Hubbard's Cave Vanilla Coffee & Cakes Stout

Hubbard's Cave Vanilla Coffee & Cakes Stout. Imperial Stout with coffee, maple syrup and vanilla.

12 % ABV. Hubbard's Cave, a subsidiary of Une Anee' Brewery, Niles, IL. 

According to Untappd, this is a "Stout- Imperial / Double Pastry" It has coffee and maple syrup and vanilla, all ingredients we find in our pastries. I won't get started, I promise. I've made my feelings none previously. 

This, I must be upfront about, is not the sort of thing I'd spend my money on. I didn't have to, so it came into my possession, and because of that, I must review it. Of course, I didn't have to take it home, but then, that wouldn't be being me, would it, now? 

Ebon-hued, complete opacity, thick, lasting deep brown head. Impressive looking. 

In the nose: Coffee hits first, then vanilla rises up, followed by cocoa. No sign of maple, yet. Wait, here it is. Not too shabby. 

In the mouth: Here vanilla is king, sweetness boldly taking charge. It's all malt, no hops. And it only gets sweeter. Maple syrup charges in. Coffee lays low. Alcoholic strength starts big and stays big. I could handle this better at less than 12%, even less than 10. Right now, it's a bit much. 

Assessment: it's massive, rich and sweet, with a killer punch. Definitely a sipper, you're sitting in for the long haul, unless you've got a death wish. Coffee component remains minor compared to the other adjuncts. Tasty stuff, if a bit too outsized. So, I didn't hate it, so sue me. 

Imperial Stout with SPUTNIK Coffee and Maple Syrup finished on vanilla beans

Wild Mind Black Is Beautiful Imperial Stout

Wild Mind Black Is Beautiful Imperial Stout. with Coffee, Maple, Cinnamon & Sea Salt.

9.5 % ABV. 60  IBU. Wild Mind Ales, Minneapolis, MN. 

Utter and absolute blackness, throughly opaque, rich brown head, lasting long. Love this look. 

In the nose: Holy Ravioli! Powerful aromatics pouring out of this one. The maple, thick as sap, the coffee, cinnamon and cocoa...whoa. 

In the mouth: All those flavors convene on the palate, none jostling or jousting for position, all in a lovely line. Not quite thick or viscous, but round, smooth, cool, calm and collected. Nothing sticks out over others. Maple isn't too much, nor cinnamon. A beautifully balanced beer, with only the large alcohol content threatening to crash this quiet convocation. This one is also never too sweet, despite the opportunity for it, though it gets close. Cinnamon rises up to take a bow, but sticks it out to close the scene. 

I was going to begin an embargo on maple beers in my regular diet, much as I've been steadfast in eschewing the use of marshmallow, and then I realized that this one was up next. But, it's not overboard. This broad display of flavors actually works. And I like it. Altogether enjoyable. 

Black is Beautiful is an Imperial stout brewed with maple, cinnamon, coffee from Up Coffee Roasters, and finished with a touch of sea salt for a more intense flavor profile.

Lift Bridge Barrel Dessert Series Short Stack

Lift Bridge Barrel Dessert Series Short Stack.
8 % ABV. 30 IBU.
Lift Bridge Brewing, Stillwater, MN

This one's the final of a sample pack given to me by a brewery rep. It's been waiting too long.

Dark brown color, throughly opaque, no head at all.

In the nose: Overwhelming maple syrup notes, sweet and cloying, barrel effects on the side.

In the mouth: Drenches the palate with maple syrup and bourbon. An interesting mix, but not exactly successful. The "sweet dessert stout" underneath the barrel, the maple, and--is this right, the pancakes?--does not hold it's own against the other flavors. Just a bit too thin to withstand the sweetness and the booze. Can't say that I'm enjoying this one at all.

I will finish this. It's what I do. But I can't recommend it.

Short Stack is a blend of a sweet dessert stout with a bourbon barrel aged stout, accentuated by natural Maple Syrup and Pancake flavor additions.

Indeed Sarah Jane's Maple Sticks

Indeed Sarah Jane's Maple Sticks.
Dessert-style stout brewed with vanilla,
maple & almond flavors,
cinnamon & lactose.
10 % ABV. 50 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Fully ebony appearance, complete opacity, large, rich, cocoa brown head, lasting long and leaving lace.

