Jan 8, 2016

The Bruery 8 Maids-A-Milking

Ever since first trying Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury (way back in 2008), the combination of a roasty stout brewed with a Belgian yeast strain has always confounded my tastebuds. The blend of flavors has just never worked well for me, often feeling contrasting or muddled at best. Which brings us to 8 Maids-a-Milking, the latest in The Bruery’s “12 Days of Christmas” series, an imperial milk stout brewed with their house Belgian yeast strain.

The previous three releases in the company’s holiday series that I’ve had have all been based on more traditional Belgian-style ales. This latest offering is the first that I’ve had that breaks from the norm. And while I have thoroughly enjoyed (and cellared) previous releases, I believe this is the only bottle of 8 Maids-a-Milking that I will be purchasing.

Again, this is more a personal preference than anything really wrong with this beer. I love stouts and Belgian ales, but I still have issues wrapping my head and taste buds around a beer like this. The traits just don’t want to mingle properly for me. I wanted to like this more than I did, but…