Harpoon Mike's Pastry Cannoli Stout

Review Date 1/1/2022 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Stout   Brewery: Harpoon   Country: USA   State: Massachusetts   $ Per OZ: $.19 (B)   ABV: 7.3%

Here’s a beer I thought I’d never find: Harpoon Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout. I saw it reviewed by Jeff Lyons in Honest Craft Beer Reviews on Facebook, but I never thought I would see it make its way down here to Georgia. And yet, a few weeks before Christmas, I found a four pack at Mink’s Package in Marietta Georgia. Of course, it went right into my cart.

Harpoon says:

Made in collaboration with Mike’s Pastry, Mike’s Cannoli Stout was brewed using their hand-made cannoli shells, cocoa nibs, lactose, and vanilla to re-create the flavor profile of their famed dessert – or pair perfectly with if you really want to double down! Previously, their legendary cannolis were just for eating… now they’re for drinking too. Like in 2020, a portion of proceeds for the 2021 release will go to Christmas in the City.

The beer sounded Mighty tasty, and Jeff made it sound so in his video review. I love stouts, I love cannoli, and I love Harpoon-one of the first craft brewers from my native New England. I was delighted to get to try this beer.

Ingredients from the website:

Grain Bill: Pale Malt, Wheat Malt, Flaked Oats, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Malt, Honey Malt, Biscuit Malt

Hops: Willamette

Yeast: House

Specialty Ingredients: Mike's Pastry cannoli shells, cocoa nibs, lactose, and vanilla

Harpoon Mike’s Pastry Stout has an alcohol content of 7.3% by volume with 27 IBUs. My cans are stamped Pkg 01/25/21 and I drank my first one on December 21^st of 2021. This beer aged nicely; it doesn’t hurt that Mink’s keeps all their beer refrigerated. I paid $11.99 for a four-pack of pint cans and thought that a fair price.

Harpoon Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout pours to a jet-black color with a thick creamy tan head and a nose of smooth milk chocolate. Taking a sip, the beer is medium in body, very chocolatey indeed and more dark chocolaty than the nose suggested with vanilla creamy/marshmallow notes. If you reach out with the palate, you can even get the crispy cannoli shells.

It finishes bitter, gently roasty, and quite delicious. Although I found too much chocolate and not enough cream to really taste like a cannoli, the beer came close enough for me and I would absolutely buy this one again.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??