In the nose: Pow! Sweetness is pouring out of this one, big, fat maple oozing out. Molasses. Slick and syrupy. Decadence.

In the mouth: Powerful rich and luxurious sweetness rolls out onto the palate.
Hop bitterness is swallowed up by sweet, luscious malty goodness, deep and delicious. Vanilla's popping up now, but no trace of cinnamon yet, ...no, wait, here it comes.
Full-bodied, long malty finish. Never-ending flavors.

Big, chocolate malt body, finished off with sweet flavoring, maple on top, cinnamon, vanilla & more rushing in from the sides.  A masterful creation. Perfect little nightcap.

A Northeast Minneapolis staple for the sweet tooth set, now with 100% more beer! We collaborated with a Northeast Minneapolis neighbor—Sarah Jane’s Bakery— to capture the essence of their classic Maple Stick in pastry stout form. A staff favorite!

I've stated in several previous posts my distaste for the "pasty stout" designation. One Indeed representative told me about this one, and I insisted we forego any talk of pastry stouts. I notice on the label it's called Dessert-style, but once I downed a can, I can only think that if anything is a pastry stout, it's this. I've never been to Sarah Jane's or had their Maple Sticks, but I'm certainly down to try one now. See if they're as good as this.

Surly 13 Maple Barrel-aged Imperial Stout

It's been a couple of years since a Surly anniversary beer has appeared here in the Nib. And that's not the way it's supposed to work. Whatever happened to Twelve? Suffice to say that the official word from Surly was that it just didn't come out right. Wasn't good enough. So, it wasn't released and there officially was no Twelve. However, this decision came after the beer was bottled and wax-dipped.  Some exist out there, somewhere, and I hope I can try one of those, just to find out how bad it really could be.

Well, that was last year. And this year it's the thirteenth anniversary, and for the first time ever it's not a bomber, but a can, in a box, for thirteen bucks. Huh. Better be good. Also, it's the first package where I really notice the absence of the classic original Surly logo, being replaced by the simple letter S. It's probably been gone from the last few cans I've reviewed, but it's never been more apparent than now, as the original is being replaced on every platform they've got. It won't disappear from here, as I have plenty of representations on my glassware and coasters to last us for years and years. I will miss that silly little icon. This world will not see it's like again.

Let's crack that thirteen dollar can open, shall we?

Surly Thirteen. 12.5 % ABV. Surly Brewing, Minneapolis/Brooklyn Center, MN.

Black as night, slim, soon-gone dark ring of foam briefly clings to the top.

In the nose: Ridiculously rich and redolent, dark, deep and decadent. All the usual suspects combine: espresso, chocolate, anise, whiskey barrel, vanilla and cherry, and quite a potent dose of maple.

In the mouth: They it is again, all the more rich, thick, lush and delicious. Caramel and toffee and maple galore. Diving into the dark depths, sip and swallow, again and again. Massive malt. Moderate/low bitterness. Not too sweet. Full bodied, richly rewarding. Very luxurious and effortlessly likable. Again, if only it weren't a pint-sized can at $13 each, or I'd go out and hunt for more, but, alas, that should do it for me. Don't let it stop you, though.

MAPLE BARREL-AGED IMPERIAL MILK STOUT W/VANILLA BEANS & LACTOSE
COLOR
Black as a moonless night

HOPS Warrior
MALT
2-Row Pale
Chocolate Malt
DRC Malt
Crystal
Coffee Malt
Oats
Black Malt
Honey Malt
Carafa III
Flaked Rye
Flaked Oats

YEAST English Ale
IBU Low

BREWED FOR MAKING YOUR OWN LUCK
As black cats skitter, ladders loom, and mirrors break, a reminder: You make your own luck. Surly makes your beer. Presenting 13, our maple barrel-aged imperial stout. Notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and aromatic vanilla sit atop the rich maple flavors coursing beneath. This decadent ale appears on Friday the 13th for a limited time only. Good luck.

Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout

Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. 11.3 % ABV, 40 IBU.
Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids, MI.

