Review: Samuel Adams Cream Stout

Samuel Adams Cream Stout (Alcohol Content: 4.69 percent)
The Boston Beer Co.

8.5 out of 10

Cold, blustery weather calls for a hearty beer that will keep you warm and toasty on the inside.

Few brews do the trick as well as the Samuel Adams Cream Stout.

It pours a pitch black. A finger and a half of khaki-colored head sits atop the beer and remains there after each gulp. Intricate patterns of laced foam stick to the sides of the glass as the beer is consumed because of the unmalted barley - which increases head retention - used in the brewing process.

Smells of espresso and whole wheat are prominent in the beer. Aromas of vanilla and toasted graham cracker rise briefly after the stronger initial smells dissipate.

A malted espresso taste dominates any other flavor in the brew. The warm, smoky stout flavor lingers long after the beer is swallowed. After a few sips, the beer's stronger, bitter taste begins to give way to a sweet, wheat bread-type of finish.

The cream stout feels rich and robust on the palate. It falls short of the milkshake quality of Guinness, but it definitely contains the minimal carbonation and velvety texture required of a great stout.