Samuel Adams Cream Stout

Thought I'd give a try to Sam Adams' version of a cream stout. I have mixed emotions about the glass I had. It came out looking very nice with its dark coloring and ample tan head that left nice lacing down the glass the whole session. Something about the seeming uniformity of bubbles in the head kept me thinking about soda bubbles instead of beer foam. The aroma was nice balance of chocolate, coffee, and a bit of hop sweetness. There is a consistent cafe mocha flavor through the swallow, but it is joined and then abandoned by a small wake of hoppy citrus before it all mellows out with a creamy finish. The result comes across more like the coffee aspect was getting a temporary spike in the middle. Unfortunately, the thinness of the body really annoyed me. I like my stouts to be a bit thicker on the tongue it looked like I was drinking a stout, it tasted like I was drinking a stout, but it felt like I was drinking a Bud. Considering how pleasant I found other aspects of Samuel Adams Cream Stout, the mouthfeel was a real disappointment.

There are many aspects of the beer that I like, but there are nagging aspects that just dragged down the experience for me quite a bit.