This has been an elusive one for me. For many years, it was only released as a bomber, limited editions, selling out immediately. I never saw one for sale. Now, I walk into a store and there's a 4-pack on the shelf. $22 for 4, so it had better be worth it. Right?

According to Untappd, I've had it twice before, a few years ago, when Bryant-Lake Bowl had it on tap. I don't order enough Founders kegs to qualify to receive a specialty like this one, and these days?

Anyway, let's drink the beer:

Rich ebony coloring, fully impenetrable, under a slim brown head. Looking great, in every way.

In the nose: Molasses, licorice leather. Smoke. Dark rum. Treacle. Dark chocolate, espresso, caramel and coffee. And maple syrup, of course. Damnably decadent. Utterly lovable. Oh, my. Ridiculously delightful.

In the mouth: Sweet, dense, delectable, powerful. Thick and delicious. All kinds of depth and decadence. Big 'n' bourbon-y. Tickles the tongue, pleases the palate. Indulgent all the way. Dark fruit, vanilla, cherries, chocolate, oak, sweetness and dryness together at once.

Canadian Breakfast Stout is an Imperial Stout brewed with a blend of coffees and imported chocolates, then aged in spent bourbon barrels that have most recently been aging pure Michigan maple syrup. 

CBS was born when we stumbled upon some bourbon barrels that had previously housed maple syrup. We opted to put the same base beer as KBS, an imperialized version of Breakfast Stout, in the maple barrels and, after one taste, we knew we had something special. Rich maple syrup, roasted coffee and velvety chocolate meld together in what can only be described as a transcendental drinking experience.

Seattle Oaked Maple Hard Cider

What's with the bent can, somebody's probably asking.
Surely you didn't receive it in such a fashion?
Of course not. Lesson learned: If your bag has a little
hole in it, and you fill it with beers, you might have a
big hole, and that, my friends, is a problem.

Seattle Cider Co. Oaked Maple Hard Cider. 6.9 % Alc./Vol. Made with Washington Apples. "Not Your Standard Cider."

Clear, yellow, slim head.

In the nose: Apple-y, oak-y, touch of sweetness. Hint of maple.

In the mouth: Sweetness from the start, big ol maple flavor. Slightly sugary. Just a little oaky.
There's a little apple underneath, holding it down, but the flavor's mostly maple. Light bodied, easy drinking. Good cider and you can drinking...if you can handle all the maple.

Fermented with raisins and oak chips, this semi-dry cider is back-sweetened with pure Vermont maple syrup. Offering notes of vanilla and oak with a hint of maple, this unique cider is the perfect accompaniment to chilly winter weather. Best served chilled (50-55 degrees).

F-Town Imperial Maple Stout

F-Town Imperial Maple Stout. 10.2% ABV. 73 IBU.

Deep black, with a slim brown ring above.

In the nose: chocolate and caramel. Massive malt. Molasses. Maple starts to show. Moderate sweetness. Pretty nice.

In the mouth: the big, the deep, the rich and the malt. Huge and thick. Chocolate and molasses, but not getting much maple. Some roast, a little bit of bitterness. And increasing alcohol heat. Not that I mind it.

"The local sugar maple harvest is the star of this seasonal beer. Blended with notes of chocolate to create a smooth finish, this rich imperial stout takes the taste of maple beyond the harvest."

Blended with notes of chocolate? How do you "blend with notes of chocolate"? It doesn't really take the taste of maple anywhere....oh, wait, there it is, I caught it, but for a moment....okay, it's in there, somewhere. But lightly, delicately. Not a bad imperial stout, just not what was promised.

Summit Unchained #16: Herkulean Woods

Summit Unchained #16: Herkulean Woods. Lager brewed with Maple Syrup and Spruce Tips. Proudly brewed in St. Paul, Minnesota. Christian Dixon, Brewer. 8.2% Alc./Vol. 77 IBU.

Clear and copper-colored, with slim, off-white head, leaving lace, looking nice.

Aroma: hops make a bright, bittersweet appearance, but are swiftly subsumed by the maple syrup and the caramel malt. Spruce tips are hinted at, just behind. A delightful blend in the nose.

