Left Handed Giant x Uiltje Brewing Company - Woodland Creatures
As we hoped and expected Day 13, which fell on a Sunday, presented us with a stout and this time it was a collaborative 6.9% pistachio and honeycomb milk stout that came in a really funky can design.
Dan
Couldn't have asked for more from today's unwrapping!!
It was a 440 so whilst I was still inclined to think it would be a stout, I did suspect it would be knocking around the 5-7% ABV mark. Whilst lesser brewers may well have plied such a stout with sickly artificial tasting ingredients, I think they struck a great balance on this.
The pistachio brought some deep earthy flavour rather than that saccharine sweet nut flavour we would more regularly associate with pistachio desserts. Likewise, the honeycomb was subtle and provided some sugar but almost tasted like the edges had caught in the oven, carrying a taste of burnt caramel that conjured thoughts of crème brûlée. A perfect Sunday afternoon sipper that leaves your faculties intact for the cooking later but also provides some warmth and comfort from the drab outside.
Score - 4.00
Jack
#Stoutsunday is the most wonderful day of the week, is it not? I might be showing my disposition toward dipsomania, but I look forward to it with the giddy excitement I used to reserve exclusively for Christmas and birthdays.
With my child-like wonder I tore open the brown paper covering for today's offering and my heart almost skipped a beat, but was that out of joy or trepidation? Left Handed Giant have burnt me in the past but I have to admit, I was excited by this one. Honeycomb and pistachio, that's a much more intriguing and enticing mix than the almond, raspberry, blueberry and kitchen sink combo that flavoured our last LHG beer.
The honeycomb flavour was a slightly bitter note, the pistachio gave that bizarre nutty, earthy note that works so well with sweet, and all that was mingled with a properly good stout base. While this poured thinner than I was expecting, it's hard to remember how normal non-impy stouts are meant to pour these days as its been so long since I had one, there was still plenty of body to this. The ABV level meant that this could be savoured but not too drawn out - you could knock it back if you wanted but for the intense flavour profile is what I'm saying, basically drink it however you like. We chose to draw it out for 30 mins or so and the flavours just kept opening up. I had stupidly chilled mine, but my suspicion is that this would be a banger at room temp. LHG are back in my good books in a big way.
Score - 4.00
Watch us accommodate ourselves to the Woodland Creatures by clicking here.
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