Webster’s defines “adjunct” as something joined or added to another thing but not essentially a part of it. In the brewing world, adjunct is a term used in much the same fashion. An adjunct is a grain or ingredient used to complement barley malt as the main ingredient of the beer. Historically, that has meant another grain, in America usually rice or corn. These adjuncts are meant not to add flavor but to lighten the beer. As a result, they are often frowned upon by beer geeks.

Adjuncts can have a very positive impact on beer, though, and in example I give you Adjunct Assault III at Westbrook, an imperial stout brewed with chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla. These are most definitely intended to add flavor to the beer, and they do.

If you go to Westbrook’s website and visit the page dedicated to the many, many beers they brew, you will not find a listing for Adjunct Assault III. At least, I could not. The label says:

The Adjunct Lords want to see a circle pit! Adjunct Assault!

Whatever that means. Anyway, since this is Adjunct Assault III, I was curious about the first two. Adjunct Assault featured banana, coconut, and vanilla. Adjunct Assault II was was brewed with hazelnut, coffee, and cinnamon, Both sound equally delicious.

Adjunct Assault III at Westbrook has an alcohol content of 13% by volume and I paid $7.99 for my pint can at Total Wine, where it was selling for $26.99 a 4-pack. The bottom of my can was stamped 4400 08 20. I’m sure I don’t know what that means.

Adjunct Assault III at Westbrook pours to a jet-black color with a light cap of creamy tan foam and a nose of Reese’s Cup chocolate and peanut butter. Taking a sip, the beer is medium to full in body though not as full as I expected, but it does not lack for flavor. Smooth creamy chocolate, dry roasty nutty peanut butter, roasty dark malt all are here. The beer finishes dry with roast and warming with alcohol. I do not really get the vanilla, but that’s OK. Ecerything else appears in prodigious quantities.

While a bit pricey, Adjunct Assault III at Westbrook was a truly delicious beer that I would certainly buy again.