Taste: In the mouth and on the tongue, it's a tempting treat that starts highly hoppy and find itself a mixed bag of malt and woodsy trimmings. Higher than normal alcohol content starts to make it's presence known, but is kept at bay by the delicious blend of malts and hops. I'm going to take a short break to read about the recipe…."Profile: Malty, caramel backbone with a pine, resin, and citrus hop flavor and aroma….malts: Harrington, Lacey, Caramel….hops: Herkules (hence the Herkulean, then woods for the maple syrup and spruce), Northern Brewer, Experimental 05256" Anything else? "Inspired by the natural beauty and ingredients of the upper Midwest" You don't say. Well, that's different. Don'tcha know.

This is a terrific brew for the kind of season we're stumbling into, and a great choice for those who are tired of pumpkin as the compulsory choice of fall flavors. Nice dessert beer, good for 'round the fire. It's also a great representative of what makes for a good entry in the Unchained Series and why this program continues to be successful. Keep making the offbeat beers, Summit, keep stretching and inventing, and you'll always a place in my beer-y heart.

Hinterland Maple Bock

Hinterland Maple Bock. Beer brewed with maple syrup. One pint. Brewed and bottled by Green Bay Brewing Company, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Dark auburn hue, slim tan head.

Aroma: sweet and malty, earthy, nutty….maple-y.

Taste: all that from the nose climbs on board the palate. Mild and subtle, smoothy and easily consumable. Medium-bodied. Sweet, maple-y finish. Hops are muted, malt is king. Absolutely approachable and fairly pleasing to the tongue.

I don't mind this one, but it's clearly outside my bag. Not in my wheelhouse, as some are fond of saying (I'm not.). No ABV given, but I'd put it around 5.5%, maybe. This has to have it's fans out there, but as for me, I think one is good enough.

Thanks, though, to Mike from Hinterland for the sample.

Third Street Brewhouse Sugar Shack Maple Stout

Third Street Brewhouse Sugar Shack Maple Stout, brewed by Third Street Brewhouse, Cold Spring, MN.

I'm still on the fence with these guys. Not in their court yet, not even close. Some are good, none are great, I'm kind of like, "eh", is how I am. So, here's another, and it's something I've never had before…a stout with maple. Huh. Well, here we go.

Full-on blackness, beneath a rich roasted tan head, lasting long. Looks good, looks good.

Aroma: dark malt, chocolate, …dark fruits..-ish? Beyond that, I'm getting an empty set.

Taste: Okay. Malt. Bitter hops, a bit. Sweetness, for a bit. And then…suddenly, in rushes the maple sweetness. Not too sweet, thankfully, but there's the flavor, kept in check with hop bitterness. Nice balance. More cocoa rises out of the flavor, matched by the maple, …and then not much. I imagined that I was in for a strong maple flavor, overwhelming all else, dripping with the syrup-y stuff. Maybe that's a pessimistic viewpoint? That I expected more than I wanted, and yet wound up with less? Huh…

Okay, now it's time to turn the label and find out what it says: Again with the all caps. Here we go…"Tucked in the backwoods of the legendary Saint John's Abbey, the Sugar Shack is operated by monks passing on century-old secrets and providing some seriously sweet history. These guys take maple syrup making as seriously as we take great beer making. These discerning monks have given Third Street Brewhouse exclusive rights (yep, that means just us) to pair their notorious sweet blend with our perfectly crafted beer so we can bring you the Sugar Shack Maple Stout."

So many problems with this overblown copy. "Perfectly crafted"?Don't ever say that. Good lord, never say that you are perfect. Once you tell me that you are perfect, I stop listening to you. Is there really a Saint John's Abbey somewhere, (if it's so legendary, why haven't I heard of it?) or is this more bullcrap? I'd love to be proven wrong, but it just feels so very fictional. The whole yarn is well-spun malarkey, and the end product is rather blase.

(Okay, I'm wrong. But, still.)

