7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
8584 18
Clear, Deep Reddish Amber Color, Huge Soapy Foam Head, Wet Soap Cream Top, Good Retention, Thin Creamy Drip Rings of Lacing. Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon Aroma. Cooked Vegetables, Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Light Hop Bitter. Same Spices in Aftertaste: Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon, Moderate Hop Bitter. Light, Yet Flavorful. Good. Enjoyed It. Recommended...
Clear, Deep Reddish Amber Color, Huge Soapy Foam Head, Wet Soap Cream Top, Good Retention, Thin Creamy Drip Rings of Lacing. Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon Aroma. Cooked Vegetables, Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Light Hop Bitter. Same Spices in Aftertaste: Pumpkin, Allspice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon, Moderate Hop Bitter. Light, Yet Flavorful. Good. Enjoyed It. Recommended...
Tried
from Can
on 03 Dec 2025
at 02:28
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottled 1/30/24, drunk 11/26/25, as pictured.
Very light for a giant stout.
Smells almost more barleywine-like. Big Demerara sugar, raisin, plum and some bourbon, though they certainly didn't go crazy with that. Surprising dearth of alcohol in the nose which I'm surprised at. Some vanilla, maybe a bit of banana and moderate oak.
Oakier than it is bourbony, though there's certainly some decent bourbon spice. Rich and malty, with big choco-caramel and long vanilla. Peppery, bitter alcohol strength but not hot or sharp at this point. Drinks better than expected but the abv is still ridiculously gratuitous. Everyone talks of it being sweet but this must have continued to attenuate as it's far from too sweet. Good oak and caramel character and richness of malt, but it does lack complexity of the top tier BA Impys.
Very light for a giant stout.
Smells almost more barleywine-like. Big Demerara sugar, raisin, plum and some bourbon, though they certainly didn't go crazy with that. Surprising dearth of alcohol in the nose which I'm surprised at. Some vanilla, maybe a bit of banana and moderate oak.
Oakier than it is bourbony, though there's certainly some decent bourbon spice. Rich and malty, with big choco-caramel and long vanilla. Peppery, bitter alcohol strength but not hot or sharp at this point. Drinks better than expected but the abv is still ridiculously gratuitous. Everyone talks of it being sweet but this must have continued to attenuate as it's far from too sweet. Good oak and caramel character and richness of malt, but it does lack complexity of the top tier BA Impys.
Tried
from Bottle
from
The Wine Garden
on 26 Nov 2025
at 19:31
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottled 1/30/24, drunk 11/26/25, as pictured.
Very light for a giant stout.
Smells almost more barleywine-like. Big Demerara sugar, raisin, plum and some bourbon, though they certainly didn't go crazy with that. Surprising dearth of alcohol in the nose which I'm surprised at. Some vanilla, maybe a bit of banana and moderate oak.
Oakier than it is bourbony, though there's certainly some decent bourbon spice. Rich and malty, with big choco-caramel and long vanilla. Peppery, bitter alcohol strength but not hot or sharp at this point. Drinks better than expected but the abv is still ridiculously gratuitous. Everyone talks of it being sweet but this must have continued to attenuate as it's far from too sweet. Good oak and caramel character and richness of malt, but it does lack complexity of the top tier BA Impys.
Very light for a giant stout.
Smells almost more barleywine-like. Big Demerara sugar, raisin, plum and some bourbon, though they certainly didn't go crazy with that. Surprising dearth of alcohol in the nose which I'm surprised at. Some vanilla, maybe a bit of banana and moderate oak.
Oakier than it is bourbony, though there's certainly some decent bourbon spice. Rich and malty, with big choco-caramel and long vanilla. Peppery, bitter alcohol strength but not hot or sharp at this point. Drinks better than expected but the abv is still ridiculously gratuitous. Everyone talks of it being sweet but this must have continued to attenuate as it's far from too sweet. Good oak and caramel character and richness of malt, but it does lack complexity of the top tier BA Impys.
Tried
from Bottle
from
The Wine Garden
on 26 Nov 2025
at 19:28
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
My 12 oz bottle was acquired from Half Time back in the summer. A Cowtown snifter awaits the pour. Very dark caramel brown with a limited head, promptly disappearing, of parchment brown foam. Oh, but the healthy carbonation. The nose is unique among imperial stouts, scorched coconut, oak barrels and chocolate to a lesser degree. The taste is dominated by coconut, an unusual turn for an adjunct in my experience to be so forward, vanilla, chocolate and booze. If anything I am reminded of a Mounds candy bar from back in the day. The ABV but not the booziness is concealed by all the other activity. A curious and interesting beer, unlike any I have had in recent memory. A true pastry imperial stout.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Half Time
on 23 Nov 2025
at 02:48
1.1/10
—
Appearance 5
Aroma 0.5
Flavor 0.5
Texture 1
Overall 0.5
From a can, pour is a rich thicker unnerving looking viscous off pale slightly orange tinted brew. Thin off white shaving cream ruffling flustering foam head. Sweet mildly cloying alarming nose. First taste is a distressing mouthcoating high impact hoppy treacle alky blast. Daunting boozy warming sensations down the gullet. Frightening unexpected gagging sensations. Dreadfully bitter bastard. Appalling distressing and hair raising. Please, let this horrifying session be terminated. Middle is daunting palate castration. Rattles and rototills my poor sorry girlie lager loving taste buds. Shocking overloading and disquieting. A harrowing monstrous finish. Overall a terribly petrifying on style messy alky bomb. Please please please will somebody get me a clean clear beautiful low alky kristalweizen to chase this with?
