On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, lovely white chocolate ensemble gains milk-sugared coffee tones before cocoa-powdered macadamia nuttiness comes aboard. Yellow-caked vanilla creaming sweetens ancillary marshmallow, toasted coconut, almondine and powdered sugar pastry illusions. Only its meandering phenol hop astringency seems outta place.
Mellowly understated like Innis & Gunn’s mild barrel-aged fare. Nearly barren bourbon-aged cocoa nibs entry receives sweet vanilla, caramel, toffee and almond sedation whisked away by dry Scotch wisp.
“Colossal” baklava-styled Imperial Golden Stout (9% ABV) re-creates sweet dessert pastry (glazed with syrupy nuttiness). Creamily cookie dough-malted richness anchors honey, lemon peel, coconut, vanilla bean and pistachio adjuncts. Lemon-caked tartness sweetened by fig-date-raisin conflux beneath caramelized bourbon chocolate serenade. As for the varied adjuncts, its pistachio influence may be nil, but the brisk lemon-peeled souring, lightly acidic coconut milking and slightly bitter vanilla bean piquancy delight its crème brulee mocha finish.
Heady golden stout loads cascara, coffee and cacao nibs adjuncts over pale malt base. Bittersweet husk-dried coffee cherry tartness (cascara) confronted by slightly harsh ethanol burn (of 11.1% ABV). Espresso coffee finish lets chocolate-spiced vanilla sweetness gain mild influence.
