Humble Forager Voyager's Getaway Imperial Pastry Porter

Humble Forager Voyager's Getaway Imperial Pastry Porter. Marshmallow, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, coconut. 

12 % ABV. Humble Forager Brewing Company, Waunakee, WI. 

This beer has several strikes against from the start. First, it is called a "pastry porter", and second, it contains marshmallows. But, it's from Forager, or, more precisely, Humble Forager, and I decided to forgive it and give it a go. Here we go. 

Splendidly dark, fully opaque, slim to no head at all. 

In the nose: Sweetness in abundance. Nibs are in play, coconut is coming loose, there's a stroke of vanilla, and is that sweet, sticky marshmallow up in there? By golly, it is. 

In the malt: Gooey sweets start it off, richness in extremus. No hops to speak of, and the adjuncts have overcome any of the malt flavors that you should normally pick up in a porter, imperial or otherwise. But, pastry, however, that's another thing. The book's thrown out. Cocoa and coconut are king here, and balance is long gone and deserted. Then marshmallow mucks it all up. If you're looking for indulgence without purpose, here it is. 

And the alcohol starts it's assault. Body feels full at first, but is not hefty enough to support the indulgent flavorings and the huge alcohol. 

If you can read between the lines, you might find the attributes of an extreme beer that you're looking for. I'm certainly not telling one and all to stray far from this creation, but the word is out that it is certainly not for me. 

A well-built structure of specialty malts floats atop a bed of flavors reminiscent of vanilla cream-filled chocolate cake, covered with marshmallows and coconut. Coconut from Indonesia, vanilla from Papua New Guinea, and cocoa nibs from Uganda will ripple across your palate from this imperial pastry porter.

Well, here's the problem with this. The "well-built structure of specialty malts" does not float atop the bed of flavors, it is swallowed up by them. The malts should be the "bed", the flavors should float atop of them. Everyone should know this. 

Lupulin Lateralus-Cacao & Marshmallow

 Last night, I published a post where I promised to cease complaints about the trends that bug me in beer, and concentrate on the good. After that, I had a marshmallow beer. Way to stay on message. (In my defense, I had already purchased the offending beverage, should I throw it out, or --gasp--not review it?)

Lupulin Lateralus-Cacao & Marshmallow Imperial Stout. 

11 % ABV. Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN. 

There were two variant versions released, coconut & marshmallow. Why did I choose this one to write about? Because the coconut version sold out faster (and this one is still on the shelves), and the marshmallow was sold as singles, and I didn't have to buy a 4-pack. So, here I go, drinking a marshmallow imperial stout, because...

Total blackness, thoroughly opaque, lush cocoa-tinged head, looked ridiculously amazing. 

In the nose: Sweetness. Chocolatey...and...can you smell marshmallow? 

In the mouth: Big sweetness hits the palate first, overwhelming, massive malt flavors. Vanilla, cocoa, and ...marshmallow lead the charge of flavors, and that might be about it. Marshmallow is not a flavor I look for in an imperial stout. I wish I could find more flavors, but it's all marshmallow. That might be good for you, but...eh. 

Far too sweet. Lacking in balancing bitterness. Too much marshmallow. Bleh. I can't enjoy this. Blech.

Expand your mind with Lateralus - Cacao & Marshmallow, the latest release in our Imperial Stout series. Waves of silky sweet chocolate and double fold vanilla flow across fluffy mountains of soft pillowy marshmallows... Embrace the madness and float away to your happy place... 

I will NOT embrace the madness! No! No, to marshmallow beers! No, no, no!!!

(To think that I spend $5 on this can for the privilege of punishing myself.)

Junkyard Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout

 Junkyard Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout. 

12 % ABV.

Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN. 

Just cracked it open at poured it out and I'm feeling like this may be pushing it. Peanut Butter is screaming out, but there's a lot here...I'll read the label later. 

Complete and utter blackness, rich, roasted brown head, terminal ebony. 

In the nose: Nothing but malt, dark chocolate, deep peanut butter, thoroughly rich, absolutely sweet. Getting the graham cracker, detecting some marshmallow...

In the mouth: Dark, deep, delicious, in all it's "s'mores-y" goodness, (yes, I peeked ahead)...chocolate and peanut butter at play on the palate, with, yes, marshamallows and graham crackers, because, that's the new thing, the s'moresier the better. Maybe. Your mileage, etc. I'm of the "maybe it's too much?" camp. It is very thick and super-rich, and ...who adds peanut butter to their s'mores? It might just be overkill. 

And 12%, to boot? Boom, boom, boom, boom. Wow. 

At $15 a crowler, I can't pay that much and not use it for a blogpost, but I also feel that this should be shared with friends. It really shouldn't be enjoyed all by my lonesome, but that's the only way I do these. 

There is great richness, deep maltiness, and a crazy array of flavors. 

Imperial Stout with Cocoa nibs, graham crackers, marshmallows, vanilla beans, peanut butter, and natural and artificial flavors.