Beer Man: Creamy Stout continues strong Alaskan streak
- Oatmeal stout is creamy and rich without being overly sweet
- Chocolate, caramel, coffee and roasted malt notes linger
- Smoothness stems from roasted malts, hops and oats
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Alaskan Stout
Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, Alaska
There are many breweries that release excellent products, but their misses are equal to their hits.
There are very few that have a consistently high success rate, and Alaskan Brewing Co. seems to be one of them.
Its Amber is my favorite of the hundreds of ambers on the market and the Smoked Porter is one of the best beers in the world. Its Barley Wine also was impressive. While I can't claim to have sampled every beer they've made, I am impressed by the high quality of the ones I have.
Alaskan Stout is an oatmeal stout that can hold its own with the best in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It's creamy and rich without being overly sweet, cloying or heavy. It slides down the throat with ease after first massaging the taste buds with chocolate, caramel, coffee and roasted malt notes.
The oats are also noticeable in the aroma and taste, something I don't come across often -- usually there are just enough used to add a silky texture to the body of the stout.
The low bitterness of the roasted malts and hops, along with the oats, is a big factor in the smoothness of the beer. It's refreshing to taste roasted malt that is not overly bitter. Those looking for the typical strong coffee bitterness or a hop blast will have to look elsewhere.
The other characteristics of the 5.7% ABV beer are typical for a stout -- black color, tannish head, medium carbonation and a semi-dry finish.
Alaskan beers are available in 12 states, mostly west of the Mississippi, but including Wisconsin. The brewery's website has a Beer Finder link; click on "Our Beer" on the home page and then "Find Our Beer" and you can type in a ZIP code to see where it's available.
I'm amazed that a brewery in Alaska can produce enough beer to ship to the lower 48. I'm sure glad it can. Keep 'em coming!
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns Click here.