Tried
from Can
from
Chalet Premier
on 06 Nov 2025
at 18:35
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6
Black with a medium sized tan head that left good lacing. Cola, waxy chocolate, wood, boozy whiskey and vanilla. Long finish. Moderately full bodied. Disappointing.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Oct 2025
at 19:57
8.3/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. Pours clear black, small beige head, good lacing. Aroma is rum, toasted coconut, cocoa. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter. Medium body. Actually quite well done. Not a candy bar, actually quite well done
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Oct 2025
at 21:43
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
12 oz. bottle
11.0% ABV
Bottled: 03/25/25
$15.99 4-pk @ Publix - Got as a BOGO
AROMA: Mildly sweet with mild scents of malt, plum, toffee, and "booze". Honestly, I'm kinda surprised at how mild the aroma is. I was really expecting something a little more bold, in the olfactory department.
Okay, as the beer warms, I am getting more olfactory stimulation. Unfortunately, the majority of that boost is just for the "booze" scent. Although, I do get a bit more plum than when it was colder. But not enough to outshine the "booze".
APPEARANCE: Pours a cloudy medium-brown with a 2-finger, tight-froth, off-white, head that dissipates moderately-quick with good lacing. It looks fine in my clear glass but the head needs to stick around longer.
TASTE: Moderately sweet with the predominant flavors being "booze", bourbon, toffee, and fresh plum. During the finish I get whispers of vanilla and oak.
As the beer warms, I am getting a bit of milk chocolate flavor in the middle of the sip. But it's fleeting, and quickly transitions to toffee and "booze".
MOUTHFEEL: Medium-bodied with a fairly smooth texture with just a hint of stickiness during the finish. Carbonation seems average, and appropriate.
While the description claims to have a "pleasantly dry finish", I am finding that it is the barest of dry. For me, that's usually not a bad thing as I tend to shy away from dry beers. But (and I can't believe I'm saying this), in this case, I think just a bit more dryness would help to alleviate a bit of that stickiness.
OVERALL: I have tried several of the Dragon's Milk varieties and I can honestly say, this is my least favorite. Mostly because (for me) the "booze" characteristic is too predominant in the aroma and flavor categories. I don't mind it being there ... I just don't like that it's a major starring role.
On a positive note, what I found a bit unique about this beer is that the plum flavor is that of ripe plum, rather than dried. Why does that make a difference? Well, it provides sweetness along with that slight bit of sour/tang that ripe plums have. Which helps to balance out all of the other sweet components. Personally, I find that to be a nice touch, and a welcome respite from the usual sweet, "dark fruit" flavors that dark beers tend to lean towards.
11.0% ABV
Bottled: 03/25/25
$15.99 4-pk @ Publix - Got as a BOGO
AROMA: Mildly sweet with mild scents of malt, plum, toffee, and "booze". Honestly, I'm kinda surprised at how mild the aroma is. I was really expecting something a little more bold, in the olfactory department.
Okay, as the beer warms, I am getting more olfactory stimulation. Unfortunately, the majority of that boost is just for the "booze" scent. Although, I do get a bit more plum than when it was colder. But not enough to outshine the "booze".
APPEARANCE: Pours a cloudy medium-brown with a 2-finger, tight-froth, off-white, head that dissipates moderately-quick with good lacing. It looks fine in my clear glass but the head needs to stick around longer.
TASTE: Moderately sweet with the predominant flavors being "booze", bourbon, toffee, and fresh plum. During the finish I get whispers of vanilla and oak.
As the beer warms, I am getting a bit of milk chocolate flavor in the middle of the sip. But it's fleeting, and quickly transitions to toffee and "booze".
MOUTHFEEL: Medium-bodied with a fairly smooth texture with just a hint of stickiness during the finish. Carbonation seems average, and appropriate.
While the description claims to have a "pleasantly dry finish", I am finding that it is the barest of dry. For me, that's usually not a bad thing as I tend to shy away from dry beers. But (and I can't believe I'm saying this), in this case, I think just a bit more dryness would help to alleviate a bit of that stickiness.
OVERALL: I have tried several of the Dragon's Milk varieties and I can honestly say, this is my least favorite. Mostly because (for me) the "booze" characteristic is too predominant in the aroma and flavor categories. I don't mind it being there ... I just don't like that it's a major starring role.
On a positive note, what I found a bit unique about this beer is that the plum flavor is that of ripe plum, rather than dried. Why does that make a difference? Well, it provides sweetness along with that slight bit of sour/tang that ripe plums have. Which helps to balance out all of the other sweet components. Personally, I find that to be a nice touch, and a welcome respite from the usual sweet, "dark fruit" flavors that dark beers tend to lean towards.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Publix - Winter Springs Town Center
on 21 Oct 2025
at 18:59
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle, 2025 vintage. Coconut aroma with notes of roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, rum and oak. Pours deep brown with a thin mocha brown head that has little retention and very little lacing. Starts with rich roasted malt, chocolate and vanilla flavors as well as having a rich, full body and silky smooth mouthfeel. Finishes quite smooth with coconut, rum and oak flavors. Excellent dragons milk variant.
Tried
from Bottle
from
J&K Liquor
on 20 Oct 2025
at 00:24
7.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Sample at Porch Growler. Slightly hazy copper-orange pour with a medium foamy bone white head that diminishes steadily to a film. Sparse strings of lace. Aroma of grassy hops, citrus and malt. Medium body with flavors of grassy hops, tangerine, tropical fruit and biscuit malt. The finish is moderately bitter with a citrusy hop aftertaste. Decent overall.
Tried
from Draft
at
Porch Growler
on 03 Oct 2025
at 18:15