keep looking for more body.

• Charlie Papazian

  Real roasted stout aroma, but lacking of any head formation; nevertheless, the aroma is delectable. Beautiful balance of roast malt smokiness, caramel malt sweetness and hop flavor. A bit more hop flavor than the milk stout tradition is known for, in my opinion. Still, I prefer this full bodied essay on a not-so-sweet milk stout. Nice stuff! When in the mood for stout, I’d pay money for it.

• Roger Protz

  This brings back memories of Mackeson Milk Stout before my tastebuds were ready for Guinnrdd. True to style, this interpretation uses lactose non-fermentable sugar for a touch of sweetness and a silky note on the aroma and palate. The nose offers a complex blend of roasted malt and a strong hint of licorice. Sweetness in the mouth is balanced by hops and roast, while the finish is dry with a good bitterness from both hops and malt.