I didn't buy this beer, I waited until I got a sample. I'm glad I finally tried, and I'm grateful for the freebie. But this is unexceptional, at the very least, and the overblown puffery in "The Story" really turns me off. I have to say that we're stuck here. I will continue to try these guys for free, but I'm not spending any more of my own money on them. It's all a lot of "so what." nothing that they've brewed has done anything for me, especially when compared to what they themselves say about it. So. Keep trying, Third Street, and I'll keep trying to like your beers.

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale Ale Brewed with Natural Flavors.  "Dedicated to Tres & Cat Daddy, The Rogues of Voodoo Doughnuts, Brewed and Bottled by Rogue Ales, Newport, OR, 97365. 13 Ingredients: Briess Cherrywood Smoked malt, Weyermann Beechwood Smoked Malt, house-smoked hickory malt, Great Western 2 Row, Munich, C15, C75 malts, Applewood-smoked bacon, Pure maple flavoring, Rouge micro hopyard revolution & independent hops, free range coastal water, & pacman yeast, no chemicals, preservatives, or additives."
More about the plato, IBU, Lovibond, and AA, whatever that is, but I can't find the ABV. Where is it? I can't find it.

So.
This came out months ago, and people freaked, my friends gobbled it up, posted pictures on Facebook.com, etcetera…and I just couldn't bring myself to buy one. Why? 1. the cost, especially versus my doubts about the beer. (I paid $11.99 for this one.) 2. I like smoked beers, but maple and bacon? Do I really want to drink a doughnut? Is that what I'm looking for in a beer? 3. The bottle looks like Pepto Bismol. Not comforting. Also, I'm worried about ingesting sprinkles. (It's a doughnut beer, it should have sprinkles, right?)

But I regretted not trying this unique concoction, after all, it is necessary and important for me to try everything…everything, no matter how much the color of the bottle makes me think of upset stomach. And I found a bottle, and now I'm drinking one. Or, about to, anyway...

And now I'm wishing I had a Homer Simpson pint glass, it seems a natural choice. I'll just reach into the cabinet and find what I can find. …Nope, nothing with a pig on it, oh, well…

Hazy, crimson appearance, under a lush, looming, booming, slightly off-white head, sparkling and lace-leaving.

Aroma: screams out from first pour, the maple and the bacon, together as one. Let's go in further…Smoke hits first, and you can feel the fire below, plenty of char above the maple and bacon, like walking into a freshly burned building. I think I liked it better before I went in for a closer sniff.

Taste: Big, fresh smoked malt right away, matched with mild hoppiness, and then in roars the maple, then the bacon. Malt is lighter than I imagined. Did I expect a porter? Perhaps I anticipated a breadier mouthfeel, for a more "doughnutty" taste?
Maybe because I've never had a Voodoo Maple Bacon Doughnut, I can't compare this against it's true inspiration?

Somewhat thinnish mouthfeel, uninspiring flavor, beyond the gimmicky additions. Doesn't make me think of a doughnut in the least.

This should only be sampled among a large group of friends so that everyone gets a smallish taste, and can all agree on how sad this brew is…don't make my mistake and try to tackle it on your own.

Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half

Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half, or if you want to be the beer geek of all beer geeks, "CBH". Old Ale brewed with molasses and aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. "Maple syrup bourbon barrels?" What is that? Maple syrup bourbon barrels? Which ones? What? 11.9% ALC./VOL. Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI. No gobbledygook whatsoever, only legal crap, so let's jump on in…

Dark crimson hue, small head, turns to a tight ring.

Aroma is utter decadence. Hedonism in a bottle. Maple and bourbon blended with old ale? How much richness can you take? Bam! Hit after hit of sweetness, least of which is the rich malt backbone. Whiskey, vanilla, cherries, maple and more.

Taste: All of that and so much more. Intensely delicious. Caramel, toffee and chocolate tones dance with the dark fruit and the effects of the barrel. Despite the incredible hugeness of this affair, it's even slightly a chore to drink. He says, perhaps too early. I'm not even halfway through this bottle, and damn, but I will finish it.

And damn, it is impressive. All the parts hang together in all the right ways, and the sweetness sticks out, bolstered by the booze, but it holds it's own appropriately. Mmmm, mmm, I have to say, mostly because I haven't said it yet, and sometimes it needs to be said. Mmm, says me, mmmm.