Think you don't like beer? Lots of folks think the same. My answer to this comment, of course, is invariably the same: you just haven't tried the right beer yet. Maybe you're not too fond of Budweiser or Miller or Coors, and think that they're all beer really is. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course.

Fortunately, that impression seems to be diminishing these days, and with the advent of the craft brewing revolution most folks today see beer in all it's diverse glory. That wasn't always the case, as I can tell you from experience. You see, beer can differ from style to style as much as wines do by variety, or as food does by dish. Keeping this in mind, it's not hard to find a beer to please every palate, something I always enjoy doing.

Here's a great example. Love chocolate? Then Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout may be just the thing for you. This really is a chocolate milk stout folks, with real cocoa nibs and shells added to a bonafide milk stout. A milk stout, of course, is a beer with dairy-derived lactose sugars added, hence the name. Yeast, being lactose intolerant, can't digest these sugars, so they stay in the finished brew adding body and sweetness.

Malt can add chocolaty flavors as well, and Terrapin uses chocolate malt and roasted barley for just that reason. Carafa III Special, two-row, and Crystal 85 malts are also used, as well as some flaked oats for smoothness. The beer is hopped with Willamette and Nugget varieties, and has an alcohol content of 6% by volume.

Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout pours to a jet black color with a light creamy tan head formation (and that on a rather vigorous pour). The nose hints at roasted malt and cocoa. A sip reveals a beer moderate in body but one with plenty of flavor: bittersweet chocolate and powdery cocoa, a hint of licorice, all laced with a soft suggestion of espresso and gentle sweetness.

The licorice and coffee are subtle mind you, allowing the chocolate flavors to predominate. Then too, the beer is silky smooth and very drinkable, much like, well, a glass of chocolate milk. The finish is nicely balanced, with just a slight touch of herbal grassy hops.

I really like this beer. It's not a huge brew by any means, but then it's not supposed to be. The intent is to highlight the chocolate notes softly, and Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout does that well. And at $7.99 a six-pack it's a very reasonable deal by today's standards. Moo Hoo Stout is a new fall seasonal brew for Terrapin, and I've enjoyed it both in the bottle and on draft at the local Taco Mac.

Highly recommended.

Home